


The Fallen

by Nin_Ninjae



Category: EXO (Band), K-pop
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Fantasy, MAMA AU, Other, Supernatural Elements, Wolf AU, powers au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-18
Updated: 2017-07-01
Packaged: 2018-10-07 05:39:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 109
Words: 427,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10353405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nin_Ninjae/pseuds/Nin_Ninjae
Summary: "If there is one thing I remember vividly from my vague childhood days, it's them. Twelve amazing stars that shone so bright against the backdrop of the velvet night sky. I loved watching them, loved to see how they shone. Even though it made no sense, I felt like they were somehow a part of me. How familiar they felt. How warm those stars made me feel. Almost like being home. Pathetic, right? It's ridiculous, I know, but that didn't prevent me from crying when I witnessed the stars fall. One by one..."Ordinary Jae has lived an ordinary life until her parents dragged her to an island in the middle of the Pacific ocean. As if having to move miles away from her home wasn't enough, she goes through a rocky start at her new school. It totally doesn't help that she keeps bumping heads with twelve peculiar students whom seem to harbor a secret, tied to a shared, mysterious past that she's adamant to unravel. She always did want to have an exciting life, but once she realizes that her wish actually came true, going back to her mundane existence isn't optional anymore, and those twelve mysterious guys are exactly the ones to blame for that...





	1. ~ Jae-In Miyano ~

***

If there was one word that could sum up my life, it would be _confusing_. Maybe  _mediocre_.  _Average_ , perhaps. Maybe all of the above. I've never been the kind of person to be outstanding in anything, never found life to be all that grand either, to be completely honest. I don't know, I guess I'm still waiting around to be absolutely wowed into a stupor. 

There's this thing about everyday routine that just makes you so comfortable and used to it, you're more than satisfied to just go along with the flow of things. I'm really no different. I go to school, hang with friends at the mall, surf the web, the usual stuff. Call me boring, if you want. Unexceptional, even. Usually, I just go by Jae. Jae-In Miyano. The daughter to a lovely, hobbit-sized Korean mother and a Hawaiian-Japanese father. Even though my roots may seem exotically exciting, I guarantee I absolutely am not. And you know what? I'm perfectly fine with that. Really.  _Totally_  fine... 

I heard the big, fat sigh escape my lips as I stared up into the clear blue sky. When not doing anything typically teenage girlish, I liked to take my bike and head over to the woods. There's a particular patch of meadow that I claimed as my own where I could lie in the soft grass amongst the wild flowers, shaded by tall trees. It was my personal slice of heaven, and frankly it was the one place where I felt completely at ease. 

Don't misunderstand. I like my life. I do. I've two amazing parents that have cared for me and loved me for seventeen whole years and they still haven't grown tired of me. I do well at school, as well as you'd expect an average student to do, and I have a nice group of friends I hang out with. Considering I'm in my impossible teenage years, I'd say I have my business in order. Though, there was this one little thing that nagged at me, ever since I was little, I suppose. You know how most people remember being a child, remember and knowing no other life than their own? Given, I'm somewhat of a natural scatterbrain, but hear me out. Usually, people are aware that they are someone's child, someone's sibling. They don't know any better than being who they are. They don't get sudden, inexplicable knots in their stomach because they're wondering where they're from and who they are. They don't dream of far away worlds with intense longing and deep emotions that cause them to cry when they wake up. Most of all, I don't think people would suddenly look around and wake up from their humdrum lives and start to panic, because they've no idea what they're doing. They've no idea where they belong and they've no idea why they feel so out of place. 

In moments of panic like that, I retreat to my little patch of heaven and look up to the sky. I feel safe and secure here, rooted in the earth. Even though it's quiet here, it's never silent. There's life buzzing all around me, it's in the wind and trees, the rustling leaves, the bending grass. I feel at peace here, but there's still a nagging feeling in the back of my mind, as though something very important is missing. 

Sometimes, when I couldn't be bothered with keeping to curfews, I'd stay in the meadow until the sun set and the stars come out to play. There's twelve of them that really catch my eye, twelve that seem to shine brighter than all the rest. I don't quite understand why, but seeing those twelve stars in the sky always makes me happy. Maybe it's because they've always been there, ever since I can remember. If there was one thing I remembered vividly from my childhood days, then it's _them._ Twelve amazing stars that shone so bright against the backdrop of the velvet night's sky. I loved watching them, loved to see how they shone. Sometimes I'd even talk to them, even though that made no sense at all. There was something about those stars that made me feel like they were somehow a part of me. They felt so familiar, they made me feel so warm. I belonged underneath those stars. I was home there. 

Pathetic, right? You don't have to tell me, I know. Maybe I'm just so happy to see those stars shining above me, because I distinctly remembered a time crying so hard when I witnessed them falling. One, right after the other...  


But then, I'd wake up in my meadow, and see them again. Like a meeting of old friends. 

...Maybe I should try and get a life. 

"What do you guys think?" I looked up at the twinkling stars that watched over me, as I propped up my hands behind my head. I smiled as I imagined twelve celestial voices replying to me and closed my eyes. 

So, yeah, that's me. Jae. Regular teen, not-so-extraordinaire, with a strange star-fetish and inexplicable panic attacks making me question my very existence. Still waiting for life to happen. 

Stars, if you're ready, I'm prepared to be amazed...


	2. ~ Something Wicked ~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you guess who's who? ^^

***

The night had been particularly dark, cold and long. The worst part of it being that the hunt turned out to be absolutely useless since they were unable to catch their prey, despite their best efforts. 

He had voted against hunting in their more vulnerable state, but no one listened to him, of course. _Trust the older brothers_ , they said, _what did the little brothers know about anything_? He scowled at thinking back to the conversation. If only they had listened, they wouldn't have to go through all this crap. A lot of good it did them.

"Maybe we should have waited for full moon," one of his elder brothers said, biting his lip. Usually the one bearing a wide grin on his face, it was odd for him to see his older brother's face scrunched up like that.

"You think?" he was unable to hold back his annoyance as he emerged from the shadows, only to be surrounded by more shades swirling around him. In a heartbeat, he stood in front of his brothers. "I said that we should wait, but did anyone of you listen?  _Nooo_ ," he complained. "Now we went through the longest night of our lives without so much as a nibble where prey is concerned and we lost precious time to sleep. Not to mention that a few of us got injured in the process," he pointed at their youngest brother who was leaning against the bark of a tree. He was grimacing as a gentle light emanated from yet another brother's hands, hovering over his knee with great care.

"We had to make sure. None of us could have foreseen this failure."

He turned his attention towards one of the eldest brothers, and found, to his dismay, that he was unable to glare at such a gentle face. _Stupid doe eyes_ , he thought to himself. 

"If anything, _you_  are exactly the one and only person who could have seen this useless night coming," he muttered, to show them all that he was angry. 

"Hey, you know that what I do doesn't work that way, and do I have to remind you that you're talking to your older brother, kid?" he replied, his eyes glowing only briefly.

The youth clacked his tongue and fought the urge to roll his eyes. "All I'm saying is that all of this could have been avoided if any of you took the time to listen to me once in a while. Sometimes I get good hunches, you know?" he argued.

"We know that, but considering the circumstances we had to give it a shot. Even you can't deny that you felt the pulse as well. It had never been as strong as it was tonight."

The youth lazily turned his head to face his motherly brother, his eyes following the water that moved obediently with his hand gestures.

"Here, drink some water. You need to stay hydrated," the oh-so-fearless leader urged, the water slithering through the air towards him.

In no mood to be babied, he stepped within the swirls of black mist and stood next to a rather stoic-looking youth. His big eyes blinked at seeing his younger brother standing beside him, but said nothing. He wanted to stay out of the argument, he was tired enough as is.

"I don't want to drink. I want answers. I thought we were hunting, not following that pulse, so which is it?"

The water dropped into the earth of the forest. "Can't it be both?"

"You're joking, right? Look, I can deal with hunting, that's fine- great, even. But didn't we agree to leave that pulse for what it was? Why should we bother looking for it? We've been searching for years and for years it's been the same result; nothing," he protested, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Have you completely forgotten the source of that pulse? The importance of that source, what it means to us?" his doe-eyed brother interjected. "We can't give up on that." 

"No, what I really can't give up on is a good hunt and we couldn't even manage that tonight," he replied, reminding himself not to be manipulated by his brother. He knew that his brother had enough mindtricks up his sleeve to be able to persuade him, and he didn't want anything to do with that.

"We don't hunt for sport, you know that. Tonight was important and it's unfortunate that it ended the way it did, but we'll just have to try again another time," his brother replied, manipulating a ball of water to float about again. 

"During full moon, this time," he urged, to which most of his brothers finally nodded in agreement. 

"Fine, full moon it is- provided that the three of you can control yourselves," the leader pointed at the three youngest brothers, who let out shouts of indignation. Since the youngest one was currently at the mercy of their healing brother, his protests were rather wan. Though, the fact that he was able to protest gave good hope. The injuries were healing. 

"We should head back home before anyone notices us missing," his brother dropped the ball of water on the forest floor again, and turned to the youngest one. "How are you feeling?" 

"Better, thanks to hyung," the youngest replied with relief, the lisp barely noticable. 

"Good. We should leave now while the sun is still sleeping. With some luck you might be able to catch an hour or two of sleep yourself. It's a school-night, after all," the leader remarked, eliciting exhausted sighs from his brothers. 

"Fine," the rebellious youth sighed. "Everyone hold on," he deadpanned. 

"Uh, wait- anyone up for a little flying instead?" a hopeful, deep voice sounded. 

"And risk people seeing you? Not a chance. Line up." 

He shook his head at hearing the argument between  _father_  and  _mother_  and sighed. 

"Make sure to arrive somewhere discreet," his brother reminded him and he scoffed. 

"Uh, duh? I didn't do this since yesterday, you know," he glowered, slightly offended. As the brothers were about to comment, he quickly concentrated on gathering the right amount of energy and sent all of them into the shadows. 


	3. ~ New Beginnings ~

***

Okay, so, when I said that I was ready for life to sweep me off my feet in awesome excitement,  _this_  wasn't exactly what I had in mind. Seriously, stars, when I asked for a little  _oomph_  in my mundane existence, this wasn't what I meant...

"Are you guys for real? This is a joke, right? This isn't actually happening, right?" I asked my parents as we stood in line to get on the airplane. "I mean, wow, you guys really had me going here, but the jig is up. So, can we go back home, like, now?" I added, seeing as they were both having a discussion about passports. 

Here's a brief recap of what I'm still aware of that happened the last couple of weeks. I came home one night after falling asleep in my meadow and get a scolding of a lifetime, of course. Not only had I broken my curfew, I blasted it to smithereens, since I casually walked through the front door at 2 AM in the morning. My parents were both ballistic, but after some reassurance from my part that something like that won't ever happen again, they let me off the hook. Well, sort of. Naturally, I was grounded and banned from going to the forest by myself, but I thought that would blow over soon. As an only child, parents tend to go easy on you. 

Anyway, the next day I come home from a dreary day of school and the house was suddenly cluttered with cardboard boxes and two overly excited parents who seemed to have forgotten their anger towards their curfew-breaking daughter. 

"I got a phone call from work!" said my overjoyed father. "We've been given the opportunity to start a better life at a magical, faraway place," he continued, as though he was walking on sunshine. My mother had been clapping her hands the entire time, and I, never suspecting my parents to be the type of people to get drunk in the middle of the day, only lifted my eyebrow at them. Was I judging them? Oh, yes. Yes, I was. 

"Uh, okay..." I muttered, pointing at the stairs. "I'll be in my room then." I was too late to make my escape as my father grabbed me by the shoulders and twirled me around to meet his gaze. 

"Jade, baby," he started, making me cringe only slightly at him using his nickname for me, "my precious gem, I don't think you understand what this means here. I got promoted! You're looking at the new CEO of Extraordinary Technologies!" 

"Oh, wow! Hey, congratulations, Dad," I said, as we embraced each other. I knew how long he'd been working his butt off to get that promotion. There was one time where we hadn't seen him for over a month because he was always working overtime. I was glad to hear that all that hard work paid off. 

"Thanks, sweetheart. But hey, this promotion isn't just my thing, it's for all of us," he said. I bet no matter how hard you'd hit him right now, there was nothing that could knock that huge grin off his face. However, the way he said those words, caused me to sense a bit of foreboding. Especially when my mother joined his side and he placed his arm over her shoulders. When I had  _two_  widely grinning parents in front of me, I knew that I was in trouble. 

"Uh, maybe you should sit down a moment, baby," Mom suggested, carefully. 

"What's up?" I asked, sitting on the armrest of the couch. 

"This promotion I got is a pretty big deal. The firm has opened up another building for scientific research and innovation- on a small island in the Pacific called Ookami Shinro. It's a beautiful place with a mild climate and lots of forests, isn't that so, honey?" Dad said, looking at Mom. 

"Oh, Jae, it's gorgeous! There's a lot of nature there, it's peaceful, it has an amazing, top-notch school- you'll love it!" she chirped.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa- wait." I stopped them when my mother whipped out a stack of brochures from the drawer. "Why would I love it?" I asked, blinking at them.

They looked at each other a moment before putting on those bright smiles again. "Because we'll be moving there, Jade. I'm going to run the company there. It'll be a great opportunity for all of us; new adventures, new beginnings. You said yourself that we got stuck in a rut, right? Well, this will be a great way for us to start something new," Dad announced, absolutely convinced of his case.

I, however, was too stumped to even protest.  _We were moving? To a place no one has even heard of before?_  

I lived the following weeks in somewhat of a blur. I remembered numbly packing my belongings and sneaking out of the house to visit the meadow as often as I could. It was strange looking up at my twelve stars and realize that I may not be able to see them from the new location. People often say that this world, despite of its variety of inhabitants and vastness, shared the same sky. Was that really true? I didn't particularly looked forward to it having to find out once I get to this new island.

Another thing I remembered, was tears. Not even my own, but that of friends and relatives that sent us on our way at the airport. I think I promised my friends to stay in touch, but there was still a part of me that just could not believe that we we're actually doing this. That we were really at the airport, about to board the plane and start our lives anew.

"Jade, baby, I know things have been hectic lately, but this will be good for us. It'll take some adjustments and perhaps some sacrifices, but you'll find your place there," Dad suddenly said to me, snapping me awake from my daydreaming.

"Huh?" I replied vaguely, following them when the line moved.

"Jae, get your head out of the clouds, you can dream all you want once we get on the plane," Mom commented, rummaging through her bag. "I had the passports in my hands, I was sure of it," she said, starting to panic.

"They couldn't have sprouted legs and run off, darling," Dad remarked.

"It's not in my bag," she exclaimed, looking around. She clacked her tongue derisively and rolled her eyes at me. "Jae-In, give me those," she huffed in exasperation, holding out her hand towards me.

"Huh, what?" I asked, wondering what I did now to have upset her. My father turned to look at me and sighed.

"Jade, if you had the passports all this time, why didn't you say so? You gave us a heart attack," he grabbed the passports from my hand and I watched as they were snatched away. Funny, I didn't even realize I was holding them. 

"Blockhead," Dad mused jokingly, lightly patting my head with his passport. 

"We're really leaving?" I asked quietly, my mouth dry. I was feeling it again. Sudden anxiety. It was the feeling of being uprooted from the earth and being abandoned somewhere you've never been before. I was searching again. I felt lost again. This time, to my horrid realization, I couldn't escape to my meadow. If I stepped on that plane, I'll never see it again. 

"Yes, baby, we are. It's okay, it'll be okay. I know it's scary at first, but you'll like it eventually," Mom soothed when she saw the tears stinging my eyes. Dad was rubbing my back. 

Biting my lips and refusing to cry in public, I waited until we boarded the plane and ascended into the clouds. The sun had slowly started to set, creating amazing colors in the sky. Further away, the horizon was a deep cobalt blue and I swore I could see the first shimmers of stars about to grace sky.

I had once cried because I saw my stars falling, but I never thought that I'd cry because I was the one that left them. Only when I was sure that no one was watching me and that both my parents were sleeping, I let my tears fall freely.

No. This was definitely not what I had in mind.  


	4. ~ Ohh MAMA...~

***

_I've watched over each of you since birth._

_I've watched you all grow over the years._

_I've seen your strong hearts and listened to their every beat._

_I am the one that has chosen you. All of you._

_I am the one that has granted you the gifts to always guard all that is good, and to smite all that is not._

_I live within each of you, as you are each kept within my heart._

_This is my oath to you, and I shall keep it, as long as you hold true to me._

 

The promise that was made so long ago had withstood the trials of time and space, and try as he may, he was unable to forget about it. The words. The voice... He remembered it clearly. All of them had.

In contrast, the memories of their past childhoods were vague, to say the least. Most of the time, they only knew of the here and now, and tried not to focus on what had been. He sure didn't want to waste his time on the past. He didn't want to question why they were here now. He didn't have to know how it was possible that they could do the things that they do. All he wanted was to move on. Their lives were fine as is. Why go searching for answers to questions no one knew of?

There were times, - he called them moments of weakness -, when a sudden memory would float into his head. It usually lasted for about three seconds and dispersed again, but it always left him feeling like crap for days. It was worse in the beginning, when he thought he was alone. He'd spent nights wandering by himself, trying to search for something without knowing what it was. He wanted to fill a void that had started to eat away at him. He had a lot of weak moments then, and he swore to himself that he never wanted to go through that hell again. 

But then, he found his brothers. One by one. They were far more curious than he had been, after discovering what they could do, wanting to know more about their origins, where they came from, how they were able to find each other, even though they weren't aware that they were looking for one another. He said it was instinct, but they weren't satisfied with that answer alone. 

"If it's just instinct, how come we all feel like we know each other, even though we just met?" one of them had asked. 

_Because we met before, but none of you seem to realize that,_ was his answer, though he never said the words out loud. 

He took a deep breath. That was the earliest clear memory he had since he woke up. He had parents who claimed to have raised him, who claimed to know him, but even though he did truly care for them, he could never fully acknowledge them as his parents. Then again, he always did feel like a stranger in a strange place, except, of course, when he was with his idiot brothers. 

"I'm going to school!" he shouted as he walked out of the house. 

"Okay, honey, have fun! Don't forget your lu-," his mother stared at him, wide-eyed, her hand covering her mouth. He froze himself. 

"What?" he prompted, quickly wiping the corners of his mouth. If she found out that he was the one responsible for eating the chicken she was saving for dinner, he'd be screwed. 

"Have you looked in the mirror this morning? You look terrible! Are you sick? Let me check your temperature," she started fussing over him and he quickly ran his hand through his disheveled hair. Inwardly, he cursed his older brothers for making him go hunting with them again. He didn't get to sleep a wink last night. 

"Look at those bags under your eyes," his mother muttered. "Have you been gaming all night again? I told you that I don't want you doing that, Jongin!" 

He cringed when she used his name and gently pushed her away. "I didn't, it's fine-  _I'm_  fine. I'm gonna be late," he tried. 

"Jongin," she warned strictly. 

"Mom," he mimicked her tone and quickly flashed her a boyish grin. "I'm fine, stop fussing. Oh, and I told you, it's Kai," he winked cheekily at her, knowing that she would soften up if he did so. 

"Ah, of course, how could I forget?" she rolled her eyes in a dramatic fashion. "You kids and your nicknames," she finally smiled when he grinned at her, hoping to get her off his back. She sighed, knowing full well what he was trying to do. 

"Are you sure you're alright, honey? You have to take better care of yourself, you know," she urged, caressing his cheek and rearranging his hair. 

"Yeah, I will, don't worry. I gotta go, I'll see you later," he rushed, ready to leave. 

"Jong- I mean, Kai, aren't you forgetting something?" she suddenly asked teasingly. She pointed at her cheek when he frowned in confusion at her. He groaned. 

"Ah, _eo_ _mma,_ " he complained. For all intents and purposes, he was still a teenager who was way too cool to kiss his mommy goodbye before going to school. He refused to give in. 

"It's either this, or I'll take you to school in all my splendid glory and smother you with kisses for everyone to see," she threatened playfully, gesturing at herself. 

Kai felt the muscle underneath his eye twitch when he saw the curlers in her hair, the oversized Hello Kitty pajamas - that no woman should wear in his opinion - and the bunny slippers finishing the morning ensemble. Without skipping a beat, he moved towards her and planted a quick peck on the cheek. 

"Hey, that was too fast!" his mother teased, laughing when he steadily continued to the door. 

"Bye!" he shouted, still a little embarrassed, especially when he heard her laughing. 

"Bye, sweetie. Have a good day," she greeted from the doorway and waved at him. He sighed deeply and walked over to his bike, a look of mild disgust on his face. Generally, he had a profound distaste for any form of transportation because he thought all of them moved too slow. As he stepped on his bike and made his way to school, he felt like sulking. It would be so much faster if he just teleported, but knowing that if anyone happened to see him do so, prevented him from giving in. For all he knew, the sleepy town of Hanwol was unaware of people like him and his brothers, which was for the best.

Resisting the urge to disappear into the shadows, Kai resorted to picking up the pace until he was satisfied with the speed. He let his mind wander while cycling through the quiet streets he had grown fond of, while vague memories of another life floated past. 

_ Twelve people, cloaked in grey, bowing to one other. They were children, really. It was the first time they had met. _

_ Racing through golden fields on a spring day. He always won, unless a certain dragon participated. He vowed revenge for losing. _

Kai caught himself smiling and fiercely shook his head. What was he doing? He never acknowledged those memories and he certainly was in no mood to do so now. Moments of weakness. Who needs them? 

"Kai!" 

He looked up at hearing his name and saw a stately gray building looming up before him. At the side of the street stood a group of girls in their school uniforms, waving at him. Immediately he put on the charm and winked back. He smirked when the girls giggled and he sighed in content when he got off his bike and locked it in place. 

Who needs a life from the past when he had a perfectly fine life right here, right now? 

_The voice of their source of life, the energy of their universe. The Tree of Life, choosing him..._

Startled, Kai grabbed the side of his head and tried his best to get rid of the memory, but his heart betrayed him. Feelings of pride and longing welled up inside of him and he cursed under his breath. He had to learn to let it go. They're not the same people they used to be, whoever they were. If his brothers were delusional enough to keep chasing rainbows, so be it. He'll have to be the one to remind them that rainbows weren't real. 


	5. ~ Winds in the East ~

***

A tall young man walked through the hallways of the old school building, perpetually thinking to himself how the local high school looked like some kind of preppy Ivy-league college with its old world facade, marble floors and high ceilings that reminded him of a cathedral. He reached the scarlet tie around his neck and tried to loosen it, but ended up only wiggling it a bit. School regulations stated that uniforms should be worn properly, those that failed to do so would be reprimanded and he was in no mood to spend the rest of the afternoon in detention-  _again_. Detention wasn't his style. 

As he arrived at his locker and opened it, revealing a slim, full length mirror on the inside of the door, he was thankful that the school uniform, at least, was his style. Completely and utterly so. Consistent with the chic flair of the old school, the male students wore dark gray, two-button blazers, pants to match, and white collar shirts. The school's emblem, a scarlet shield depicting a black bonsai tree inside it, was sewn neatly on the left breast-pocket. Even though he was admittedly fond of his uniform, and more importantly, how great it looked with him wearing it, he was even more grateful for the school uniforms worn by the girls.

He put on his best smile and leaned casually against the door of his locker as a group of them past by. He took his time to appreciate the fact that the girls were made to wear scarlet skirts reaching just above the knees. Revealing only a teasingly amount of skin, as the rest of their legs were covered by dark gray, knee-high socks. He pretended to check on his collar while he used the mirror to continue to watch the girls sashay away. When he saw the goofy grin reflected on his own face, he cleared his throat. Well, at least it was a sign that he was a healthy guy, no harm in appreciating beauty when it was so obvious for him to see, right? 

After quickly smoothing over his honey blonde hair, he finally grabbed the books he intended to get. He heaved a burdensome sigh when he looked at his math book and checked his reflection one last time. Despite being absolutely sleep-deprived, he was having a good day so far, and hoped that it would stay that way. With math class coming up, however, the chances were that he'd fall asleep in no time, and if that happened... He groaned when he pictured himself being stuck in detention. Why couldn't he have art class the first period?

"Kris-ge!" a high-pitched voice sounded cheerfully.

Closing his locker door, the young man gazed at the direction he heard someone call his name and immediately turned the other direction when he realized who was calling him.

"Hey! What's with that, gege? Wait for me!" a lanky young man exclaimed, jogging to catch up with him. When Kris felt a hand snake over his arm, he knew that escaping was impossible. He sighed.

" _Aish_ , why are you so mean to me in the morning, Kris?" his new companion whined, adjusting his jet black hair. 

"Because every time you're near, I get in trouble. I at least like to get through the first period in peace, thank you," he grumbled, trying to shake the younger boy's clingy hand off his arm, but failed.

"When have I ever gotten you in trouble?" the younger student protested, stopping him so that he had to look at him.

Kris met his gaze with a deadpan stare. "How much time you got?" he retaliated, to which the younger teen's lips were pressed together to prevent from laughing, a blush of embarrassment coloring his cheeks.

"But I get you out of it, too, don't I?" he whispered conspiringly, moving his hands and wiggling his eyebrows.

"Yeah, and make it worse," Kris replied in a bored tone of voice and turned around to get to his math class. "Do I have to remind you how you got me into detention because you had me chase a cockroach to kill it for you during the first morning assembly of the school year?" he started.

"Hey, that cockroach was huge and it touched me! I could have been infected with some fatal disease, they're disgusting, you know!"

"Hmhm," Kris mused skeptically. "Remember how that fearsome cockroach of yours ended up being a crumpled leaf?"

Rubbing the back of his neck out of embarrassment, the younger student simultaneously tried his best to suppress his laughter. Kris' expression had been hilarious, since his usually suave and cool image was nowhere to be found.

"Well, in all fairness, I did get you out of detention!"

"Yeah, for like ten seconds because you sneezed just as I was about to head out of the door, unfreezing time, and then abandoning me by running away. Did you have any idea how I had to explain to the teacher how I got to the door while I had been sitting in the back of the class a second ago? He thought I was fooling with him and extended my detention time!" 

Unable to control himself at seeing Kris' outburst, the lanky youth burst out into shrill, wholehearted laughter. 

"Yeah, good, good, laugh it off. You know you look ugly when you laugh like that, right? Especially with those bags under your eyes," he commented dryly, eliciting a gasp of protest.

"These are not bags under my eyes, you know I was born with dark circles," he pointed out, pouting a bit as he did so. Unable to see his younger brother sulk like that, Kris heaved a sigh and ruffled his hair.

"I know, I know. It was just a joke, you panda," he grumbled, relieved to see the smile return on his young brother's face. "Now, go," he shooed the younger boy away with a lazy gesture of his hand, whilst steadily walking away. 

"No, wait, gege, I'm sorry," the other student said, still trying to recollect himself somewhat. "I'm sorry," he repeated. "I promise I won't get you into trouble, it's just," he trailed off, his expression suddenly serious. Realizing that there was something bothering him, Kris approached him, concern painted on his face.

"What is it?" he asked, voice devoid of any playfulness. "Did something happen to someone?" When his younger brother shook his head, Kris was starting to lose a little patience. 

"Tao, what is it?" he urged pressingly. 

"Promise that you won't get angry at me for having to do this?" he asked.

Taking a deep breath to keep his composure, Kris nodded. "Yeah, I promise. Now, will you tell me what's wrong?"

"Okay, first, hold my hand," Tao instructed. 

"Grab your hand? Why would I-,"

Hearing Kris complain, Tao rolled his eyes and took hold of his older brother's sleeve instead and used his free hand to flick his wrist. The moment he did so, the world around them had stopped. Kris' eyes widened in astonishment. 

"Tao, tell me you did not just-!"

"You promised you wouldn't get angry!" Tao quickly reminded him. "Come on, I can't hold on that long and the others are waiting," he pulled the blonde along with him, the both of them carefully avoiding to touch frozen students and teachers as they passed by. Kris caught sight of the large clock that hung in the school's main hall and saw that all the hands had stopped ticking. 

"Tao," he called warningly. 

"Yeah, I know, don't worry, it won't take long, the universe will hardly notice," he said carelessly, though he did quicken his pace. Tao lead him to the school's gymnasium where the basketball team had already assembled for a morning meeting, as it seemed. They were in the middle of doing squats, which produced quite a bunch of funny faces and poses. However, there was no sign of the others. 

"So?" Kris asked, checking on his younger brother since he couldn't imagine how much energy this must be costing him. 

"I think Kai is a little late," he clacked his tongue. "Oh, wait, there!" he announced and just as he uttered the words, Kris could sense it too. Swirls of black mist appeared before them and with a blink of an eye, their ten brothers stood before them. 

"Alright, let's do this quickly, I have a test first period," the shortest of their group commented, his demeanor agitated, which Kris could completely understand. D.O. made himself comfortable on the gymnasium floor and with one look, Kris could tell that all of them were exhausted. 

"Hey, is this the basketball team?" one of them suddenly interjected, walking steadily towards the frozen students. Chen inspected their faces and grinned brightly at one of them. This one was easily twice his size in width and length, bearing a ridiculous scowl on his motionless face. His greasy dark hair was flung in the air and was stuck there, giving off the impression as though something had startled him. 

"Chen," Suho warned wearily, seeing the smile of mischief on his face. 

Ignoring him, he directed himself to D.O., calling him by his given name. "Kyungsoo, isn't this that Kenn guy, the one that's been giving you a hard time since freshman year?" D.O.'s eyes glanced briefly at the guy Chen was talking about and then directed his gaze to the floor, not saying anything. Kris frowned, knowing that the reserved youth had always been an easy target for airheaded bullies, but he hardly talked about it. He somewhat admired D.O. for always holding himself back. If those bullies knew what he really was capable off, there wouldn't be a bully around that would dare even think about messing with D.O..

"What,  _that's_ him?!" a tall and curious young man appeared beside Chen to appraise the guy he was talking about. Making a face at the bully, he carefully poked his nose. "No wonder he's always angry at D.O., they're complete opposites!" Chanyeol stated, a goofy grin on his face. 

"Well, since we're here," Chen whipped out a marker out of nowhere and pulled off the cap with his teeth, the black cap lodged in between his grin. 

"Yeah, do it! Draw him a Mario-moustache, no- wait! Fu manchu!" Baekhyun clapped his hands in mirth as he laughed, his other brothers watching and grinning along with him. Well- almost all of them. 

"Chen, don't be an idiot and get back here," Suho called out in vain. Seeing that the youth didn't listen, Suho's eyes were suddenly directed towards Kris who stared back, wide-eyed and confused. After reading the urgency in Suho's face and seeing him repeatedly gesture towards Chen, Kris sighed and turned towards the youth in question. To be perfectly honest, he wanted Chen to deface Kenn's face with the marker, but it would raise questions and suspicions that they really didn't need. 

"Chen, quit being stupid and hand over that marker. You're not qualified to create artwork yet, my friend," Kris waved his hand to beckon his younger brother and saw him stomp his feet. 

" _Wae_ , where's your sense of humor, hyung?" Chen whined, though he reluctantly obeyed and placed the marker in Kris' outstretched hand. Chanyeol patted Chen comfortingly on the head.

"Can we do this a little faster, please? I don't know how long I'll be able to focus, here," Tao spoke up, visibly concentrating. On cue, Lay walked towards him and offered him some support without Tao having to ask for it.

"I got you, bro," said Lay easily. Kris gave him a grateful smile, which widened when he caught sight of Lay's characteristic dimple as he beamed back. 

"Right. The reason I called for this meeting was because Sehun told me something I thought all of you should know," Suho announced gravely. With the mentioning of his name, Sehun was faced by eleven faces, all staring at him in anticipation. 

"And I told Suho-hyung that an emergency meeting was really overdoing it, as usual, but while we're here," Sehun's lisp was always more obvious when he was a little nervous, though Kris was more interested in what this whole ordeal was about. 

"You know how I sometimes sense things in the air, like vibrations or scents, or hunches in general?" he started. "It's like Luhan-hyung suddenly hearing something, or Kai's instinct," he explained. "Well, I've been noticing things for a while now- not long, just a few days, and I don't know what it is, but something changed in the air. It's in the wind. It shifted somehow and it's probably nothing, but I can't wrap my mind around it," Sehun said, his brow furrowed. 

"Eh, I know I'm no expert, but doesn't wind tend to shift and change? Isn't that kind of what wind does?" Baekhyun remarked, sitting next to D.O.. 

"Not like this," said Sehun, obviously trying to find a way to make things clear for his brothers. "I don't want to sound dramatic, but there's something foul in the air and I can't place it. It's just- unnatural, I guess," he tried instead. 

"Foul? Like what? Did Tao eat something again that he shouldn't have?" Baekyhun joked, making his brothers snicker. He jumped when Xiumin walked over and chucked him on the back of the head before sitting down next to D.O. on the other side. 

"Geez, it was that  _one_  time! Besides, Lay-ge healed me from that, so I doubt it'll happen ever again," Tao managed to protest. 

"Yeah, let's not bring that up, huh?" Lay patted him on the back as he kept him steady, ready to do some healing if necessary. 

"Guys, I'm being serious," Sehun stated. Kris, who had silently listened and quietly enjoyed seeing his brothers interaction with one another, became more focused the moment Sehun directed his eyes on him. Knowing that Sehun wasn't one to overreact like another person he knew,  _cough_  Suho  _cough_ , he knew that this ordeal with the wind was bothering him. 

_I heard that. Let's hope Suho doesn't find out you think him to be a drama queen._

The gentle voice sounded in his mind and Kris immediately looked at Luhan in accusation. 

_Get out of my head, Lu, no one invited you._

The man in question smirked at him and gave a small bow to show he was backing away. Kris directed himself to Sehun again, upon realizing that everyone had started discussing amongst themselves. 

"Wait, back this up," Kris started, pointing at Sehun. "When did you get these hunches?" he asked. 

Sunken in thought, Sehun picked at his bottom lip. "Since a few days...Now that I think about it, I think it started when that new company opened for business." 

"Extraordinary Technologies?" Xiumin prompted. "That's a research facility, isn't it?"

"Makes you wonder what they're researching exactly if it manages to give Sehunnie the heebie jeebies," Kai remarked dryly. 

"And that's not all," Sehun continued. 

"More?" Kris asked in disbelief. 

"There's something coming. I don't know what it is, but it's strong," he said. "I don't know if it's good or bad, but it's coming. I can feel it."

"What happened to not wanting to be dramatic?" asked Chen upon hearing the solemn tone of their youngest brother's voice. "Do you know whether it's dangerous, or somehow related to our- situation?"

"He doesn't. But I thought all of you should know. Whether it's good or bad, we should be more careful from now on. Especially around full moon," Suho answered in Sehun's stead. "We'll deal with it once we know more, so we'll all have to keep a weather eye open and stay alert until then."

Kris looked at his brothers' faces and read the silent worry on each of their expressions. "Are you implying this has something to do with, uh," he searched for the right words, "our past endeavors?" he eventually asked.

"Oh, not this again," Kai muttered.

"Kai, this is important. We shouldn't dismiss it," Suho said calmly. The younger teen had a mind to argue, but resorted to heaving a deep sigh instead. To the others, Suho said, "All I'm asking is for everyone to be more careful and to report to each other if something seems out of place. Let's just look out for each other, okay?"

"Don't we already do that?" Luhan asked, amused at their leader's concern.

"More attentively, then," Suho corrected. He finally managed to relax somewhat when his brothers agreed. "Good, thank you. Now, let's put Tao out of his misery, shall we?" he mentioned, seeing the lanky youth struggling more. Lay had already started to replenish his energy, of which Tao was grateful.

"Yes please, I don't think I can hold on much longer."

"You got this, Tao?" Lay asked, having to let go since he came in with Kai and the others. Tao nodded whilst taking a deep breath.

"Thank you," he said as Lay joined the others.

"Hold up. Chen, come here," Kris quickly called his younger brother over and whispered something in his ear. The young man grinned from ear to ear, the corners of his mouth tugging up attractively. 

"Kris, Chen, what are you doing?" Suho sighed, shaking his head in disapproval when Chen went over to D.O.'s tormenter and tied his shoelaces together. "Is that really necessary?" 

"Yes!" came the unison reply of all his brothers. D.O. bore a wide grin on his face. 

"Alright, get out of here, you two. We'll catch you later," Suho greeted and Kris nodded. Tao waved as Kai told everyone to hold on to one another and they disappeared in a cloud of black smoke. Kris and Tao rushed back to the hallway and stood in position. There came a sigh of relief when Tao unfroze time, looking beat. 

"You okay?" Kris asked, keeping him upright by the shoulders. 

"I'll be fine, gege," Tao reassured. "Do you think we should be worried about what Sehunnie said he felt?" he asked quietly, looking around at the passerbys, making sure no one could hear him. 

"Nah, I'm sure it's nothing severe to worry about," Kris quickly replied with confidence. "Like Suho said, we'll all just have to be a bit more cautious until we find out what that something is, right?" In truth, Kris wasn't sure what to think of Sehun's news. Though he was rather unsettled by it, he didn't think it necessary to concern Tao, or any of his other brothers with it, really. Maybe he should meet Suho privately later on to discuss the matter. Kai's complaint and sour face had not go by unnoticed either... 

"If you say so," Tao replied. "Didn't you have math class right now?" 

"Yeah, why?" 

Tao gestured further towards the hallway. "Isn't that your teacher?" he pointed out. Kris turned around and froze, gulping when he caught the teacher's sight and the man strode towards him. 

"What's up with him?" he asked in a whisper. 

"Whoa, I don't know, but he looks mad..."

"Kris Wu, you stay right there, young man!" he called out, but that only made the youth want to make a run for it. 

"Why the heck is he angry at me?" 

Tao's eyes widened with realization and he slowly started walking away. "I'm not entirely sure, but perhaps it may have something to do with the answer sheet of the test of next week that I slipped into your hands when you weren't looking," he said with an apologetic look. 

"...WHAT?!" Kris exclaimed, holding out his hand to indeed find a sheet of paper there that didn't belong to him. "Tao!"

"I stopped it for like thirty seconds, I was only trying to help you out, gege, since I know that math is your worst subject- I'm sorry, please don't hit me!" the stream of words left his mouth in a hurry as the teacher approached them steadily. 

"Tao, I'm not gonna hit you- I'm gonna  _kill_  you!" Kris threatened reaching for the teen's collar, but missed when Tao jumped back in a reflex and ran off whilst letting out a high-pitched shriek. "Tao! Get back here!" Kris bouldered, ready to run after him when a hand on his shoulder stopped him. 

"And where do you think you're going, Mr. Wu?" his math teacher stared a hole in his face and Kris gulped again, attempting to smile apologetically at him.

"Um, d-detention, sir?" He meekly handed back the answer sheet, bowing deeply.

"Oh, most definitely," his teacher grabbed him by the collar and pulled him along with him to the principal's office. All the while, Kris groaned inwardly.

_See? Trouble..._  


	6. ~ Welcome Home ~

***

Allow me to explain to you a thing. The island of Ookami Shinro is tragically real and tragically small.

New life? New adventures? Yeah, right. As if my former life hadn't been bland enough, I now get to tell people that I'm an actual inhabitant of Ookami Shinro, five days west of Dullville and a few degrees north of Birthplace of the Sun. You take a wrong turn at Pot of Gold in Rainbow Town- you've gone too far.

A strong gust of wind picked up the moment I looked at the tiny airport base, as if it was aware of my pessimistic sentiments to the island. The first thing I noticed was that the island had a warm climate, and that it only existed of the airport and a strip of woods further away. That was it. How people could live here was beyond me. Why would a high-tech major corporation like Extraordinary Technologies choose to build a brand new research facility in a ghost town like this?

"Jae? Jae, come over here, baby, look at this!" I turned around at hearing my mother call for me. She gestured for me to come over, as she stood upon a hill where you would be met with a spectacular view of the island- at least that's what I read off the sign.

"Look, isn't it beautiful? It's so peaceful and quaint!" my mother pointed out and far below, comfortably tucked in between forests, mountain walls and the sea, was an actual, civilized, human settlement. There seemed to be enough life there to convince me that it was an actual town, but as I looked around more closely, I frowned.

"Where's the rest of it?" earning me a soft smack on the arm.

"That's all of it, honey. It's bigger than it looks," she defended with a smile as she watched the scenery.

"You sure about that?" I asked skeptically, feeling my stomach churn.

"Of course! It said so in the brochure," she stated, handing me one of those flyers.

"Welcome to Hanwol, capital town and city of Ookami Shinro," I read out loud. "Experience the island life, etcetera, etcetera," I mused, flipping it over, only to see that that was the end of it. They mentioned creating more jobs and attracting 'new neighbors' with the opening of the new Extraordinary Technologies research facility, but that was it. 

"Hanwol, huh?" I mused, glaring at the town. "Is that the only town on the island?" I remarked jokingly, my smile dropping when I saw my mother's expression. 

"Actually, it is. The island is a tight-knit community, but you can see that there are small neighborhoods scattered around, if you look closely. I guess that gives people the opportunity to stay closer to the quiet nature instead of the bustling city life, huh?" 

I looked at my mother as though she had completely lost her mind. "What city life?" I retorted. "That place is seriously the only form of civilization? What are you going to tell me next, Mom? They don't have wifi? What language do they speak here?" 

"Honey, if you would have read all the brochures I've been giving you, you would've known all of this. Just because they're small, it doesn't mean that they're uncivilized, I'm sure they have your precious wifi here, too. As for language, they speak English just fine, but the official language is a mix of Korean and Mandarin, I think...It's supposed to be a very multi-cultural society, though, we'll fit right in!" she smiled brightly while I continued to stare at her, mouth agape. I was never one for dramatical teenage tantrums, but this was probably the first time that I really wouldn't mind creating a scene. Did she seriously not understand that I was having a crisis here? 

"Do they know what young people are?" I asked a little brashly, since the only people I've seen so far sported brilliant silver locks, or no locks at all. 

"Jae, don't be dramatic. They have a very lively young community," she waved the brochure in my face. 

"Ugh. So, where is Dad's new company then? If that's the only city, shouldn't the building be seen from here?" I changed the subject because if we kept going on about the particulars of Hanwol village, I might actually cry all over again. 

"Ah, that will be on the other side of the airport, we'll pass it when we get to our new house," my mom practically squealed and I really wished I could share her enthusiasm. However, the only thing I wanted to do was run straight back to the airplane to get me back home. 

"Ladies, let's go!" Dad appeared in the distance, waving at us. My mother didn't skip a beat when she linked her arm with mine and dragged me with her to meet him. 

While my parents were chatting excitingly with each other about the 'beautiful' and 'green' island scenery, I was sulking in the backseat, playing around with my phone. Of course I had no signal here. I would need a new card to make it work. Right now all I wanted to do was text my friends and have them organize a rescue mission. I caught sight of the bright blue sky when I looked outside, but even that didn't comfort me.  _Same skies, my butt,_ I thought bitterly. I've never seen the sky look so unfamiliar to me before. 

"And to your left, you will see the ecological, brand new, state of the art Extraordinary Technologies Research Facility!" Dad announced from the front seat while the shining building came into sight. The sunlight reflected off of it, creating sparkles that nearly blinded me. The building practically stood in the middle of a recreational area, of some sort, or maybe it was purposely designed that way to give off this sense of eco-friendliness. I'm sure that would take all the attention off the electrical barbed wire surrounding the area, of course. 

"Wow, this one is even more fancy than the old one," Mom mused as she kept looking at it as long as possible. 

"Yeah, they put some hard work in it, updated it with the latest tech. There isn't a building in the world like it," Dad explained and I was inclined to believe him. 

"So, what's up with the military security then?" I noted, catching just a glimpse of what I thought were armored cars. 

"Just a precaution, sweetie, you know how these businesses work," he answered. 

"It's a building for scientific research and innovations, right? So, what is up with the gates that go _zap!_  if you go near? Afraid that the robots you create are gonna start a revolt?" I leaned against the two front seats while I was drilling my father, but he only laughed it off. 

"Those are animal friendly warning systems. Ookami Shinro is known to have a lot of animals on the island, and those fences are just there to make sure they stay safe in their natural habitat. Hey, I bet that if you listen at night, you may hear a lone wolf howling at the moon!" he chuckled. 

"Yeah, right," I huffed, leaning back in the seat, a silence falling. 

"I know this is hard at first, Jade, but we'll pull through, huh?" Dad commented, as though he could tell exactly what I was feeling. 

"Exactly. Before you know it, you're gonna like it here. Look at all these woods. Provided that you're careful, you could go and explore them, and you could explore the town, get to know the island and meet new friends, especially when you start school," Mom chirped in all her optimistic glory. "You'll be so popular, baby." 

"Popular?" I prompted skeptically. I was never a popular girl, with my average looks and average school results. I blended. I was a blender who never stood out-  _until now_. A surge of panic overwhelmed when I realized that a sleepy place like Hanwol probably never got a lot of visitors from the world outside (yes, I truly believe I've ended up in an alternate universe), and with a town this small, they must've already know that we were coming. I hadn't thought of it before, and now I wished I hadn't. This was great. I was gonna be a freak before I even stepped into the school. A novelty, that's all.

I groaned and pulled my hoodie over my head. "I don't want to be popular, I just want to go home," I whined, giving in to my inner petulant child.   When my father started his speech about the benefits and opportunities of us moving here, I gave up. I didn't want to listen to him. I grabbed my earphones and listened to music, hoping that would calm me down somewhat. When I looked outside, I took a double-take, seeing a flash of white through the green trees. 

"Hey, Dad, slow down," I said, interrupting him while he was still talking, actually thinking I was listening and he slowed down. 

"What is it, Jae?" Mom asked, looking outside. We were flanked by forests on either side of the narrow and abandoned road. 

"I thought I saw something," I peered out the window, looking for the flash of white, when all of a sudden. "Whoa! There!" I tapped on the window, the crappy feelings quickly dispersing when I realized I was looking at a white wolf. The gorgeous creature had stopped to observe us well, while I was gawking at it like a fish. It must've been the forest, but I thought there was a green sheen in its eyes. 

"Are you guys seeing this?" I exclaimed, clumsily getting my phone to snap a picture. 

"See what? I can't see anything," Dad said. 

"What? It's right there- aw, it ran off," I muttered disappointingly. "There was a white wolf right there, three seconds ago. I can't believe you guys didn't see it." 

"A white wolf?" Mom repeated, while Dad howled. 

"It was right there, I swear," I said, scoffing when I caught them smiling at each other. "Forget it," I mumbled. 

"Well, sweetie, if you really saw a white wolf, maybe we should be more careful around here. I don't want you hunting for wolves on your own," Mom started muttering, thinking that I was listening. I closed my eyes as the forest flashed by. How could they not have seen it? It was right there where they could see it... 

Maybe I was jetlagged. My mind was playing tricks on me. Or, maybe, it was the island's way of welcoming us. I shook my head and drifted off. Let my problems come when I wake again. 


	7. ~ Extraordinary Technologies ~

***

INNOCENT CHICKENS **WOLFED**  DOWN - FARMERS OF HANWOL IN AN UP **ROAR**. E.T. CORP DEVELOPING SAFE  & ECO-FRIENDLY SECURITY SYSTEM. 

Suho gnawed on his bottom lip as he read the headlines of the morning newspaper, his usually handsome face scrunched up as he read the articles. He subconsciously growled under his breath when he read something he didn't like. Upon realizing what he was doing, he cleared his throat, sheepishly grinning if he happened to see a few people looking at him. 

He checked the time at the coffeeshop and continued gnawing on his bottom lip, focusing on the newspaper again. His right leg twitched up and down out of impatience, snarling at the clock when he realized that the person he was waiting for was late. He wasn't usually this easily agitated, but the effects of the moon always got to him. He couldn't wait until it shone in full in the sky, but until then, he'd have to bear with it. 

Furiously biting on his bottom lip, Suho let his eyes fly over the newspaper articles, feeling the urge to rip it apart when he saw the Extraordinary Technologies story. 

"You know, if you're  _that_  hungry, I know a place where we can get some fried chicken. I bet it'll taste better than your lip," Kris slid easily into the chair opposite of him, adjusting his cap and taking off his sunglasses. "Or I can get you a muffin, if you want."

"You're late," Suho immediately accused, scanning his face. "We're you sleeping?!" 

Caught, Kris let out a nervous chuckle and leaned back into the chair, afraid that Suho was gonna hit him. "Hey, it's Sunday, and I need my sleep, alright?"

"You're the one that wanted to meet me here, remember?" Suho complained, in disbelief that his older brother was so irresponsible. Though, upon second thought, he should've seen this coming. 

"Yeah, yeah, sorry. I'm here now, though," Kris shrugged, stretching as he spoke. 

"Well, while you were off dozing, I've been doing a little reading," Suho slid the newspaper towards Kris, who picked it up with ease, reading the headlines. Suho watched at how calm and collected he was, while he was feeling anxious and restless. Was he really reading the articles or did none of it sink in?

"Oh, well. Damn," Kris eventually reacted, putting the newspaper down. Suho stared at him wide-eyed. 

"That's it? That's your reaction?" he asked in disbelief. 

Kris suppressed a yawn and shrugged, casually meeting Suho's panicked gaze. "So a few farmers lost a bunch of chickens, that kinda tends to happen here, big deal. You need to learn to calm down and not fuss over everything. You'll age fast," the blonde said wisely, but Suho scoffed, annoyed at seeing Kris so calm. 

"How- what even-, argh!" he grunted out of frustration, planting his forehead against the table. 

"Eh, Suho?" Kris called, repositioning himself in his chair, a little embarrassed as people had starting looking at them. Chuckling nervously at the curious glances, he poked Suho's head. "Hey, get it together, man," he urged in a whisper, smiling sweetly when a waitress passed by, a questioning look on her face. "Wild night last night," he answered smoothly, the short explanation enough for the girl to leave. 

"Ugh," Suho groaned against the table. "How do you do it?" he asked, voice muffled. 

Kris frowned and leaned towards him to be able to hear what he was saying. "What are you talking about?" 

Sighing, Suho lifted his head from the table, a napkin sticking miserably against his forehead. When the youth made no attempt to remove it, Kris did so instead and was met with sad puppy eyes. This time, it was his turn to groan out of frustration, as he couldn't stand seeing Suho pull a face like that. "Alright, what is it? You want me to get you chicken? Muffins? A puppy?" he immediately asked, willing to do anything as long as Suho would stop with that expression. 

"How do you do it? Stay so calm and controlled? Look at you, it's as if you're not even affected, while I'm an emotional wreck, constantly worrying about everything and everyone and feeling restless- I didn't even get to sleep last night because I was thinking so much and you! You show up here all cool, "ayo, I'm Kris, I'm suave and awesome and I sleep a lot, yo"-"

"I do  _not_  sound like that," Kris protested in between Suho's mental breakdown.

"-and I'm tired, and no one takes me seriously and they always think I'm overreacting when I'm actually really scared, and ugh..." Suho's head fell against the table again. "I don't know what to do anymore," he whimpered dramatically. 

Kris made sure not to make any sudden movements when Suho was done talking, waiting to see what would happen next. Suho's sudden outbursts were something he never anticipated and could never get used to. He was always a little lost and unsure about what to do. 

"Ah, I see. It's that time of the month, uh?" he said a little awkwardly, looking around a moment to make sure no one was paying attention to them. He should've known that  _that_  would affect Suho, and took a bit of pity on him. Kris was one of the very few brothers that really had no issues when that time of the month was nigh. He figured it was probably because he was way too cool to be affected. 

Suho had whimpered in response and Kris couldn't help but pat the younger guy endearingly on the head. "Okay, first thing you need to do is get yourself together. If people from our school happen to walk past and see you like this, I'm gonna forever pretend that I don't know you," he started, causing Suho to shoot up in response. "Good. Second, you need to calm down. I don't even know why you're worrying so much, okay? Breathe," he waited until Suho did as he was told and Kris briefly clapped his hands. "There we go. Now, talk to me." 

"Me? But you wanted to meet," Suho reminded him, running a hand through his hair. 

"Yeah, but you seem to have a lot you need to get off your chest, my thing can wait," Kris said, propping up his feet on the vacant chair next to Suho. 

Recomposing himself, Suho grabbed the newspaper, admittedly feeling more calm with Kris around, and pointed at the headlines. "This really doesn't concern you? You obviously know what time of the month it is, and you honestly cannot tell me that you don't suspect the younger ones having something to do with this. They're still getting used to everything," he started, as Kris listened. 

"Come on, we all know that they can get a bit rowdy- that goes for all of us -, but they wouldn't be that irresponsible. Sometimes a wolf is just a wolf," Kris answered, playing with a toothpick and speaking quietly, his deep voice humming through the air. 

"Maybe," Suho shrugged. "Then, what about this?" he pointed. 

"E.T. Corps, huh? That's the thing Xiumin mentioned at the gym that day, the thing that gave Sehun bad vibes, right?" Kris remarked, reading the article again. 

"The article says that because of the recent attacks on livestock, they plan to work together with the community by developing so-called animal friendly security systems that would keep predators away from livestock," Suho recapped. 

"So? That doesn't sound all too bad," Kris shrugged. 

"The eventual plan is to catch whatever wild animal dares to come near a farm. Can you imagine what would happen if they happen to catch a wolf?" Suho questioned, emphasizing the word 'wolf', since it was something else he meant. He could tell that Kris caught on when his lips were formed into a distinctive "oh". 

"Maybe that's why Sehun got worried," Kris mused, nodding to himself. "You still shouldn't worry too much about it, though. We'll just be more careful." Kris spoke easily, but Suho wasn't all too sure. Everything had always been peaceful on the island, until things started changing. It was subtle at first, but the feelings and hunches grew stronger. In truth, there were a lot of things he had picked up, but hadn't told the others. He felt it was his duty to protect them, so he only shared what he thought they could handle. Lately, however, Suho felt like there was too much for him to worry about, and he was gonna burst if he didn't tell anyone. But, who could he tell? He didn't want to burden one of his brothers. 

"Hey, are you okay? We can do this some other time, you know," Kris woke him from his thoughts and Suho quickly recovered. 

"No, it's fine. So, what did you want to talk about?" he asked. Kris watched him a moment as though he was making sure and then he nodded. 

"There was something that was still kind of bothering me, after you and Sehun told us about his bad vibes," Kris started and they both leaned on the table to keep the conversation as private as possible. "I mean, I believe the both you, don't get me wrong, but I keep thinking about Kai. His expression, what he said. And when I thought about that, I started thinking about all those nights we went hunting because we thought we finally caught the right scent," he trailed off, adjusting the snapback on his head. 

"What are you saying, Kris?" Suho asked, wanting him to get to the point. 

"Ever thought about Kai maybe having a point? I mean, yeah, all of us are somewhat like mysteries and yeah, our memories are vague and there should be an explanation to why we are the way we are, but have you ever thought to just accept the way we are and leave it at that?" Kris was obviously struggling in finding the right words to say without offending Suho. He was met with a disappointed sigh. Suho could handle his younger brother questioning him, but not Kris. He thought that of all other members Kris was the one that would understand their cause the most, so to see him doubting it, was a little painful to see. 

"Are you saying that you're completely satisfied with the vague and blurry memories, with us being the way we are without an explanation?" Suho shot back, knowing that his agitation had something to do with the time of the month, though he felt genuinely annoyed. 

"Well, you know... We have a pretty good life here, right? All those memories, they're from a vague past that has already happened. They may seem important, but I'm not sure anymore if they are," he said quietly, the both of them shutting their mouth when a waitress stopped by to ask them if they wanted to order something. Kris took the initiative to order both of them some iced tea and a chocolate muffin for Suho, even though he hadn't asked for one. When the waitress left, Suho immediately spoke up. 

"I know that all those memories are vague, but there has to be a reason why we all have them," he stated definitively. "Besides, your memories are different from mine. All of you have vague snippets or flashes of images, a multitude of them. I just have the one," he said, hearing the voice in his head again as he recalled the memory, how safe and secure he had felt. 

_I know you'll take care of me as well as you take care of your brothers. I am honored to be in your hands._

Kris had a look of comprehension when Suho spoke. "You really want to keep looking for this thing, huh?" 

"Yes. I know that it's insane, but it feels important to me. I get the feeling that if we find it, then everything will be explained, and maybe-," Suho abruptly shut his mouth when he found out that he was saying too much. Kris, however, caught on.

"Maybe... what?"

Suho sighed and leaned back when the waitress came back with their order. The boys thanked her and Suho tried to change the subject. "This muffin is too big for me, let's split it, okay?"

"Suho," Kris called, looking at him. Giving in, Suho put on a smile, like he usually would and broke the muffin in half, handing one part to Kris.

"Maybe, if we find whatever it is we have to find, I can finally stop being so restless," he confessed, though the smile on his face never faltered. Kris didn't need to see that it was really bothering him, though he had to admit that it felt rather good to be able to say it out loud. 

Kris blinked at him a moment before nodding his head slowly. "That restlessness isn't just because of the time of the month, huh?" 

Pursing his lips together, Suho nodded. "I need to know where I'm from. I want the pieces of the puzzle to fit," he said softly. 

The blonde sighed deeply. "Guess that means I'm not going to get a lot of sleep tonight, huh? Want me to round up the others?" 

Suho's eyes widened slightly when Kris started eating, a smirk on his face. He smiled back in gratitude. "You know what, you're right. It's Sunday, everyone should be allowed to sleep. We can go tomorrow," he was about to take a bite from the delicious treat when a flash from outside caught his eye. A pair of moving trucks drove past, catching the attention of most people on the street. Suho frowned himself since it was somewhat of a rare sight to see moving trucks coming to Hanwol, instead of moving out of it. 

"Check it out," he mused, prompting Kris to turn around. "New neighbors..."

"Hm, probably a retired, elderly couple deciding to spend the rest of their lives here," Kris noted, unimpressed. Suho nodded absently as he followed the trucks with his eyes until they were out of sight. He squinted when he noted the logo of E.T. Corps on the last truck.

_Elderly couple. Right..._  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise the story will make more sense as it goes along ^^; I'd appreciate some comments as well! Thank you for taking the time to read this ~


	8. ~ Disasterrific ~

***

_I look like an old lady..._

I stared into the full-length mirror in my new room, picking at the  _obligatory_ school uniform that I am henceforth  _forced_ to wear as a student of the only high school in the town of Hanwol. If I'd been the only student around, I probably wouldn't be internally screaming right now, seeing as this particular school uniform was at least two sizes too big. Not only did it look like I was actively shrinking within the oversized blazer and white collar shirt, the skirt was so loose around my waist it slid off my butt with very little movement. Not that it would matter much. Since I was drowning in my clothes to begin with, the shirt and blazer would become a dress, should the skirt decide to droop off. And with the way my luck has been the last couple of weeks, I would not be surprised at all if I find myself walking through the schoolhalls with my skirt around my ankles- its length was halfway there anyway. Seriously, the only advantage to this wardrobe catastrophe was the fact that I looked like a poorly dressed senior citizen. 

_Yay! Guess that means that I'll fit in just fine on this island!_

Seriously, don't even mention the knee-high socks that came with it. I couldn't keep them up with duct tape to save my life. 

I huffed out of exasperation, feeling a very strong urge to take the uniform off and just wear something casual instead. There are literally no perks about being a transfer student when school had already started. That was one of the reasons that I was stuck with this uniform to begin with. Since they didn't have my size in stock at such short notice, I was given this soupy mess of cloth instead, along with an apology and a promise that a good uniform will be sent as soon as possible. Of course, since we arrived on a Sunday, and I started school mercilessly on Monday ( _yes, that's today, someone shoot me_ ), I was told to be "lucky" to even have a uniform.  If  _this_  is what the people in Hanwol see as being lucky, I really wouldn't want to see what they understand under bad luck. 

The day hadn't even properly started and I already felt like crawling back to bed to sleep. It didn't help that I was restless last night and barely slept at all. I missed my meadow. I missed my stars. It hurt like hell to have realized that the sky above Ookami Shinro was not at all like I was used to. Everything seemed out of order when night came. Don't get me wrong, it was gorgeous to see the starry milky way light up the sky, as though it was some kind of road that beckoned people to follow it, but my stars were nowhere to be found. It was stupid to think it, but I kind of felt abandoned then. No, worse, I felt like I was the one that abandoned them...which was technically true. 

Oh man, what was I doing? Worrying about heavenly bodies that aren't even alive while I've other, more important things to worry about, like whether I was going to set the school uniform on fire separately or with me still in it (I'm nothing if I'm not at least a  _bit_ dramatic). 

This really wasn't what I had in mind for my first day of school in Hanwol. I could call in sick, but Mom would undoubtedly fuss over it. If I went anyway, I'd be the laughingstock of the school and this island was so small there would be no place for me to hide. 

I sighed deeply. Was it too late to take back what I said about being average and bland? Because, I'm starting to think that a regular, boring, everyday routine life will suit me just fine. Excitement, novelty, new adventures? Who needs 'em? I'll just stay unexceptional for the rest of my life, thank you. No need to stay in the spotlight. 

Groaning loudly at seeing the ridiculous uniform in my reflection, I started pacing around. There was no way I could allow anyone to see me like this. 

"That's it. I'm not going," I said to myself in the mirror. 

"Well, what do you really have to lose here?" the me in the mirror asked. 

"How about everything? I could get picked on, bullied, become more of an outsider than I already was since I just arrived here since yesterday- oh, I could also lose my dignity if I showed up in this," I said, fiercely talking to myself. 

"So what? Who are you planning on impressing?" 

"Well, no one, but that's not the point."

"You make it sound like there are actually people on this forgotten spit of land worth of impressing. Did you forget that the only people you saw since arriving here, were either wrinkled, gray and/or missed teeth?" 

I plopped down on the ground in protest, the blazer sliding off on one side of my shoulder. Slumped within my oversized clothes, I realized that Dopey and I had a lot in common. It didn't help that I wasn't very tall to begin with, but now I could definitely audition to become one of Snow White's dwarves. 

"This isn't happening," I grunted as I stared at the clock. Since I was new, I was allowed to come in a little later than the other students, but with each passing second I wanted to hide under my bed instead and not show up at all. I cringed when I heard my mom call my name, followed by soft footsteps that grew louder as they came nearer. 

"Jae, honey, are you ready? You're going to be late if you don't- oh...my..." she trailed off and covered her mouth with her hand, a look of sympathy in her eyes. 

"Yeah, I know, I look like Auntie Jiji after her gastric bypass surgery," I commented dryly, pulling a face when I saw in the mirror that I really wasn't that wrong when I made the comparison. After morbidly obese Auntie Jiji had her operation, none of her clothes fit. She always ended up wearing 'dresses', which were basically her old t-shirts that she neglected to throw out.

"Oh God...I'm Auntie Jiji!" I shrieked, covering my face as my mom rushed over.

"There, there, honey, don't be so dramatic. It's really-, uh, it's really not _that_  bad," she muttered unconvincingly, helping me get to my feet. "S-see? If you just adjust this a bit...Like this, and then pull this up here...there," she mused, as the both of us looked in the mirror. She cocked her head to the side, a look of worry on her face when she said, "That's not so bad, is it?" she tried. I rolled my eyes and gave her my most judgmental look. She sighed.

"I'm so sorry, baby," she conceded, caressing my hair. "I mean, if you squint your eyes really hard, it's not that bad," she assured instead, though it looked more like she was simply closing her eyes altogether. 

"Alright, if you think it's not so bad, why don't you wear it to school for me?" I shot back, to which she gave a weary chuckle. 

"I know this sucks, baby, but we'll have to make do with it. At least until the school will send you a uniform that fits, okay?"

"Mom, have you taken a good look at this?" I asked her and wiggled my hips. There was a brief pause when I stopped and exactly three seconds later, the skirt fell mercilessly from my waist and landed on the floor with a soft thud. My eyes widened in disbelief when my mom blasted out a laugh before she was able to stop herself. 

"Oh, I'm sorry, Jae! But, I can't help it, you look so ridiculous! My poor baby," she cooed, trying her best to suppress her laughter. 

"Well, I'm happy to see that at least one of us is amused by this," I retorted sarcastically, pulling the skirt back up.

"Aw, come on, Jae, don't be like that. You know that I don't mean to laugh, but you have to admit that it's a little bit funny," she argued, letting out a few more chuckles before she recovered. She tugged at the skirt again after I had just managed to adjust it properly on my hips and it fell back down. 

"Mom!" I exclaimed, not in the best of moods to handle her playfulness. 

"I'm sorry, baby, I'm sorry," she giggled. "I'll stop," she promised. "My poor baby is having a crisis, unbelievable!"

"And her mother is making it worse," I added in a similar fashion, taking a deep breath. "Look at me. I can't go to school like this! People will laugh at me!"

"I know, sweetie, I know," Mom finally seemed to realize the gravity of the situation and bore a thoughtful look on her face. She watched the skirt as I lifted it again, but as soon as it was around my waist, she tugged at it-  _again_!

"Mom!" I whined. "If you're not going to be helpful then go away," I complained, bending over to grab the skirt. Mom stopped me. 

"Leave it. That skirt is far too big for you and I wouldn't want you showing the whole world your undies, especially since you've only been here hardly two days," she mused. "Why don't you just wear your black pants, instead? I don't think we can do anything about the shirt and blazer, but at least skinny jeans might make it appear more cool," she suggested, pulling out one of my favorite jeans from my closet. 

"But the school guidebook said that if a student didn't keep to wearing the uniform properly, he'd be reprimanded," I told her, worrying about making a bad impression on the teachers. 

"Then they should've given you the proper size to wear," was my mother's casual reply. "Now, you wear those jeans and if people are making a fuss over it, have them call me," she instructed and pecked me on the forehead. "So, get to it already and hurry up! I'll drop you off at school before I head over to town to get some groceries." 

"Okay," I nodded, grabbing my jeans. "Hey, Mom?" I called out when she was about to leave my room. "Thanks," I said, to which she smiled. 

"I was young once, too, baby. New country, new town, new school, new people- it's hard. So, I'm proud of you for making an effort and I see no reason why I should punish you by making you wear that terrible skirt," she elaborated, winking at me. "I got your back, honey. Now, get dressed and I'll meet you downstairs." 

Smiling, I quickly kicked the skirt to the other side of the room and nearly tore off the knee-high socks before putting on the pair of jeans with ease. The uniform looked a little more 'street' than intended, but what could you expect from a shirt and blazer that was too big? When I tied my hair back, I suddenly realized that I had a very tomboyish vibe going on. Maybe it was because girls were always associated with having to wear skirts when at school, that it gave me the feeling like I looked like a boy. No matter. I'd rather look like a dude than my Auntie Jiji or a senior dwarf citizen. 

Feeling  _a lot_  better and more at ease, I checked my reflection one last time, and after deciding that I looked far better than I had before, I headed downstairs. I wasn't sure what was awaiting me at my new high school, but it couldn't be any different than my old one. Maybe it had a smaller student population, but I doubt there would be anything exceptional going on there. 

"One way to find out," I huffed, grabbing my bag and getting in my mother's car. I only hoped that the day was going to be over soon.


	9. ~ Her Voice ~

***

_I hope she realizes that I'm the one who wrote that note. Oh man, what was I thinking? Keep it cool, keep it cool- oh crap, she's looking at me! Turn around, you idiot, turn around!_

_Why is it that I when I look at him, he's always staring the one moment and the next he turns around as if my face is the ugliest thing he's ever seen? There's no way that he's the one that wrote me this note, right? ...I wish it was, though..._

_Crap, I forgot my homework! Miss Kwon is going to kill me!_

_These brats don't know what they got going for them. It's so easy to make fun of us teachers, huh? Look at this picture...My head doesn't shine like a cueball. None of them have any respect, with their youth and their good looks. How the good days fly by. Oh, look, there's one of them right now. Mr. Handsome. Mr. Popular. Keep walking like that, son. I'll predict you've lost your hair before you come to my age._

Luhan quirked up his eyebrow at the voice, unable to prevent getting amused. He looked straight into Mr. Cho's eyes and greeted the startled man with a brilliant smile. "Good morning, seonsaeng-nim!" 

"A-ah! Good morning, Luhan," he greeted with a straightface.  _Look at this kid, running his hand through his thick head of hair. Is he trying to make me jealous?_

Stifling a laugh, Luhan stopped to have a proper conversation with this dear teacher. "Seonsaeng-nim looks good today. Did you rest well in the weekend?" 

_What's with this kid?_ "Yes, thank you," Mr. Cho answered, adjusting his suit a bit. 

Unable to resist temptation, Luhan had to mess with the man just a bit. "You know, seonsaeng-nim, something seems different about you..." he pondered in feign. 

"O-oh?" 

"Yes...Sorry for saying, but seonsaeng-nim looks very manly. I think the lines on your face and the way you proudly walk the halls without covering your head shows that you've lived as a real man," Luhan commented, keeping a straight face. He could see the hesitation in his Physics teacher's eyes, wondering if he had been complimenting him, or not. 

"A-ah...well. Thank you, Luhan."  _Is this kid serious? I can't ever tell..._

"Really. I wish I had the courage to cut off my hair- it looks too long already," Luhan pretended to be worried as he touched his brown hair, kissed lightly by the sun. 

"Oh, well, you shouldn't worry too much about it, son. After all, you're still young. You'll need more years of experience to get where I am," Mr. Cho said a little smugly, placing his thumbs underneath his suspenders. "Besides, it takes a real man to be able to pull off this look, of course," he added as a hand smoothed over his shiny bald head. 

" _Ne_ , seonsaeng-nim," Luhan agreed humbly, doing his utmost best not to laugh. 

"But, one day you may get there," he assured. "Have you done your homework for today?" he then asked, his posture straight and confident now. 

Luhan smiled. "Yes, sir, but I would very much like to check it. I believe you were going to hand me the answers?" Luhan continued to keep eye contact with Mr. Cho, a boyish grin on his face. 

"Oh! Of course, I completely forgot. Here. Hand it back to me in class, alright?" Mr. Cho gave the answers without question and Luhan thanked him. 

"I will, sir. See you then," he greeted. 

"S-sure..." Mr. Cho replied, a little hesitatingly as he watched Luhan walk away.  _Guess he's not such a bad kid, after all... Why do I have the urge to give him an A for his next test though?_

Smiling wickedly, Luhan quickly put the answer sheet in his bag and walked briskly away. By the time Mr. Cho would realize what he'd done, it would be too late already and he figured that he'd just use a little more manipulation to get out of trouble. 

There were a lot of negative sides when  _that_  time of month was near, but he saw them more as perks. Each of them experienced its effects in different ways, and for him, his powers were enhanced. At first it drove him crazy, since he was unable to filter out all the voices he heard in his head. But as time progressed, he got used to it and learned how to ignore some voices and listen to others. His head hurt less as well, though there were still some moments when he was blindsided and overwhelmed by a cacophony of voices. Today seemed like a particularly good day, though. He usually wouldn't have been able to manipulate someone in doing something like that so easily, so it was nice to take advantage of that now and then- especially since he neglected to make his physics homework. Of course he meant no harm by it, and he actually genuinely did like Mr. Cho, but the thing the man said about him losing his hair before reaching the teacher's age had kinda hurt him. Luhan took pride in his appearance, and it seemed rather unfair for the teacher to vent his envy at him while he hadn't been the one to ever call him a cueball. 

"Good morning, Luhan-oppa!" 

Blinking, Luhan saw a group of girls from a year below him, shyly waving and giggling at him. He smiled back and shook his head in amusement. There always seemed to be a small flock of them hanging around near his locker, just to say good morning to him. It wasn't that he wasn't flattered, but the attention kind of embarrassed him. He wasn't always sure how to act and ended up being rather shy. Chanyeol had once mentioned to him that it was the price he had to pay for being the school's popular soccer captain. 

"Good morning, ladies," he greeted politely, carefully moving past them to get to his locker. "How was your weekend?" he asked kindly, since he didn't know what else to say. The girls seemed rather excited that he was paying them some attention and even though they answered as normally as anyone would, he still blushed since some of their voices reached his mind. 

_Oh my gosh he's such a cutie!_

_Aw, is oppa really shy? Whoa, he's so kind and so handsome!_

_I wish he would notice me more..._

_...Damn. That's a fine ass._

Startled by the last voice, Luhan nearly dropped his books and quickly turned around to face the girls rather than showing them his- backside. Scratching his eyebrow, he gave a nervous chuckle.  _Oh, real smooth, Lu..._

"Is there something wrong, oppa?" one of them asked, five worried faces looking at him. It suddenly occurred to the devilish part of his mind that he probably wouldn't even need to manipulate them to have them do whatever he wanted, but he wasn't that kind of guy. Embarrassed for thinking something like that, he quickly cleared his throat. 

"Sorry, I just realized how inconsiderate I'm being. You've all came here to say good morning, but while I'm taking my time to get my books for class, you must still have to get yours. I wouldn't want you to have to rush because I was so slow," he quickly said, earning him a unison  _awww!_  from the girls. 

"It's okay, oppa, it was worth it to talk to you," they assured him, but that just made him feel more embarrassed. 

"You girls are so sweet, but I'd feel much better if you went and prepare for class. Then I know that I won't have to feel guilty for anything," he insisted, since he saw a few guys from the soccerclub staring and laughing at him from afar. He was going to get teased for this at practice for sure. 

"Oh, of course, oppa! You're so considerate! Can we come see you at practice?"

Shyly, Luhan only nodded. "I'll look forward to it," he said kindly, wishing for a brief moment that he possessed Kris' suave demeanor or Baekhyun's witty comebacks. 

The girls cooed in excitement and waved at him before quickly running off. Sighing in relief, Luhan turned back to his locker, chuckling to himself since he really didn't have to use any kind of mind manipulation whatsoever to get those girls to move. 

When he reached into his bag and grinned at the physics' answer sheet, a young man with cat-like eyes and auburn hair appeared, leaning casually against the locker next to him. 

"Alright, hand it over," Xiumin said quietly, extending his hand. Luhan frowned at his brother. 

"Good morning to you too, and what are you talking about?" he asked innocently. 

"Lu," the older boy warned, one eyebrow lifted. He wiggled his fingers. "Come on." 

Sighing, Luhan reluctantly handed Xiumin the answer sheet. "You know, you're no fun sometimes." 

Xiumin grinned as he looked at the sheet and put it in his bag instead. "You're lucky that it wasn't Suho that caught you doing it, Mr. Casanova," he teased, shoving him playfully. 

Luhan groaned. "What are you going to do with it?" he then asked the older boy. 

"Hand it back to Mr. Cho, of course! This is cheating," he said, but the look on his face told him differently. Luhan squinted his eyes in accusation when he heard what Xiumin was really going to do with the answer sheet. 

"You suck. At least let me copy it too, since I went through the trouble getting it!" Luhan protested to which Xiumin's eyes widened in shock, a boyish grin quickly gracing his face. 

"Hey, I thought we made a deal that you stay out of my head," he protested. 

"You know that I can't control it as I usually can with the time of the month coming up," Luhan shrugged casually.

"Oh, how unfortunate for you," Xiumin remarked sarcastically, smiling goodnaturedly at him. "Alright, how about we both copy it and you promise not to do something like that again? You know better than that, Lu," the shorter teen said quietly. "It's one thing to mess with Mr. Cho, it's another if you start manipulating harmless girls." 

"Hey, there was no manipulation going on back there, alright? I can't help it that you know- they just come over and I can't- uh..." he didn't like talking about his popularity and quickly covered his face while Xiumin laughed and patted him on the shoulder. 

"Ah, the anguish of being cursed with good looks," he teased, which was not helping at all. 

"This coming from you, Mr. All Round Sportsman?" Luhan laughed when Xiumin quickly covered his mouth to prevent him from talking. 

_You know that I can just keep going this way, Mr. Fantastic! Xiumin is sooo good in everything he does! He's the best! Go, baozi, go!_

" _Wae,_  shut up! No, no, no, no!" Xiumin protested, looking around to make sure no one heard him. 

"Yeah, not so fun when it's you, huh?" Luhan smirked which earned him a punch on the arm. 

"Whatever, but did you have to be so loud?" Xiumin rubbed his ear. "Tone it down a bit, huh?" 

"Oh, sorry. Like I said, time of the month. I'm surprised you seem alright," Luhan commented. Xiumin was naturally a calm person, but even during this period, he would usually become more restless and easily agitated. He didn't seem so cranky now, though. 

"I'm doing alright, so far, but don't get on my bad side," he warned jokingly. Luhan crossed his heart as they walked towards their class together. They shared a pleasant silence while walking through the halls, enabling Luhan to hear the voices that past by. He never quite liked the silence, so the voices were usually a pleasant sound that could keep his mind preoccupied. He never meant to purposely eavesdrop, but it was like accidentally picking up pieces here and there without meaning any harm. He learned early on how important it was to respect privacy, especially since his eleven brothers pointed it out to him. But sometimes, he just couldn't help it. 

"What are you smirking about?" Xiumin suddenly noted. 

Caught, Luhan discretely pointed at a cute girl with long hair and wide eyes. "That girl has a crush on you," he whispered, earning another punch on the arm. "Hey, I'm just saying, in case you were interested," Luhan shrugged, smiling widely when a disgruntled Xiumin did carefully peek at her. Then he shook his head. 

"What is it like to hear all those voices in your head constantly? I mean, how are you not crazy yet?" he asked. He'd been asked that question a lot of times, but he felt that it was the same for him, as for his brothers. Why could they do the things they do without going insane at one point? It just came naturally. 

"You learn to deal with it," he answered. "I like hearing the voices, it's comforting to have a lot of life surround you." 

"Unless they all scream at you," Xiumin reminded him and Luhan agreed. 

"That happens too sometimes, but that just comes with the territory, I guess," he shrugged. 

"Do all voices sound the same to you? Or can you easily distinguish them?" Xiumin suddenly asked and Luhan frowned. 

"What's with the interrogation, all of a sudden? You're not worried about me are you, baozi?" he teased, knowing that Xiumin had been there the last time during the time of the month when he nearly had a massive breakdown. The voices had all too sudden become too loud, too much, too overwhelming. Added to the voices, were images of everything and anything that crowded his mind. Even Lay's soothing touch couldn't completely calm his mind that time. He knew his brothers had been worried, but Luhan always made sure to joke about it, since he didn't want them to worry for him. 

"Shut up," Xiumin bit back. "I'm just curious," though he did give him that look that asked whether he was really okay. 

Putting his arm over his shoulder, Luhan assured him that everything was fine. "The voices are all calm and soft, okay? No worries here." He smiled, but it faded when the background voices in his head had suddenly become very still. Luhan stopped in his tracks, causing Xiumin to look at him in concern. 

"Lu? Luhan, what is it?" he asked, standing in front of him. Luhan, however, didn't pay him any attention. Why were the voices softer? Why were they waning away?  _No, don't go..._  He ignored Xiumin when the older teen shook him by the shoulders, quickly looking at the other students, purposely trying to pry in their mind, only to find nothing. No voices. No thoughts. Nothing. 

Starting to panic, Luhan grabbed Xiumin's arm when all of a sudden he was hit by a kind of presence he had never felt before. The sensation had been so overwhelming that it made him wobble unsteadily on his feet. Xiumin quickly supported him and continued to hold him by the shoulders, even when he was safely leaning against some lockers. 

"Lu, talk to me, what's going on? Do I need to get Lay? Luhan!" 

Luhan shook his head, grabbing his head. It wasn't pain he felt, but it nearly took his breath away. When he blinked his eyes he almost gasped. Relief washed over him when he heard it. A voice. A light in the darkness. Luhan knew every voice on the island, but this one- this one was new. It was new, unfamiliar, and so very-  _gentle_. 

He pushed Xiumin absently away as he steadied himself, looking around the halls at the faces he knew, searching for the person to whom this voice belonged to. Where was it? Why couldn't he find it? Why couldn't he see it?

_You can do this. Don't be nervous..._

Luhan furrowed his brow at hearing it, and as if obsessed quickly rushed towards the nearest window, Xiumin confusingly trailing after him. Luhan stopped in front of one of the windows overlooking the front yard of the school. He barely registered the school bell ringing as he looked outside. 

"Luhan? Are you okay, buddy?" Xiumin asked quietly, following his gaze. There was a car standing in front of the school gates, but there seemed to be no movement. When he squinted his eyes, he suddenly snapped his fingers. 

"Hey, it's the new kid," Xiumin prompted. 

Perpetually amazed at how up to date his friend was, Luhan finally acknowledged Xiumin and grabbed his arm. "New kid? What new kid?"

"Oh, didn't Suho tell you? He and Kris saw a pair of moving trucks drive into town yesterday. My sister met the man that moved in with his family. The new kid is starting school here today. I thought that you would've seen this coming," he joked tentatively, but he could tell that there was still something bothering him. 

"Oh..." Luhan mused at the explanation and turned back to the voice. He didn't know why, but he was rather disappointed when the mysterious newcomer stepped out of the car. He never would've guessed that a voice so gentle and soothing would belong to a freaking dude. 

"Ugh," a little embarrassed, he scratched the back of his head and turned to Xiumin. 

_Hm, skinny guy..._

Luhan blinked at hearing Xiumin's voice and finally relaxed. So there wasn't anything wrong with his powers then. The newcomer must've just thrown him off, or something. 

"Hey, Mr. All Rounder, we're gonna be late for class," Luhan mentioned, pulling him away from the window. 

"You're the one that suddenly went crazy, man. What was that all about just now?" he retorted. 

"Sorry about that. It was nothing, I promise," Luhan assured, though the look of skepticism from Xiumin made it painfully clear that he didn't believe him. "I swear. It's..." he peeked outside to see the new student standing hesitatingly in front of the schoolgates. "nothing." 

"Hmhm," Xiumin mused and suddenly grabbed him in a headlock. "If Miss Kwon is giving us detention for being late, I will have to kick your butt, you know that, right?" 

"Ah, Xiumin-ge, don't!" Luhan protested, trying to wriggle out of the headlock. He rearranged his hair when Xiumin finally let go and they ran off to class. Luhan faltered just a moment when he heard the voice again, but quickly shook it out of his mind. 

_Maybe I should've worn a skirt instead...?_

_Guess the new kid is a weirdo..._


	10. ~ First Impressions ~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Caution; long chapter ahead ^^; You may encounter more of long chapters in this story, I apologize for that, but I hope you'll continue to enjoy the story anyway! I'd love to know what y'all think of the story so far, so please do comment. The feedback is really appreciated! Thank you so much <3

***

Right before my Mom stopped in front of my ridiculously posh-looking, new school, I had the inexplicable feeling of pure nausea hit me square in the stomach. The weird part was that the nausea wasn't even unpleasant. In fact, it was the kind of nausea that overwhelmed, without it being annoying. I'm not sure how to explain it, but for a brief moment, it felt like I was hit by a cloud or something. I felt a little lightheaded, but in a good way... Or I may have just been totally nervous and nearly passed out. That seemed like the more plausible option. 

_You can do this. Don't be nervous..._  I thought to myself as I analyzed the school building from the outside. I would have honestly thought that it would have been some kind of historic monument or castle or something grand. It being a school was the last thing I would've guessed. 

"Are you sure this is the right school?" I asked for the umpteenth time. 

"Honey, it's the only school. It looks great, don't you think?" Again, I wished I shared my mother's enthusiasm. Wasn't she even a little weirded out by the fact that the school looked so... extravagant? Were all the people on the island rich, or something? How was someone like me going to fit in here? 

I flinched when I heard the school bell ring and slumped back in the front seat. My mouth was dry, my hands clammy and my leg was twitching nervously up and down. When I started fidgeting with the uniform, I felt a warm hand covering mine. I looked up at my mother's gentle face and sighed deeply when she smiled at me. 

"You'll be fine, Jae. Just be yourself," she comforted, but I nearly scoffed.  _Be yourself? Seriously?_

"Mom," I started and she sighed, smiling knowingly. 

"I know, that sounded lame, but it's still good advice. The first day of anything is always scary and difficult, but it'll be fine once you start it. Just keep low, relax and have fun with it. I'm sure you'll make lots of new friends." 

"Fun, friends, relax... _Right_..." I parroted, taking another deep breath as I finally got the courage to open the door and slid out. I moved with the speed of a slug when I went to the backseat to get my backpack. A cold ripple shuddered through my body when I stood outside and I looked around. It wasn't particularly cold, so the sudden sensation was a little odd. Was I really  _that_  nervous?  _No, that's not it_ , I thought to myself as I slung the strap of my backpack over one shoulder,  _it's like someone is watching me_.

_Good. Add paranoia to your list of suffering misery, Jae, that'll help you get through the day for sure!_ I mentally smacked myself. 

"Jae, don't look so depressing, baby. It'll be fine," Mom cooed from the car. "Want me to pick you up after school?" she teased and I groaned, rolling my eyes. 

"Okay, okay," she conceded, putting up her hands in defense. "I got it, you're too cool to be seen with your old mother, say no more. Do you know the way back home?" 

"Mom!" I said again and she laughed. 

"Alright, I'll go. Have a good day, sweetie, and don't fuss too much about the uniform; you look great!" she greeted and blew me a kiss. The inner child in me wanted to cling on the handle of the car door with dear life so that she had no other choice but to take me back home, but the skeptical, tired-of-life teen within me said, "'Kay, bye," and watched her drive away. 

Heaving a sigh and cursing myself for not taking Mom up on her offer to pick me up since I paid zero attention on how we got here, I turned on my heels and looked up at the imposing building. Why did it feel like I was a prisoner sentenced to death, about to walk towards the gallows? I stared long and hard at the gates, shuffling hesitatingly and with much reluctance towards the steps that lead into the school. The moment I looked up again, at the brilliant windows, I squinted, since the sunlight hit it right at an angle that nearly blinded me. 

... _a freaking dude_...

Blinking, I quickly looked around. Who said that? I searched the abandoned school yard and turned to look behind me, but there was no one there. _Huh?_ I heard a clear voice, as if someone had been standing behind me and spoke the words, but I was alone. 

"Wow, Jae, you really need to chill," I shook my head and kept looking at the building. I guess I was hoping it would somehow grow on me, at least just a bit so I had the guts to keep moving forward, but I wasn't feeling it. When I picked at the uniform again, I stared down at the skinny jeans I was wearing. Had I known that the school looked this fancy, I would've gotten some neater jeans. I love these ones to death, which was obvious by the tear over the knee on one pant leg and the faded black color. 

Maybe I should've worn a skirt instead. Then again, what did it matter? I was gonna get noticed anyway, and that thought alone made my stomach turn. Taking another deep breath, I forced myself to steadily walk through the heavy, oak doors (pretentious, much?) and found myself gaping at the main entrance hall of the school. 

I whistled through my teeth when I saw the grand stairs and the majestic banners in scarlet and black, draped on either side of a huge clock. The ceilings were crazy high and arched in such a way that I was sure a gospel choir was going to come down the marble stairs to sing a song. That was another thing! Marble?! _Really?_  The floor was covered in the stuff and shone with such decadence, I could see my own reflection in it when I stared down. There was even a sign put up with directions for new students, while I knew from my old school that they were lucky to be able to put up a sign that pointed towards the nearest toilet. 

Carefully moving forward, I'd half expected a butler to appear out of nowhere, but when such a thing did thankfully not occur, I decided, for my own sanity, to let it things be the way they were and read off the sign for the school office. When I walked down the quiet halls, my light footsteps were the only sounds that echoed, creating the illusion that someone was following me. Just a little bit creeped out, I dove into a nearby girls' bathroom since my nerves and imagination got the best of me. I don't know what was wrong, but I felt really strange. Panicked.

_Oh no, not now. Get it together, Jae, come on. Breathe. You're fine. Your name is Jae-In Miyano. You're seventeen years old. Don't freak out. Don't let the images in..._

_I want to see my stars. I don't want to see them fall. I don't want to see the sky without them._

_Stop it, Jae!_

Popping my eyes open, I glanced at my reflection in the framed mirror. I hated feeling like this. Lost and confused for absolutely no reason. The sucky part was that I had no meadow to run to, no stars to gaze at to calm me down. Putting my wrists under the cold water was the only thing I could do to prevent from freaking out completely. Taking steady breaths, I rearranged my hair and pulled it back tightly in a bun. Adjusting the oversized shirt and blazer to the best of my capabilities, I nodded to myself.

Realizing that I shouldn't postpone this any longer, I got out of the bathroom with newfound confidence, but halted in my step when I saw a strange poof of black smoke from the corner of my eyes. It had disappeared as soon as I paid attention to it, which made me doubt whether I saw it at all. 

_This is going great!_  

Shaking my head, I continued towards the school office. The moment I found it, I opened the door and headed in. I paused a moment when I saw a middle-aged woman arguing with a student. Too late to just head back out again, I stood awkwardly by the door, doing my best to become invisible. 

" _Wae_ , Tan-noona, I swear it wasn't me, so why do I get punished?" the student whined, and I couldn't help but quirk my eyebrow at him. What was he, twelve? 

"Don't you 'noona' me, young man, you think your charms are going to get you out of detention? Mr. Simon was abundantly clear when he warned you, and now you've to suffer the consequences."

Wow, that sounded severe.  _Wonder what he did..._

"But, it was Baekhyun, not me!" the student continued protesting. 

The woman met him with a skeptic stare. "Mr. Byun was not in your class last period," she deadpanned and I winced out of embarrassment for the guy. 

His face slowly turning red, he let out a nervous, very boyish, chuckle. "Did I say Baekhyun? I-I m-meant Chan-Chanyeol! Yeah! Baekhyun, Chanyeol, tomato, tomater, easy to mix up!"

_Yeah, keep going, buddy, you're doing great. Fighting...!_

I tried my best not to listen in on their conversation, really, but there really wasn't anywhere else I could go, so to not hear it was not an option. 

"Mr. Kim, it takes a boy to be mischievous and to whine like a child. But it takes a man to shoulder his responsibilities and accept defeat," the woman, whom I assumed was named Mrs. Tan, told him patiently. Then, she handed him a red slip of paper. 

"Detention starts at 4 pm, sharp. You better be there," she told him strictly, pushing the slip of paper in his reluctant hand. 

"But, Tan-noona," he whined again. 

"Jongdae, you're lucky Mr. Simon didn't send you straight to the principal's office. Honestly, who puts a mouse in someone else's shirt?!" she tsked him and my eyes widened.  

"Daigo deserved it! He was trying to pull off the whiskers of his mouse while Mr. Simon told everyone in class that we were only to observe the mice. My mouse must've been upset and jumped into his shirt to bite the living crap out of him," the student explained fiercely, though having heard his side of the story now actually made me sympathetic towards him. 

"Language, Mr. Kim," Mrs. Tan warned before heaving an exasperated sigh. "I admire your sense of ethics, Jongdae, but weren't you equally cruel to send another, innocent mouse into the shirt of Daigo Forrester?" she asked him, which made him bow his head in shame. I furrowed my brow in surprise since I could see him pouting at the same time. 

"But I gave mine cheese afterwards," he added, and a vein popped up in Mrs. Tan's neck. I'm starting to think that this kid is doing this on purpose. 

The woman groaned. "That's not the point, Jongdae-oh, no, you know what? 4 pm, detention, be there or regret it. Now, get back to class before you get yourself into further trouble!" she dismissed him and the student sighed. 

"Yes, ma'am," he replied meekly, turning around. He stopped in his tracks when he saw me and I froze myself. "Who are you?" he frowned, after scanning me with his eyes from head to toe. 

"Oh, eh, m-me-  _ow_ ," I rubbed my cheek after poking at it with my finger. For some reason it had produced an electric jolt that just zapped a small fraction of my skin. That was weird. Shaking my head, I directed myself at the student again, adjusting the strap to my backpack. 

"I'm, uh, I'm n-new."  _Wow. Just- wow. Smooth, Jae, you're slick as oil, aren't you?_

"Yeah, no kidding," he commented, the corners of his mouth curling up, a rakish grin on his face that made me glance away from him. "What happened to your pants, Newbie?" he suddenly asked and I grimaced at the nickname. Was it really going to be like that today?

"Uhm, my uniform is too big, so, eh...yeah..." 

Allow me to explain another thing. I, Jae-In Miyano, am eloquent as heckie,  _except_  when I'm put on the spot like this. Ask a blender to stop being a blender and come out of the background and you get this. Chunks of words strung together without it making much sense. 

" _Right_..." the student mused. "Do you know what they do to students who don't obey the dresscode?" he suddenly asked and I swallowed before nodding, my cheeks heating up. 

"Ha, and you still decided to come in that?" he provoked. 

"Mr. Kim, why are you still here?" came the absent voice of Mrs. Tan. 

"Tan-noona, it's the new kid. Look at his pants, there's a tear in the knee. I'm pretty sure that's not allowed, right?" there was a cheeky, smug grin on his face and I glared at him. What was his problem? Was this how the students of Hanwol welcomed newcomers? Where did he get the audacity to rat on me like that? And most importantly! Did he just say  _his_  pants?!

"Eh, hold up," I started, but a movement from behind the desk caught my attention. The middle-aged woman known as Mrs. Tan looked at me as though she saw me for the first time and immediately, her eyes darted towards my jeans. 

"Ah, hello. I'm so sorry, I hadn't noticed you just before. We've been expecting you," she said kindly. "Jongdae, didn't you have class to attend?" she asked him and the student bowed. 

"See you around, Newbie. Maybe at four," he waved the red slip in front of my face before closing the door behind him. I didn't even to get to ask him why he said  _his_ instead of  _her_. Was he nearsighted? I didn't look  _that_  much like a dude, did I?

"Sorry about him, he likes to tease people," Mrs. Tan said with a soft smile on her face, waiting expectantly for me. 

"O-oh." Hm, maybe that explained it then. He was just messing with me.  _Pff, rude._

"I was told that I should register here," I started, trying to put the guy out of my head. I reached into my backpack and grabbed a stack of paper. I pushed them across the counter. "These are my transcripts from my old school," I told her and the woman accepted them with a polite smile. She seemed a bit more excited and in a better mood now, nodding her head as though she were impressed, as she briefly went through them. I knew that she was probably just being polite, seeing as my grades weren't that spectacular. 

"I can imagine that everything must be so new to you," she said out of the blue and gazed up with a friendly look on her face. "But, just now that it's new to us as well- oh, that came out wrong," she chuckled. "What I mean to say, is that you can relax, darling. You seem a little tense," she added, winking. 

"Oh, yeah, sorry. I'm a little nervous," I admitted, rubbing the back of my neck. "I only arrived here yesterday," I explained, grabbing the registration letter and handing it to her. 

"Oh my, that's very short notice, huh? You should've stayed at home for another week, darling," she teased and I was grateful for that. She seemed nice. 

"Now, let's see. Miyano Jae-In," she mused, though I couldn't help but catch the surprised tone in her voice. "Jae-In, what a lovely name," she said, though she looked at me as though she was taking a double-take. Seriously, she didn't think I was a dude, too, did she? 

"Thanks," I said quietly, biting my lip. 

"It's nice to meet you, Jae-In, I'm Mrs. Tan," she introduced officially and bowed. I quickly followed the example. 

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Tan, please call me Jae," I said politely, to which she snickered. 

"Ah, well, I'm not sure I should, darling," she commented, grinning as though she was thinking of an inside joke. Since I only arrived here since yesterday, I didn't exactly get the chance to interact with a lot of locals, but so far, I can say that I'm not very impressed. 

"I'm sorry for asking, eh- Jae-, but what happened to your uniform? Jongdae had not been wrong to point it out, since school policies are rather strict regarding the dresscode," she stated. 

Blushing, I fidgeted with the blazer and shirt. "Well, you can probably notice that the clothes are too big for me. I tried wearing the skirt, but it kept sliding off. The school said that they'd send me a proper uniform soon though, so there wasn't much else I could have done," I elaborated to which Mrs. Tan mused in understanding. 

"Ah, so I see! Well, that explains it then. I hope you get a good uniform soon, if only to avoid confusion," she said goodnaturedly, but I wasn't sure what she meant. 

"Eh, yeah, I hope so, too," was my only reply. Mrs. Tan spent half an hour telling me about the ropes at the school, and even though there was quite a lot of information to remember, she assured me that the school manual would be my savior. She was very nice when she sincerely welcomed me, but when she suggested I should put my hair down, I only frowned at her. I was really starting to doubt my appearance here. Or was it that the people in Hanwol never seen a girl before? 

"Follow me, Jae, I'll show you to your class," she finally said and the words hit me like thunder and lightning. Was I ready to meet my new classmates? Was I ready to start this dreadful day?  _Nope. A million times nope!_

"Great, I look forward to it," I smiled.  _Whoa, I'm so full of it! You're an idiot, Jae, an i-d-i-o-t!_

As my internal tirade continued in my mind, I followed Mrs. Tan meekly, occasionally looking around when we entered a new hallway, or when I saw the interesting and beautiful stained windows of the school. I wondered what this place was before it was a school. It didn't seem likely that they built this building with the sole purpose of it becoming a school, right? It was way too beautiful for that. 

Mrs. Tan suddenly stopped in front of a door and my heart skipped a beat.  _Here it was, here it goes, oh Lord, someone save me!_

"Here we are," the woman chirped happily. "Just wait here, I'll go tell the teacher you've arrived," she said excitedly and entered the room after knocking briskly. I peeked inside as she interrupted the teacher and felt like running away when I saw the group of students that would become my new classmates. It didn't help that they all looked curious and I moved away from the opening of the door when a few eyes were directed towards it. 

"Class, my I have your attention, please? As all you may have already known, we have a new student joining us today," the teacher started and peeked to my direction. I startled lightly but then gathered my guts to step in the class. I didn't look at the other students yet, I just focused on the smiling teacher and Mrs. Tan, who bowed to signal her exit. I bowed to her myself to thank her and was then left at the mercy of strangers. 

"Class, this is Miyano Jae," the teacher introduced. "Let's make Jae feel welcomed, huh?" he said and I felt like disappearing into a hole in the ground when the class greeted me in perfect unison. _Children of the Corn, anyone?_

"H-hi," I said, too shy to function. I heard the curious whispers float around in the class, but did my best to ignore them. I could tell that some of them were questioning my wardrobe choices as well. 

"I-it's nice to meet you all," I managed to utter, knowing that more was expected of me. "My name is Jae, seventeen years old. I look f-forward to be classmates with you and h-hope you'll take care of me," I stammered, giving them a bow. I was met with polite applause and for a moment I was allowed to feel a sense of relief wash over me. Thinking that the worst was over, the teacher suddenly asked the class if there were any questions they might want to ask me to get to know me a little better. I wasn't prepared for all the hands that shot up to the air. I looked around nervously at the curious faces, but was met with that odd sense of nausea again when I happened to catch the steady gaze of two of my new classmates. 

They sat next to one another and were the only ones that had not risen their hands to ask me stuff. They were just staring at me. One of them whispered something in the other's ear, a dimple appearing and reappearing in his cheek as he spoke. His buddy listened to his words, but never took his eyes off of me. I felt another shiver run down my spine when his gaze was fixed at me, and I felt like someone just pushed me into a tub of ice cold water. He wasn't smiling, he wasn't curious. He seemed- suspicious. Despite of this, I felt the heat rising to my cheeks. Then, all of a sudden, he calmly raised his hand.

"Ah, yes, Suho?" the teacher called out.

"When did you arrive in Hanwol?" he asked.

I swallowed. "Yesterday."

"Did you come in with those moving trucks from E.T. Corp?" he quickly continued and I blinked at him. Why did he look so serious? And, how did he even know that? His friend beside him watched me before cautiously checking on his buddy, this Suho-guy.

"Eh, yeah. My dad works there," I explained and was met with impressed sounds of assent.

"Wow, that's really interesting," the teacher interjected. "What does he do?" he asked.

"He's, uh, he's the new CEO," more sounds of approval and enthusiasm. The general reactions made me relax just a bit more, but I couldn't help but notice those two guys. Why were they standing out to me? More confusingly; why couldn't I stop looking at them?

Even after I had answered all the questions and finally was allowed to take a seat and did what I do best (blending), I caught myself looking towards their direction now and then. I didn't understand why I was so fascinated. I didn't understand why the guy named Suho would sometimes look back at the right moment and give me a suspicious glare. I didn't understand why I kept on staring back anyway, and I definitely did not understand why I suddenly wished that I had worn a skirt today instead, and why I was beating myself up mentally at sensing my heart beat accelerating...

_First impressions...who needs 'em?_


	11. ~ The New Kid in Town ~

***

The boy flinched when he felt another small object hit him in the back of his head. Trying his best to ignore it, he refused to turn around and react, knowing that would only worsen things. He focused on the teacher's lesson with patience and concentration, closing his eyes tiredly when he felt another thing hitting his head. Snickering sounded from behind him, but he only pursed his heart-shaped lips and continued jotting down notes. 

D.O. held on to the corner of his desk while he used his other hand to write, the grip around his pencil and the desk tightening when another ball of paper was slung his way. The teachers never noticed, of course. They only questioned him after class sometimes, wondering why the area around his desk was so messy. He never told them the real reason, cleaning up afterwards instead. 

Was he angry? Of course. Was he tired of putting up with all this crap? Naturally. Did he often caught himself fantasizing how he would use his strength and powers to torment the living daylights out of his bullies?  _Oh yes. Hell yes._

But did he give in to those urges? 

Never. 

D.O. had always been quiet and reserved. He was shy and didn't speak a lot. He preferred the silence and being left alone to his thoughts. That was probably how it all started, why the bullies picked on him over anyone else. Naturally, he didn't have a lot of friends growing up. He was miserable and suffered in silence, making his parents believe that everything was alright and that he was having the time of his life, while in truth, there were moments that he just wanted to disappear. Especially when he found out what he could do. If he let his emotions speak for him, his anger in particular, it took one stomp of his foot to make the earth crack underneath him and split in two. One punch to obliterate and fell trees. When he was alone during his first full moon, the people of Hanwol experienced an earthquake like no other, finding the next day that the town itself was relatively spared, but a large part of the woods had been destroyed. And utterly so.

It was Kai that had found him and brought him to meet more people like him. There were only seven of them at the time, he became the eighth. Even though D.O. wasn't sure what was going on, he was happy and grateful to his brothers for taking him in. For the first time, he felt like he belonged. He had friends, who accepted him for who he was. Not that it stopped the bullies, or anything, but now he had a family to fall back on. Not to mention that he learned to control himself, especially when he realized the size of his outburst and how it had affected the people of his home. He never wanted to feel like that again, overwhelmed by blinding rage. His brothers kept him calm and it became easier for him. 

But the struggle was still real.  _Very_  real. 

He took a deep breath when the tiny eraser hit him against the tip of the ear, counting to ten in his mind. Full moon was coming, which meant that his usual self-control was waning. His brothers knew to keep their distance during this time of the month, but that wasn't common knowledge to anyone. It took very little to agitate him during this sensitive time. His patience wore thin. 

When yet another crumpled ball of paper hit the back of the head, D.O. had had enough. Before he knew what he was doing, he got up from his desk and spun around to meet his bullies' gaze. 

"STOP IT, ALREADY!" he nearly growled, his chest heaving since he kept the real anger pent up inside of him. He didn't take his eyes off his tormenters, who seemed rather startled at the outburst. Except, it was then that D.O. realized, to his horror, that he had interrupted the lesson and that all eyes were on him. 

Freezing up to the unwanted attention, he slunk back, resisting the urge to pounce his bullies when they had started snickering at him again. 

"I hope you have an explanation for this outburst, Kyungsoo?!" his teacher scolded, in disbelief that one of his best and well-behaved students would act this way. 

"I- they...!" D.O. sighed. "I'm sorry, seonsaeng-nim. It won't happen again," he bowed to apologize to Mr. Tabi under the tormenting giggles of his classmates. He quietly took his seat again, wishing he could become invisible. Now  _that_  was a power he wouldn't mind having. 

"Make sure it won't," said his teacher, eyeing D.O. a moment without the boy returning the gaze. The teacher quirked up his eyebrow at the mess that surrounded the teen's desk and his eyes quickly shot to the back of the class. He shook his head in disapproval upon seeing the boys suppressing their laughter. 

"Kenn, Jean and Kwang, I want the three of you to clean up the class when we're done here," Mr. Tabi instructed, to which D.O.'s eyes shot up to his teacher, slightly startled. How did he know? 

Mr. Tabi, a young teacher, pretended not to have noticed D.O.'s reaction and kept a firm gaze on the three boys in the back. 

"What? But, seonsaeng-nim, we didn't do anything! It's not our fault that  _Dung_ soo can't keep his desk clean," Kenn's hoarse voice sounded.  D.O. winced at the nickname, slumping in his seat. 

"Are you arguing with me, Kenn?" Mr. Tabi provoked, taking off his glasses for good measure. D.O. frowned slightly when he heard the girls in the class sigh dreamily when the young teacher did so. Mr. Tabi taught Biology and was, admittedly, one of the more attractive teachers that worked at the school. D.O. had liked the man since the beginning, but he had always been amongst the teachers that never noticed a thing. However, now that D.O. thought about it, Mr. Tabi was the sole teacher that had always taken note of him. 

"Because if you are, I'm sure the detention class hasn't been filled up for today, my friend, so say the word and I'll send you to see Mrs. Tan," Mr. Tabi continued. 

"We'll clean the class, sir," Kenn grumbled. 

Mr. Tabi nodded. "Good. As for you, Kyungsoo, I want to see you after class," he said in a gentler tone which was no less authoritative. 

"Yes, seonsaeng-nim," D.O. answered and looked at his notebook. He pretended that the rest of the world didn't exist at this point, pretended that he didn't feel the heated glares boring into the back of his skull. When he returned to wanting to make notes, he saw, to his own shock that the pencil he'd been holding all this time had snapped. Upon looking at his desk, D.O.'s eyes widened further, seeing the crack in the hard wood. He covered it with his book, hoping that no one would notice. He rubbed his eyes and wished for the moon to come soon. He needed to blow off steam. 

The bell rang, signaling the end of the class. D.O. moved slow, quickly gathering his things and moving out of the way when Kenn, Jean and Kwang had come up to clean the mess they had created. He was too late to move when Kenn shoved him against the shoulder. "See you after school," he muttered threateningly under his breath. 

"Kyungsoo, a word outside, please. Kenn, why don't you shine up my desk while you're at it?" Mr. Tabi interposed, smirking at the burly teen. 

"Yes, sir," he grunted. 

"Good man! Kyungsoo, this way," Mr. Tabi lead D.O. to the busy hallway, quickly crossing over to the window where they could speak more privately. D.O. nervously adjusted the strap of his messenger bag. 

"Alright," Mr. Tabi started, "what's up, kid? Shouting in the middle of my most intriguing lecture about fungi without explanation? That's not like you." 

D.O. swallowed and shrugged, looking at the ground. 

"Listen, Kyungsoo, you're a quiet, smart kid. You get above average grades and make a good shot at getting into a decent college. I know you have friends, but you can't depend on them to solve the conflicts you have. I had rather hoped that you would speak up one day yourself to deal with those guys," he gestured into the classroom, "but you always keep quiet. Why is that? You've a voice, don't you?" Mr. Tabi asked, and D.O. shuffled with his feet. He knew Mr. Tabi meant well, but there was no way his teacher would understand. 

He was silent too long and his teacher placed a hand on his shoulder. "I don't mean to pressure you or anything, but you've got so much potential in you and it's like you're holding back. It's alright to stand up for yourself and just be there, you know? Plant your feet on the ground and show the world that you're here," he encouraged, but D.O. only gave a weary smile. 

"You know what? The word around the school is that there's a new kid starting classes today. This student is new to everything; the island, the town, and the school," Mr. Tabi started explaining. 

"Oh, well maybe Kenn and the others can bully the new kid instead," D.O. quipped without expression, making his teacher laugh. 

"I knew there was a secret optimist hiding inside of you," he pointed. "However, the teachers have been discussing that it may be nice for the new kid to be shown the ropes by another student of the school," he continued and D.O. started feeling warm. 

_Oh no, please, no..._ D.O. wiped the sweat from his brow. 

"And I suggested that perhaps you would be a good candidate for it. You know the school, you attend a number of extracurricular clubs and activities, and yeah, I mean, maybe you're more of a silent, humble presence than a noticeable one, but I thought you were well-suited for the job. Perhaps it would be nice to meet someone new, make new friends," Mr. Tabi suggested, but D.O. felt like running away. 

"I have friends..." he stammered quietly, big eyes looking up to the biology teacher. 

"True, I know them as well," his teacher chuckled. "However, that may be another good reason to try this out. Take the reigns on this one instead of depending on others to do so. Lead, kid," he smiled goodnaturedly. 

Internally screaming, D.O. balled his fists and kept them stiffly by the sides of his body. "Well, if you know who I hang out with, why not ask one of them to do it, sir?" he tried. 

"Because I don't want to overwhelm the new kid. Can you imagine if I sent Jongdae or Tao? I send Luhan and it may scare the kid off, all the girls trailing after them," he joked, shaking his head. 

"What about Xiumin? Or, Suho?" D.O. suggested instead. He did  _not_  want to be a guide to the new kid. He could already see Kenn and his goons endlessly tormenting him over it for sure. 

"I want _you_ to do it, Kyungsoo," Mr. Tabi stressed. "You can do this, I believe you can. Like I said, you've potential, but I want you to work on your self-esteem. Who knows, you may get a new friend out of this," the biology teacher patted him encouragingly on the shoulder. "There's some extra credit in it for you, and you get to be excused from a few classes to give the kid a grand tour- you know, to sweeten the deal," Mr. Tabi winked. 

Upon realizing that there was no getting out of the job, D.O. finally, - _reluctantly -,_ agreed. 

"Good man! Here, the list states the places you can show the new kid, but just talk about your experiences. The student will be waiting for you at the main hall in front of the clock at lunch time. The cafeteria would be a nice place to start the tour, right?" Mr. Tabi said enthusiastically.

"Yes, sir," D.O. stared rather miserably at the list.

"Hey, I'm proud of you. Thank you for trying this," his biology teacher said sincerely to which D.O. managed the tiniest smile. "I'll see you around. Let me know how it went, okay?"

"Yes, sir," he replied again, watching his teacher leave while he was still holding onto his list. Giving it a deadpan stare, D.O. slowly made his way to his next class. At least Kenn and the others wouldn't be there, but he was still bummed for having to play tour guide for the newbie. Lunch time was about the only thing he looked forward to on Mondays since that was the only time he could hang out with his brothers. He had a few classes with some of them (since he took some advanced classes as well), but he was on his own on Mondays. 

_No, not on my own._ D.O. read the name of the new student and frowned. "Miyano Jae?" he read out loud. _Jae. Was that a girl's name or a guy's name?_  

_Great._ How was he going to know who the new kid was? Mr. Tabi must've purposely done this on short notice so that D.O. had no alternative but to accept. Perhaps the biology teacher knew more about him than he initially thought, but he didn't necessarily appreciate it. He hoped he would meet one of his brothers before lunch, to tell them that he won't be joining them. He knew that he didn't stand out much, but he took comfort in knowing that his brothers would miss him. 

He stopped in his tracks and grabbed his cell phone instead. He tapped the group icon he shared with his brothers and started typing.

_Guess who got stuck playing tour guide for the newbie? Can't make it to lunch. I'll see you after school. - D.O._

He quickly put the cell phone away without waiting for a reply and dragged himself to English class. He was _not_ looking forward to lunch time...  


	12. ~ The 12, An Interlude ~

***

_I remembered feeling nervous._

_I had only recently awoken, only recently came to existence. I was a child myself, suddenly tasked with a burden no child, nor adult, should have to bear._

_The Old One, the One before I woke up, told me that I had nothing to fear. Nothing to worry about. The Old One's voice assured me that the tasked that awaited me was an honorable one. A good one. I was a guardian, according to the One. **The**  Guardian, the soothing voice said. _

_I believe I cried when the Old One said goodbye, but I wasn't sure whether I could even express grief._

_I remembered the Old One's voice and the song the One sang to me. That voice echoed in my memories, but I would never hear it again._

_Suddenly, I understood the task that was placed on me. The burden I had to carry. I had no fear or worry, but I was nervous. I was so young, so innocent. What did I know of the world? What did I know of its dangers? My world was comprised of light and beauty. What did I know of suffering? What was darkness?_

_...I found out._

_I swore never to want to experience something so dreadful and painful again. I knew then that I was very much capable of grief, suffering and rage. But I was also capable to love, laugh and hope. Even though I was lonely._

_However, I was never alone. People visited me and would speak to me, which I enjoyed. I loved to hear the voices, loved to see the people. But they never stayed too long._

_I was still a child. I was alone. And, quite suddenly, I had to choose. The people who visited me told me that the Old One had chosen before I had, and now I should do so as well. It was very important to do so. But how did I choose? Whom did I choose?_

_I asked and pondered, I thought and I searched, but I didn't know- or did I? Words came to me and I sent them into the world. Those words would search for me, would enter the hearts that were open to my voice, would seek the souls that were filled with light._

_Twelve voices responded._

_Like beautiful music they reached my ears, their voices harmonizing together perfectly, even though they did not speak the same language, even though they did not speak of the same things. I loved hearing their voices. They made me happy. I continued to speak my words to them, a promise, an oath. My heart filled with joy when each of them replied in the same manner._

_We were all children._

_I watched when they were brought together for the first time. I knew about their thoughts and their feelings. When they were scared, so were I. When they were sad, I would weep with them. When they laughed, I felt the happiness in my heart._

_Their personalities, hearts and souls were so different from one another, but they were brothers. I knew all of them, very well. Based on their character, based on their interests and their strengths, their personalities, I gave them gifts. Twelve pieces of my heart, in exchange for a little part of theirs._

_Oh, how strong they were. I swelled up in pride at seeing their fast development, how much grace and elegance they portrayed in using their gifts. Knowing that they became my eyes and my ears, my guardians and that of the world, I gave one final gift._

_The moon had always beckoned. The gifts I gave them were given under the sun. The gift I handed them under the starry sky gave them the sight of the moon, to see brightly, even in the darkness of the night. Their scent enhanced, their hearing sharpened, their skin were shed and became the softest of fur. They howled at night and sped throughout the land to keep watch during the reign of the moon._

_I chose them. My twelve guardians. And they chose me._

_No longer was I alone, never did I have to feel lonely. As long as they were with me, we would never part._

_We were One._


	13. ~ So Far, So Wrong ~

***

Something is weird about my school - and, for once, it's _not_ me.

Maybe it's not necessarily the school itself that's odd (although the richie rich get up might throw a few people off their game), it's mostly the students that seem to have a few wires loose. Either that, or all of them need a pair of glasses.

Let it be said that most kids around here are actually pretty nice. They have shown a polite interest in me and asked me all sorts of questions and spoke to me to make me feel a bit more at ease. However, I'm not sure whether they really understand English as well as they speak it. For some reason, when they refer about me, they keep messing up on the personal pronouns.

It was a little weird to be surrounded by a small group of people as I tried making my way to my locker, especially since they were all trying to talk to me. I guess the island really didn't get a lot of visitors. I almost felt famous. 

"Hey, how old are you exactly again? You look pretty young," one of them had asked. While I was squeezed in between two guys. 

"Eh, I'm-"

"Obviously he's around our age, you idiot, otherwise he wouldn't be in the same class!"

  _Again with the 'he'!_

"Uhm, about that-"

"Well, there was no harm in asking. There are people who take advanced classes and stuff, you know? I mean, during P.E. all the classes and years get mixed up anyway. It wasn't such a weird question, right, Jae?" 

I jolted a little at the sudden attention again and I quickly shook my head. "It's a fine question, but the answer isn't completely right..." I started, feeling a little overwhelmed in the crowded hallway, especially since other students took note of me and cast curious glances my way. Honestly, I just wanted to get to my locker, gather my wits about me and head over the main hall where, apparently, a student was going to properly show me around at short notice. I was fine with that, since I'd have a few moments to myself to process all the impressions I'd gathered so far. However, with lunch starting, it seemed like the whole student body was spilled out in the hallways. 

"Damn. Am I even going the right direction?" I asked out loud, trying to look at the locker numbers. 

"Oh man, are you sure about your age? You even sound young," one of the guys, I think his name was Minho, noted.

"I think it's cute! You kinda sound like a girl," a short, fresh-faced girl commented, giggling as she did so. I pointed enthusiastically at her. 

"Yes! That's because I am a-"

"Oh my  _gosh,_  it's Luhan-oppa! Luhan!" she squealed out of the blue, making me groan out of pure frustration. 

Minho patted me on the back, laughing as he did so. "Guess you heard about Luhan's reputation already as well, huh? He makes all the guys roll their eyes and grunt out of frustration. Dude's super popular," he explained. 

Did I look like I cared? Probably not, which Minho found amusing. "I didn't react to that," I tried to explain, "I don't even know the guy..." my voice trailed off when I caught sight of the guy named Luhan. He was smiling politely at the girls that swarmed around him, greeting his friends as he moved through the halls. It really wasn't that hard to figure out why he was popular. With his sparkling, doe-eyes and charming smile, lushious hair... He was tall and athletic, and, truthfully- intimidating. There was something about his eyes that I couldn't place. I genuinely startled when his eyes were directed at me, and I could tell that his smile faded when we had eye contact. 

I couldn't look at him and for the life of me, I don't know why. He seemed like a nice guy, but I didn't like the way he looked at me. There was something in those eyes. Almost as though he could see right through me. I looked away, even though he hadn't, and quickly moved away. 

"Hey, Jae, where are you going?" Minho asked when he saw me scoot away. 

"I got to find my locker and then I'm meeting someone who's going to show me around," I quickly explained. "I'll see you later, okay?" I greeted and he stuck up his thumb. 

"Alright, cool. Laters," he saluted and I was glad that my overly enthusiastic classmates went off to attend their own business. As I looked around to find my locker, I accidentally bumped up against someone when I wasn't paying too much attention. 

"Oh crap, I'm so-" I bit my lip when I saw the person who I had bumped up against, "sorry..." I added quietly. I nearly forgotten that not  _all_  of my classmates were so enthusiastic about me joining the class. 

Suho looked at me, his face betraying nothing, making me feel extremely uncomfortable. To make matters worse, he didn't say anything. He just stared at me. This guy really didn't like me. 

"Oh, hi, Jae," his friend- Lay, I believe was his name-popped up from behind him and gave a warm smile that deepened the dimple in his cheek. At least one of them was making an effort. 

"Hi," I greeted softly, feeling my cheeks heat up again. "I'm sorry about bumping into you, Suho. I, eh, wasn't looking where I was going," I apologized again, rubbing the back of my neck. 

When Suho still didn't reply and only looked at me with extreme agitation, I shuffled my feet. 

"That's okay. Suho knows you didn't do it on purpose," Lay spoke instead, a friendly look on his face as he patted his friend goodnaturedly on the back. "We didn't officially meet yet. I'm Lay, and you know Suho," he introduced, politely bowing before shaking my hand. I was fast to follow his example. I then turned to extend a hand at Suho, but the guy didn't make a move. Yikes, I really stepped on his toes...  _What did I do to you, bro?_

Sensing the tension, Lay resorted to shaking my hand again, which I found rather endearing. "Don't worry about Suho, he has, uh, a fear of germs," he said as an excuse, holding onto my hand a little longer than was usual. When he let go, I inexplicably felt refreshed, somehow. Energized. Maybe I was just relieved that Lay wasn't giving me the cold shoulder like Suho was. 

"Can we help you with something, Jae?" Lay asked, receiving a glare from Suho himself now, which he obliviously ignored. 

"Eh, well, actually...I'm looking for my locker. This place is pretty big, so I'm not sure where to start looking," I confessed. 

"Ah, yeah, finding your locker is pretty tricky. To be honest, I haven't used mine since the start of the school year- I forgot where it is," Lay chuckled, but the sleepy look in his eyes made me wonder whether he was just joking or being serious. 

"What's your locker number?" he then asked, pretending as though the sulking Suho wasn't there. 

"Um, 1213," I answered. 

"Ah, that's near Chanyeol's locker, isn't it?" Lay asked out loud, but of course, the name didn't mean anything to me. Since Suho didn't answer, Lay turned around and pointed further ahead. "You follow the hallway till the end and make a left. It should be somewhere in that row," he explained. 

"Okay, great. Thanks," I smiled. "I guess I'll see you around." 

Lay gave a small wave, the smile never leaving his face, while Suho remained as expressionless as can be. Maybe I should stay away from him for the time being. Lay and Suho were in the same year as I was so I was bound to see them often, but just in case, I'll keep out of Suho's way. Just to be safe. 

Thankfully, Lay's instructions were correct and I found my new locker in no time. The hallway here was more quiet, which I appreciated, though there were three guys standing nearby. I recognized one of them as the guy that I met at the student office when I signed in this morning. I didn't know the other two, but since they were fortunately engaged in conversation with one another, I got the time to open my locker door to shield myself slightly. Unfortunately, that didn't shield me from hearing them speaking with one another. 

"Are you sure that's what Suho said?" one of them asked and I winced. I shouldn't be listening to this, the mention of the name was enough reason. 

"Hmhm. Kai didn't seem all too excited either." 

"Wow. I think that's the first time those two agreed on something." 

_I'm not listening. La la la, not listening. Just minding my own business, I'm not curious at all, la la la..._

When I was sure the three of them continued their conversation, I carefully peeked at them from the corner of my eye, behind my opened locker door. I nearly jumped when they simultaneously stopped talking to look directly at me. 

Flustered, I focused on dumping the books I didn't need anymore and thought of making a clean escape. 

"Hey, it's the newbie! What's up, Newbie?" 

I crushed my eyes shut. Was nothing going to go my way today? I grabbed my locker door to lean on and gave a small smile. 

"Not much, what about you? Managed to throw more mice around?" I retorted dryly, but he chuckled. 

"You remembered! Very impressive," he stated, but I wasn't sure whether he meant it or not. 

"Yeah, well, hard to forget," I tapped on my locker door, only to retract my hand when I felt an electric shock pricking my fingers. What was up with the static electricity? 

"Something up, Newbie?" the tallest of three asked, his voice deep and his face surprisingly- childlike. Playful. He had a smile that toothpaste commercials would die for. 

"No, I'm good," I grabbed my door again, feeling very out of place with those three hanging around. I stared at the door when a sudden sensation of heat pulsed through it. Immediately letting go, I confusedly glanced at my hand. First an electric shock and now the door heats up as though it was warmed by fire? Man, I must be hungry, or something.

"I, uh, I have to go. Excuse me," I finally muttered, since they just looked at me as though I was some kind of curious novelty. I guess it shouldn't be that surprising since they obviously knew Suho, or they wouldn't have mentioned him. When I went to shut my locker, the last one spoke up, a mischievous look on his face. 

"Careful with the door, Newbie," he warned and I blinked at him. Did he see-? He couldn't have known that I was being shocked and burned by that thing a few moments ago, could he?

"It tends to get stuck," he finished, pushing the door further shut. I let out a soft sigh of relief. 

"Oh. Right. Eh, thanks," I walked away and turned the corner, too late to see someone pop out in front of me before I even noticed that he was there. 

"What the–" I muttered in a daze, just in time to stop walking before I'd hit him like I did Suho. The bronze-skinned kid looked down at me, since I was much shorter than he was, but he said nothing. Great. Another glarer. I really was in no mood for this. 

"Sorry about that," I muttered before leaving for the main hall. I didn't look over my shoulder, since something told me that he was still standing there, looking at me. So far, I'm guessing that there's a bunch of people on the island that may not take kindly to strangers. I've met some nice kids, sure, but the last couple of people gave me some seriously bad vibes. Not to mention that I just had to act more clumsy in front of those particular people. I'm sure that didn't help matters. 

_Another thing that didn't help was the fact that the dudes that stood out to me so far due to their strange behavior were all freaking gorgeous- regrettably so!_

I shook my head for even thinking like that, but come on! I wasn't blind! The mere thought that I made a complete ass out of myself in front of them, made me wanna sink through a hole in the ground. Add to that the fact that people seemed to have mistaken me for a dude and you've the perfect recipe for utter humiliation and disaster. 

What did I do in my previous life that was so bad? Why was this happening to me? Why was my face apparently so boyish that no one seemed to realize that I was a girl?

Taking a deep,  _deep_ breath, I kept a steady pace as I walked through the crowds of students to get ready for my appointment with the poor person that had the task to guide me around. I didn't even know who to look for. I searched a bit awkwardly around the main hall, standing near the grand stairs underneath the clock. From here, it was painfully obvious how everyone was split into perfect little cliques, and me, being paranoid as heck, started getting the feeling that they may be talking about me.

One particular group of guys (again, why did they have to be runway models- especially the tall, blonde dude...) were pretty indiscrete about the fact that they were talking about me.

A wiry, though lean guy with jet black hair and dark circles under his eyes asked his friends if I was the new kid, which just made me turn my head away to pretend like I hadn't heard him. It seriously sucked to have a group of guys staring at you when you're a girl (though something told me that they were probably not aware of that,  _tch_ ), but to find them rather attractive at the same time was a killer combination. This was doing nothing for my nerves. I should've stayed at home. 

"Hm. I had expected...more," one of his friends replied. He had a light lisp and platinum blonde hair. 

"Well, good luck with the new kid, D.O.. If you run into trouble, tell us." 

I frowned at this and turned to look at them. The tall guy with the honey blonde hair had said those words and there was a weird little smirk on his face when he briefly appraised me. 

"Yeah, let us know," a boy with catlike eyes added and it was only then that I noticed a fifth boy standing there. Compared to his friends, he was rather short and at first glance, not all too remarkable. He looked miserable, as though he was 100% done with the world and everyone in it. Was he my guide? Really? 

His posture changed when his friends greeted him and they walked away, glancing at me now and then. When I looked back at the dark-haired boy, his big eyes glanced away, though he shuffled rather hesitatingly my way. Since he looked obviously nervous, I became shy as well.

"Um, I take it you're the new kid?" he eventually asked when he approached me.

"Yeah. You're the student I'm supposed to meet?" I asked and he nodded, obviously out of his comfort zone. Funny. Usually, schools would send their more extroverted, socially easy students to do the happy tour guide shtick. This kid, however, seemed like the complete opposite of all of that. In fact, it kind of looked like he had no idea what to do next. He was staring at a wrinkled piece of paper.

I bit my lip. "Hi," I started, simply beginning at the beginning. He glanced up, finally making eye contact. "I'm Jae. It's nice to meet you. Thank you for taking the time and trouble to show me around. I'll be in your care," I bowed and waited for him to make the next move.

He relaxed only slightly and greeted me the same way, but did so rather emotionlessly. "It's nice to meet you. My name is D.O., I'll be showing you around today."

"Great. I look forward to it, D.O.," I smiled, and seeing that I meant no harm, he managed a smile.

"Alright then. So, yeah...I guess we can get started then," he announced, putting the paper back into his messenger bag. "Let's start at the cafeteria so we can get something to eat real quick before I show you around the campus," he instructed, sounding very professional and a bit stiff. He struck me as a rather serious person. 

_He was cute though..._

I startled, shaking that thought out of my mind.  _Stop it, Jae, you're a boy- huh? No. Wait...What?_

"So, D.O., do you think we can go to the cafeteria then? I think I really need something to eat," I chuckled and he nodded quickly. 

"It's this way," he pointed out, taking the lead. "Oh, and before I forget; On behalf of the entire student body and staff, welcome to Hanwol," he said. 

We passed the friends he had spoken to a few moments ago, and I did a double-take when the one with honey blonde hair watched us. I thought for sure that his eyes had shone red just now...I rubbed my eyes and looked back at him. He blinked at me with perfectly normal brown eyes. 

"Eh, yeah, t-thanks," I answered absently. "Let's eat a lot of food, I'm really, and quite obviously, hungry." 

"What do you mean?" asked D.O. and I couldn't blame him for sounding so confused. 

"I think I'm starting to see things that aren't there," I quipped. He didn't have to know that I was dead serious about it. "It's okay though, some food will solve the issue. I guess I can't function on an empty stomach." 

"I know what that's like," D.O. muttered, but he gave no explanation. "Cafeteria is right here. We eat there, and...stuff," he shrugged, clearing his throat. I looked at him. 

"First time you're doing this, huh?" I asked teasingly, hoping it would break the ice somewhat. 

"That obvious?" D.O. remarked, looking worried. 

"Oh, no, no, no! That's not what I meant, you're doing fine, I was just teasing to lighten the tension a bit," I scratched my cheek. "I'm sorry you got saddled with me. It's pretty lame to have to show the new kid around, right?" 

D.O. looked as though he was carefully considering my question. "It is," he shrugged, being too brutally honest. "But I guess I don't mind. You seem- okay," he added quietly before we stepped foot in the noisy cafeteria. I smiled a little.

"Thanks. Right back at you," I retorted, earning another small smile. I noted how his lips were shaped like a heart and how fitting it was, since he struck me as someone who'd say what was on his mind or in his heart truthfully to others, even though he seemed rather quiet. Either way, this didn't seem to be so bad. 

Trying to forget about my random meetings with impossibly gorgeous guys with strange, and rather disappointing personalities, I focused on D.O.'s explanation about how things work at the school and purposely ignored the fact that I could literally sense eleven guys watching us from a far. 

_Yeah, not creepy at all..._


	14. ~ The Butterfly ~

***

_In his dream, the wind ruled the world and he ruled the wind. Nothing could tame him, nothing could stop him. He could create storms and the wildest typhoons, hurricanes and tornadoes. He could destroy, just as easily as he could create._

_In his dream, the most favorite thing he liked to create were the sandstorms. The invisible wind would become visible then, the sand moving elegantly to his command, creating beautiful patterns in the air. The wind danced over the lands. He would lie if he didn't say that he enjoyed having so much power brimming from his very fingertips, and often had he heard that he was too much like the wind. Too wild._

_And then, he saw it. Amidst the sandstorm, amidst the dusty tornadoes and endless gales, flew a butterfly. Untouched by his powerful wind, unfazed by the destruction it caused. The butterfly landed meekly in the palm of his hand, whispering to him in a voice so soft and so sweet, that the wind laid down._

_Even though he couldn't remember the words, he remembered the feeling they gave him. He didn't want to let go of the butterfly, but he released it anyway. As it flew away, he did not hesitate to follow._

 

Sehun stared at D.O. and the new kid having lunch together from across the cafeteria of the school. Befitting to the rest of the establishment, the cafeteria looked more like a fancy dining hall or restaurant where the students could relax and enjoy their lunch. He squinted his eyes at the new student when he saw him gawking around as if he'd never seen something like it before. 

"The kid is smaller than D.O.," he noted. "I didn't think anyone could have more narrow shoulders than Kyungsoo-hyung," he remarked in jest to hide his suspicions towards the new kid. 

"I don't trust him," piped Suho instantly. He hadn't touched his food, which Sehun thought was remarkable. He had wolfed down two cheeseburgers already and was about to open his third bubble-tea drink. He kept snatching fries off Kai's plate, which the youth did not necessarily appreciate. 

"The new kid is in Suho-hyung and Lay-hyung's year, right?" Baekhyun asked, chewing obnoxiously on a turkey sandwich. "Did you get to find out why the newbie is giving all of us the heebie jeebies?" 

So, he wasn't the only one who sensed it then. Sehun wondered whether he should tell his brothers that the energy he felt coming from the new kid was nearly the same kind as what he had felt before. He told them that something was coming, but that he wasn't sure whether it was good or bad. He had his suspicions that it was this particular kid the wind had warned him about, though he didn't know why. The newbie was strange, sure enough, but he didn't seem- malicious. The effect he had on all his brothers was obvious though. He hadn't sensed any of them being so tense since the first time all twelve of them experienced the full moon together. And Suho-hyung?  _Don't even get me started_...

"His father works as a CEO for E.T. Corps," Suho explained in a grave voice. Sehun noted how their dear leader always had a flair for drama. However, this new piece of information had him a little worried. Since the beginning of hearing that Extraordinary Technologies was going to build a new research facility on the island, Sehun was opposed to it. He didn't know why, but there was something about the whole scheme that made the hair on his back stand right on end. He got bad vibes from the company and finding out that there may be a connection between E.T. Corps and the newbie, made him nauseous. 

"I don't trust him," Suho repeated, glaring at the newbie from their table. The new kid was having a conversation with D.O. that looked rather one-sided. Sehun wasn't sure why anybody would send D.O. out to play tour guide for some random person. He felt sorry for the both of them. 

"He's not  _that_  bad. He just seemed a little strange," Lay added, lazily finishing his noodle soup. 

"About that," Suho suddenly turned his head sharply towards Lay while the others watched on in interest. "What did you think you were doing in the hall just now? Didn't I tell you that we should stay away from the newbie as far as possible- at least until we knew more about him? But  _nooo_ , Zhang freaking Yixing had to play the friendly, helpful host to a kid that has the ability to make even Luhan uncomfortable!"

Sehun exchanged a look with Tao upon hearing Suho-hyung's outburst and awkwardly focused on Kai's fries. Suho wouldn't usually react this way, but all of them were different when the full moon was close. Including himself. 

" _Ay-ah,_ calm down, Suho-hyung," Lay coaxed casually, unimpressed by Suho's outburst and the use of his full name against him. "You think I don't know how you feel about him? It's still not a reason to be rude to someone, mind you, but you often receive more by giving more kindness," he said wisely, though Sehun wasn't sure what Lay was talking about. He doubted whether any one of his brothers did. 

"What is that supposed to mean?" Suho eventually asked, which made their brother snort. 

"If I hadn't been helpful, we wouldn't have been able to keep a close watch on him, now would we?" Lay smiled, the grin widening when he could tell that all of them were confused. Sehun stared at his goofy hyung a moment to wait for the answer. 

"Again, what are you talking about, Yixing?" Suho was obviously running out of patience and Lay sighed deeply. 

"We know the locker number now, don't we? If the newbie does have anything to hide we know which locker to crack," Lay quipped and at this Suho's eyes widened and his mood seemed significantly better. Sehun smiled at this and shook his head at his older brothers. Lay-hyung had a very calm and innocent aura, dazed and rather slow, but what most people didn't know was that he was smarter than he let on. Then again, it wouldn't surprise Sehun in the slightest if Lay wasn't aware of how bright he really was, seeing as this particular hyung was admittedly often more oblivious than not. 

"Way to use your head, Lay," Kris patted him on the back. 

"I have my moments," the younger man replied, smiling at Suho, who visibly relaxed. 

"It's not enough, though. I don't like him," Kai grunted, having finished his chicken and picking at his fries. Kai had told Sehun that he was feeling more uncomfortable than usual, as if something had changed in the school. Sehun had voted against it, but Kai decided to check out this strange energy he felt and actually teleported inside the school to spy on the newbie. Of course his hyung made him promise not to tell the others, but it made Sehun nervous, especially after he heard from Kai that he followed the kid without him having suspected anything. Sehun was just thankful that no one saw him poofing all over the place. 

"He seems like a regular kid, though. Kind of scrawny and awkward, but not very remarkable," Xiumin noted as he watched the newbie. 

"Then why does he make me want to bite him?" Kai grumbled, moving his feet up and down. 

"Because you're a weird kid," Baekhyun chuckled and laughed when Kai threw a precious french fry at his head. 

His brothers started talking amongst themselves but Sehun, for once, retreated into his own mind. He agreed with Xiumin that the newbie was anything but remarkable. He was just a kid, nothing strange or bad or good about him. At first glance. Sehun could understand why Kai would have those urges to get up in that kid's face to pick a fight because, and he didn't know for the life of him why, there was just  _something_  about the newbie that threw him off balance. It made him want to know where the kid was from, who he was, what he could do, what he was hiding, and he didn't like it. He wasn't curious like this towards people, he never pried, but with this newbie...He wanted to know everything.  _How creepy is that?_

_Pretty creepy._

Sehun startled and glared accusingly at Luhan who met his gaze steadily.  _Luhan-hyung! You promised!_  he whined, though he didn't let the others know that they were conversing. 

_Penny for your thoughts, Sehunnie? You look troubled._

_So do you, Lu-hyung,_ Sehun shot back, casually drinking from his bubble-tea while Luhan continued eating quietly. 

_Maybe so, but I'm not the one who can't keep his eyes off the newbie. I can't tell whether you want to rip him apart like Kai wants to, or whether you're planning to confess to him,_ Luhan joked and Sehun hated how his laughter sounded in his head. 

_Alright, this was nice, can you get out of my head now, hyung?_ Sehun tried pushing him away, but Luhan laughed again, his eyes were sparkling playfully, even though his lips did not move. Sehun sipped from the bubble-tea, sulking, but was still unable to glance at D.O. and the newbie from time to time. 

He rolled his eyes.  _Luhan-hyung, get out of my head!_  he warned after hearing Luhan snicker in his mind. 

_You're usually never this quiet. What's wrong?_ Luhan pressed, a little more serious now. Sehun sighed audibly, but his brothers were too busy with each other to notice. 

_I didn't want to say, but that new kid...I think it's him._

_Him?_

_Yes, the one the wind warned me about. It doesn't sit right with me, how- normal - he looks. I thought at first that maybe it was going to be someone like, you know... us. But he doesn't seem to know or be aware of anything and- I don't know. I'm probably over-thinking it. I think Suho-hyung is rubbing off on me. I'm being silly, right?_

Sehun looked up at Luhan expectantly, waiting for the older brother to reassure him, that all of his worries and concerns were just in his head, that they should leave the worrying to Suho. But it was quiet in his head. He frowned at Luhan, blinking his eyes when his brother gave him a grave look of concern. 

_...What else did the wind tell you?_

Sehun startled.  _Luhan-hyung?_  he questioned, waiting for him to reply. 

_You just said that you were expecting someone like us? Why didn't you tell us before?_

Feeling flushed, Sehun shrugged.  _I just realized. You don't think the new kid could be...? I mean, we didn't know at first either- but, it's not possible, right? It's always been the twelve of us!_

Luhan had visibly paled and Sehun wouldn't be surprised if he looked the same way. The blood had drained from his cheeks and he felt a light tremble in his fingers when he set the bubble-tea down. 

_Maybe not one of us, but he could be like us. Something happened when he arrived this morning...He may look like a normal kid, but he isn't one. I'm sure of that._

Sehun watched his older brother carefully, surprised at seeing the sudden suspicion and anger in his usually soothing eyes. 

_What did you hear?_ the younger brother asked eventually, though he wasn't sure whether he wanted to know the answer. 

"I heard his voice," Luhan said out loud, focusing on Sehun, not caring that his other brothers had stopped talking, the moment he started. " _Only_  his voice." 

"What do you mean?" Sehun asked breathlessly, their conversation quiet in the loud cafeteria. 

"Eh, are we missing something?" Tao asked, confused. 

"One hell of a conversation, apparently," Chen's eyes darted from Sehun to Luhan. 

"What are you talking about, Luhan?" Kris asked, trying to make sense of his statement.

Luhan glanced over Kris' shoulder to look at the new kid. Sehun followed the gaze, noticing the hostility in Luhan's eyes, and feeling it in his own. The newbie was gawking at D.O. as he finished both their meals with ease.

"Wait a minute. Are you talking about what happened this morning?" Xiumin prompted, all eyes on him. He felt a little shy under all the attention, but he just made sure to keep looking at Luhan.

"What happened this morning?" Suho immediately asked, looking lost and annoyed at the same time. Sehun curiously looked at Luhan as well. He ignored Chanyeol tapping nervously on the table, his eyes wide and puzzled while he looked at his brothers.

"This morning I was talking with Xiumin when something happened that nearly knocked me off my feet. At first I thought it had something to do with the upcoming full moon, but this was different," Luhan started explaining. "I didn't want to worry you, because I am fine, really, but with the new kid being here and _this_ happening to me..." he cleared his throat. "I couldn't hear anything for a moment," he announced shortly. "The voices were gone." 

The news felt like Luhan had just dropped a bomb on all of them and Sehun gawked at his older brother. 

"What do you mean, 'gone'?" he asked. 

"Exactly what it meant," Luhan replied a little agitatedly, but Sehun saw the fear in his eyes. "They were gone for one moment and I started freaking out when out of the blue there was only one voice left that I could hear," he explained, glaring at the newbie from afar. " _His_  voice. As soon as I found out that that voice belonged to him, the other voices returned again, as though nothing happened." 

"Why didn't you tell us this sooner?" Kris asked, looking at Luhan as though he wanted to put the guy through a full scale medical checkup. 

"Because everything is fine now and I didn't want all of you to pull those worried and ugly faces at me," Luhan joked. "The weird part is that even though I can hear voices just fine now, I can't seem to hear  _his_ ," he added more seriously, the brothers all looking at the newbie, who was oblivious to their stares. D.O., however, was more astute and glanced up now and then, frowning at them to ask why they kept looking. Sehun mouthed  _later_  at him, and that put the teen at relative ease. 

"Whoa, that never happened before," Chanyeol remarked, putting a hand on Luhan's shoulder. "Are you sure you're really alright, hyung? Maybe whatever happened this morning still has you a little rattled?" 

"I can check up on you, if you want, just to make sure you're not sick, or anything," Lay offered in an instant, ready to get off his seat to help. 

"You probably won't find anything, hyung," Kai prompted. "It's that kid. There's something seriously weird about him." Sehun watched as he pushed his plate of fries away from him and was starting to feel very worried. If his brothers lost their appetites, they were very troubled. 

"Are we..." Sehun swallowed. He didn't want to ask, but he had to. "Are we still on for tonight?" 

"No, absolutely not. Not until we figure this out," Suho said, adamantly. 

"You sure? You're gonna let a newbie stop us?" Kris asked, just in case. When Suho nodded, Sehun sighed. 

"We need to get to know him, or at least about him. We need to know if he's a threat, or not. If he had such an effect on Luhan and is obviously getting on all our nerves, we should see what other effects the kid has on us," Suho decided and the brothers agreed in tense silence. 

"How are we going to do that?" Sehun looked at his older brothers, waiting for one of them to come up with an answer. 

No one said a word.


	15. ~ Getting Acquainted ~

***

"Most students choose to eat at the cafeteria, for obvious reasons. There are those that opt to stay in the classroom instead, but the school encourages students to eat at the cafeteria, to meet with peers." 

"Ah, I see, they used to do that at my old school as we-,"

"This is the main floor, as you probably already guessed. The stairs at the main hall lead to the second floor and the third floor. Third floor is prohibited for students, so we only use the first and second floors, which is more than enough. We don't have  _that_  many students on the island." 

"O-okay. Why is the third floor prohibit-,"

"The school has several buildings on campus. This is obviously the main building and is sectioned according to the courses that are categorized together. That might help you find your way to classes easier. The main floor comprises of languages, history, geography and the like. Second floor is the science department." 

"T-thanks for the ti-,"

"I'll show you around the second floor real quick, so you'll see what it looks like and then we're going to head out of the main building so I can show you the rest."

I watched as D.O. played the superspeed tour guide and walked briskly ahead of me to the main hall. My lunch was still heavy in my stomach and it honestly amazed me that he could move so easily on a full stomach. The cafeteria had been ridiculously fancy for a high school and the menu even more so. I ordered pizza, thinking I'd just get one of those big slices, but nope. This school was all about extravagance so up came an entire pizza pie on my tray, enough to feed three people, all for a measly four bucks. Student discount, D.O. said. 

I managed to eat two of the slices and had to give in. D.O., after eating a cheeseburger and finished the fries, actually managed to finish my pizza like there was no mañana, letting out a charming little burb afterwards. He apologized for it of course, but his face had been so deadpan that I couldn't help but just gawk at him. I honestly didn't know whether I should've applauded him or not. Seriously, where did a little guy like him store it all? Of course, when I say 'little', I meant little compared to most teenage boys. He was still at least 8 centimeters taller than me. Right now, I was just trying my best to keep up with him. 

"Um, actually-,"

"Come on, it's this way," D.O. called over his shoulder and I sighed, running after him. Something told me that even though D.O. didn't seem particularly hostile towards me, he wasn't really in the mood to play tour guide much. I wasn't sure what to make of the guy just yet either. It was hard to read him. At first glance, D.O. definitely struck me as the quiet and resilient type, not prone to show his emotions on his face, but not too shy to say what he wanted to. He didn't make a lot of eye contact either and seemed to prefer to listen to others speaking than have to do so himself. Not that that was noticeable now, though. He kept sprouting out technical facts about the school and didn't seem to take the time to hear what I have to say or ask, for that matter. 

When we got to the second floor, D.O. had already started walking to a random direction, without waiting for me. That's when I reached my own limit of patience. 

"Excuse me, D.O.?" I called out. He either hadn't heard me, or he didn't listen, continuing to walk on his own. "Hey, buddy!" I shouted, sounding agitated. That seemed to do the trick as he stopped and turned around, his eyebrows lifted in confusion. He kind of looked like a lost puppy, wondering why his owner was shouting at him and I immediately softened up. 

"I-I'm sorry," I started, cautiously approaching him. "It's just...are you in a hurry to get somewhere or something? I mean, didn't the teachers excuse you from your classes?" I asked gently. 

At this, D.O. looked at me as though he realized something and a blush crept over his cheeks, all the way to the tips of his ears. 

"Was I going too fast?" he asked.

"Yeah. Any faster and I'll call you Flash Gordon," I quipped and that managed to break the ice a little. D.O. chuckled lightly and looked at the ground. 

"Look, I'm sorry that you're stuck with me. I can totally imagine that it's lame to have to show the new kid around, but give me a break too, huh? I mean, imagine what it's like for me; I'm new to everything, just trying to survive high school like everyone else. It's not necessarily easier for me, either," I explained calmly and D.O. seemed to get the hint. 

"Right. Of course. I apologize, it's just that I'm...I'm not really good at this, and to be honest, I'm not yet sure what to make of you yet," he said straightforwardly. 

"Well, uh, right back at you," I stated. "Still, that doesn't mean that we can't find out, right? I'm sure there's time for us to get to know each other a little better," I suggested and D.O. nodded with a straight face. 

"I suppose so," he said. 

"Also, I think you're doing a good job with touring me around, but maybe it'll be even better if you take it one step at a time, huh?" I smiled goodnaturedly at D.O. and he seemed to be less high strung now. 

"You're right. I'm sorry," he conceded and took a deep breath while looking around. "So, eh, yeah, this is the second floor. You'll find the math, physics, chemistry and biology classes here, amongst a few others," he explained in a more relaxed manner. "Oh, and this cabinet is the Sciences hall of fame," he pointed at a glass cabinet that held trophies, pictures and plaques. 

"Wow, there's so many prizes here," I mused, looking at the pictures. "Hey, isn't that you?" I pointed out with a smile. 

D.O. blushed again and nodded, but didn't explain. When I kept looking at the picture, I recognized more faces and squinted at the picture. "Isn't that Suho and Lay?" I muttered. 

"Yep, there's actually, eh, twelve of us in this picture," D.O. cleared his throat a little uncomfortably and I glanced at him from the corner of my eyes. "We're pretty good at science, so we take some advanced classes together." 

"Aha," I mused, swallowing when I realized that I recognized all twelve faces. I shivered a little when I thought back to lunch. They probably didn't think I noticed, but I remember distinctly that eleven of those faces had been keeping an eye on D.O. and I during lunch. I didn't know what it was, but something told me that those guys had it in for me, for whatever reason. 

"Are they your friends?" I asked, watching D.O.'s reaction. 

"Yeah," came the short reply. 

_Any idea why they seem to dislike me before they even know me?_

"What are they like?" I questioned, hoping that I wouldn't raise any suspicion. 

"Truthfully, they're idiots, but they're alright." I couldn't help but smile a little when I saw the look of brief playfulness in D.O.'s eyes as he commented about his friends. But, since it wasn't a real answer to the question I had asked, I felt a little dissatisfied. 

"We should go. I still need to show you some more things before P.E. starts," he said. 

"Okay- wait. What? P.E.? I thought you were going to show me around for the rest of the day?" 

"Sorry, I was only given an excuse from a few classes. Besides, you have P.E. too, so I'll show you where we exercise," D.O. said, though he didn't look like he was looking forward to having to go to P.E. either. To be honest, I hadn't anticipated that I'd have P.E. today, so that really sucked. 

"Oh crap, wait. I don't have a uniform for P.E.," I realized, already feeling traumatized that they'd give me clothes that won't fit again. 

"Ah... Well, oops," D.O. noted a little redundantly. "Well, you've seen how the second floor looks like, right? Let's head back down and I'll show you where you can get your P.E. uniform instead." 

"I'd appreciate that," I thanked him. Afterwards, D.O. seemed noticeably more comfortable and at ease when he guided me around, telling me how the school's outer buildings all served different purposes and were usually being used by clubs for their extracurricular activities. D.O. mentioned the clubs he was active in, but there was an impressive amount of it, so I wasn't able to memorize all of it.

With my new P.E. outfit safely stored in the new sportsbag I got with the uniform (fancy, right?), D.O. continued informing me about the school. It was surprising how much he knew and how he could perfectly remember every fact about the school. He spoke a lot, but for some reason, I didn't get the feeling that I got to know him. He had continued keeping his wall up, full defense. 

_Come on, bro, what are you hiding? Juicy secrets?_

We were walking outside where D.O. pointed out all the different buildings to me again, including the sports area where we'd have P.E. class. The area was divided in several pitches for baseball, soccer, basketball and, of course, football. There was a large track field as well and D.O. even showed me the school's outdoor _and_  indoor pool. 

"Should you be interested in signing up for a sports club, check the announcement board at the track field. You can usually sign up there," he explained. 

_Right, because I, Jae, was such an elegant and strong athlete...not._ "Okay, cool," I nodded. 

We walked out of the indoor pool establishment,  when we passed three guys. I quickly checked to see if it was one of D.O.'s weird friends, but when that wasn't the case, I relaxed. D.O., on the other hand, just seemed a lot more stressed.  _Did he know them?_

"Hey, check it out," one of them suddenly called and I noticed D.O. becoming nervous. He was wiping the sweat from his brow and hadn't looked up from the ground. 

"It's  _Dung_ soo! What's up,  _Dung_ soo?!" the biggest one of the bunch called out crudely and I watched rather awkwardly at how D.O. winced and cringed at the name. 

"We, eh, we should go that way," D.O. pointed at a general direction, opposite of the three clowns. 

I nodded in comprehension. "Yeah, sure," I gave a small smile and we started walking away. I have to admit that I'm rather hopeless when it came to dealing with bullies. I'd always been rather lucky that I never had been the victim of bullying before, but I never really knew how to act or behave when someone I knew was getting bullied. Preferably I'd just ninja-kick their butts and shove a few slippers into their mouths, but I was real enough to know that I'd never be capable of something that badass. 

"Hey, where are you going,  _Dung_ soo? I thought we were having a good time here!" the burly one shouted after us. 

"Kenn, check it out, he brought his girlfriend with him," a skinny, dark-skinned guy with big teeth commented. I shot him a glare for good measure, but that didn't impress him. 

"Yeah, that's the new kid, right? Look at them, scrawny and scrawnier, the couple!" the third one said as he made kissing noises. I just frowned at hearing him snort out of laughter and shook my head. 

"Where are you going to take your girlfriend,  _Dung_ soo?" the one named Kenn asked and I saw D.O. just shrink further and further underneath his words. 

"I'm sorry, am I supposed to be offended to be called a girl?" the words flew out of my mouth before I even realized it, but it was too late to take them back now. D.O. had glanced up in surprise at me as well and just shook his head. 

"Just ignore them," he urged. Well. Too late for that. 

"Duh, you're a guy, aren't you? An ugly one at that- look at him! He's smaller than  _Dung_ soo!"

I lifted my arms up out of exasperation. "Really?  _Really?!_ What is it with this freaking school?" I huffed out of frustration, looking at D.O. when he grabbed my arm and pulled me with him. He only rolled his eyes when the three stooges started catcalling. 

"Hope you're not planning on going on a date after school, 'cause we'll still be waiting for you,  _Dung_ soo!" Kenn shouted after us and me, being agitated enough as is, turned on my heels to give him a scolding of a lifetime- had D.O. not calmly stopped me and turned me back around with ease. 

"How can you be so calm?" I asked, amazed and in disbelief at the same time. 

"You learn to live with it," D.O. stated flatly, shrugging as though it didn't bother him. 

"You're joking," I exclaimed. "Who were those guys anyway? More friends of yours?" 

"They're in my year. They've always been like that," he said without any emotion in his voice. I looked at him, long and hard, but D.O. made no eye contact and just kept on walking. 

"Do the things they say to you not hurt you, or something? I mean, what was up with the Dungsoo-thing? That doesn't even make sense," I protested, and apparently I was confusing D.O. since he was looking at me as though he was wondering why I was so worked up by this. It was admittedly a little strange since I'm not usually one to get angry so quickly. Maybe I was exaggerating, but how can someone not get irked after hearing stuff like that? I felt like stomping on the earth like a raging toddler. 

"Kyungsoo is my real name," D.O. revealed out of the blue. "They think it's a clever nickname. It hurt at first, but you learn to deal with it," he shrugged. "I don't want to talk about it, if you don't mind. I'm sorry that you got dragged in it though. If it's any consolation, I don't think you look like a girl at all." 

My eyebrows flared up at him, and I had the mind to get angry, but once I thought about the irony of the situation, I couldn't help but chuckle. "Yeah, thanks, that's apparently the case," I laughed it off and caught D.O. looking at me with a vague little smile on his face. "What?" I asked. 

"Nothing," he shrugged before looking up again. "You're a little weird, you know?" 

The honest statement blindsided me to the extent that I only laughed in response. "Thanks, I try really hard," I joked and D.O. finally managed a full smile. We both jumped a little when the bell rang and D.O. heaved a light sigh. 

"Time for P.E.," he muttered, stretching himself. "Guess this was the end of the tour. Hope it was still somewhat useful to you, Jae."

"You know what, it actually was. Thank you for taking the time and trouble to guide me around, D.O.," I gave a light bow, which he returned. 

"Yeah. It was actually rather nice getting acquainted with you," he said, extending his hand. I shook it with a smile on my face. 

"Same here," I said. 

Soon, the school's campus was filled with students from different years and classes as they headed to the dressing rooms. Five classes had P.E. together, so it was rather crowded. I walked part of the way with D.O. to the dressing rooms, through the hall way that split into two. To the right were the boys' locker rooms, to the left were the girls. 

"Jae, where are you going?" he asked. "Boys is this way," he pointed out. 

My eyes widened. "Oh, uh- what? No, I mean, yeah, I know, it's just, I don't-,"

"Ah, so  _this_ is the new student!" a hand was placed on my shoulder and when I was turned around, I was looking at a brightly smiling, rather tubby, gym teacher. He was holding a clipboard and glanced at it. "Jae, I presume?"

"O-oh, y-yes, sir," I bowed and he laughed. When I peeked behind me, I saw that D.O. was already gone.  _Damnit, this 'new-kid-is-a-boy-shtick' was getting old._

"Wonderful! Nice to meet you, Jae. My name is Mr. Bosch, I'm the gym teacher, but you can call me Coach," he winked friendly. His eyes then moved to the new sportsbag I got and he tapped on it lightly. "I see that you already went to get a uniform for P.E., that's very good," he stated and I nodded. 

"Yeah, I was told that I would be needing it." 

"Indeed you will. However, did you get that at the main building?" he asked and I nodded again. He made a face. 

"I was afraid of that. So sorry, Jae, but the uniforms at the main building are no good. The sports faculty have been trying to get rid of the old uniforms, since they were easy to tear. No worries though, I got you a brand new one. Will you follow me?"

We walked past the girls' locker rooms into a separate room which was filled with new, clean uniforms. I looked around and saw that they were indeed different. The trousers were black, instead of dark blue and the shirts were scarlet, true to the school's colors. The shirt I got from the main building was red on black. 

"Take your pick," Coach Bosch gestured with his hand. "I'm sure you'll find one that fits you here, right?" he patted my back and I nodded again, trying not to wince under him slapping me.

"Good. You just pick one out and take your time getting dressed here. Saves some time from having to walk all the way back to the boys' locker room," he chuckled and walked towards the door. "See you on the field, Jae," he greeted, closing the door behind him. 

I wasn't even bothered at this point anymore.  _Well_ , I mused as I searched for my size, giving into defeat,  _wasn't this a most convenient coincidence..._


	16. ~...(O_O)...~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...hehehe...hihihi...huehuehue....bwhahahaha!

***

It's official. Everyone here needed glasses. 

It turned out that the room Mr. Bosch sent me to was filled mostly with boys' uniforms. Of course. Because, hey, why the freaking heck not? The few girls' uniforms I found were either way too small or only came with teeny shorts that I did not want to be caught dead in. Seriously, I might as well just jog up the track field in my undies. No one will notice the difference. 

Again, I resorted to the next best thing, which was a pair of baggy jogging pants and a loose t-shirt. It was the smallest boy size I could find and I figured it was better than nothing. Naturally it did nothing for my figure, but then again, it was P.E., I was there to work up a sweat, not to do a photo shoot. Still, as I walked out of the room and headed outside, I didn't feel all too well. Everyone really seemed to have the delusional belief that I was a boy and of all the first impressions I wanted to leave them, being a boy wasn't one of them.

Should I just randomly start walking up to people and go, 'hey, I don't know if you've noticed or not, but I'm a girl!'? God, how embarrassing...

Walking up the track field by myself was nerve wrecking enough as it was, especially when I caught sight of D.O., who was surrounded by his eleven weird friends. He didn't see me and I did not feel like waving at him or anything. Not with any of them around. Luckily, I caught sight of a bunch of my new classmates and was greeted joyfully by Minho. Feeling slightly relieved, I walked towards him. 

"Hey, you survived the tour! So, what do you think of the school so far?" he asked cheerfully and I shrugged a little. 

"It's big, but it's cool, I guess," I answered, my mind still a bit preoccupied. Did Minho really think I was a guy? 

"Yeah, but it's still school, right?" he nudged understandingly. 

"Yeah, exactly," I nodded and rubbed the back of my head. "Hey, Minho, can I ask you something?" I started, wondering whether I should do this or not. 

"Sure, man, what's up?" 

I cringed a little at the word 'man' and looked around. "Eh, this might seem a little strange, but well..."  _Yeah, well, what, Jae? How are you going to continue now?_

"Eh...Don't you think this uniform looks a little weird on me?" I finally decided, since I was too chicken to just ask him whether or not he thought I was a guy. Of course I received a look of bewilderment and confusion from his side before he started laughing. 

"I don't know, man, it looks normal on you, I guess," he chuckled. "It's a little big, though," he admitted, but just kept chuckling. 

I sighed, feeling warm. "And you don't notice anything odd about it?" I tried, realizing awkwardly that this was starting to concern my feminine pride a little as well. I've admittedly, never been very- voluptuous in my curves, but I always thought I had enough to be proud of, at least. 

"Uh, nope, why? You want fashion advice, go ask Lili, man," he chuckled again and shook his head at me in amusement. Not the first time today, but I really wanted to find a hole in the ground and crawl into it. I saw Lili a little further away, she was the fresh-faced girl who made the remark that I sounded like a girl. She was surrounded by a group of other girls from other classes and years, giggling with one another and it surprised me how much I wanted to be a part of that. I mean,  _come on_! I'm a girl! 

An arm suddenly snaked around my shoulder and I lifted an eyebrow at Minho. He was smirking and jerked his head towards the group of girls. "Pretty cute, right? I don't know who designed the girls' P.E. uniform, but I'm grateful to them," he wiggled his eyebrows and I frowned at him. 

_Ew, really?_

"I don't know, I think those shorts are just a bit too short," I stated, earning another look of confusion. 

"What? Are you serious? Those shorts are perfection- oh wait," Minho looked at me and I looked back expectantly. 

_Finally! Did he realize?_

Minho pointed at me and I waited rather impatiently for him to put one and one together. "You're one of those gentleman-type of guys, huh? Clever, clever, girls will totally fall for that," he nodded his head in approval, but I only groaned and facepalmed myself. 

"Alright, everyone gather around! Let's get started!" Coach Bosch called, blowing his whistle. I stood with Minho a little in front of the group and when I made the mistake to look over my right shoulder, I saw them again. Twelve people glancing at me as if I didn't notice. What was up with them? D.O. was part of their group apparently, but he wasn't that hostile towards me. I risked another look and my gaze was caught by the popular dude with the doe eyes. I still felt unpleasant shivers when he looked at me, as though I was exposed, or something. I quickly turned away and tried to listen to Coach Bosch's instructions for today's P.E. class. I didn't like the fact that the twelve of them were standing behind me. Why did I feel like I was on edge with them gathered around like that? I didn't even know them...

"Heh, guess Luhan didn't like you staring at his fan base," Minho commented. 

"What?" I frowned, whispering. 

"The dude's staring a hole in the back of your head. Did you step on his toes, or something?" Minho asked, finding the situation amusing. 

"No," I whispered back, watching Coach Bosch explain what we were going to do today. I bit my lip a moment before leaning back towards Minho. "Those twelve dudes, what's up with them?" I asked and Minho briefly looked behind us. 

"Ah, you've noticed," he nodded. "They're a bit strange, well, maybe not strange per se..." Minho seemed to struggle in finding a way how to explain. "They're very different. Like separately they could be anyone, but together, they're like this elite group that no one can get into, you know? Overall, they're cool guys though, maybe a little bit  _too_  cool," he explained, but none of it made sense to me. 

"They're from different years, right?" I continued asking and Minho nodded before giving me another questioning look. 

"Why the sudden interest in them?" he asked, and I shrugged, trying my best to not seem curious at all.

"No reason. It's just-," I closed my mouth. I probably shouldn't say it. Minho nudged me when the coach started dividing the classes into random groups. 

"Just what?" he asked. 

"It seems like they've an interest in me, or something," I mumbled, expecting Minho to laugh. He looked behind us again, but there was no playfulness in his voice when he said,

"If that's the case, I'd keep my distance for a while. I don't know what you did, bro, but they look pretty pissed off," he patted me goodnaturedly on the back and grinned again when the coach put him in a group of people he knew. He greeted me, wishing me luck, and I waved shortly at him. 

"Looking good in that uniform, son," Coach Bosch remarked and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. It sucked having to grin and bear it, especially since it was so painstakingly obvious that the chubby P.E. teacher was just being genuinely friendly and trying to put the new kid at ease. 

"Thanks, sir," I replied, taking a deep breath. 

Coach Bosch smiled. "Tell you what, why don't I start you off at the soccer field? You look like you've the physique of a soccer player," he noted. Panicking slightly since I've the hand-eye coordination skills of a three-year-old, I quickly shook my head. 

"Not at all, sir. I'm really not that good at sports, actually," I immediately confessed, to which the kindhearted coach patted me supportively on the shoulder. 

"Come now, Jae, no need for humility. I'm sure you'll do just fine," he reassured and assigned me to a boys' team, of course. Even though classes were coed, boys and girls were teamed up separately, to keep things fair, probably, but at this point I was too tired to protest against it. 

I didn't know anyone of the team I was put in, but they were nice guys. They called me 'hyung', apparently since I was the eldest in the group. The others were a year or two below me. I didn't even bother correcting them now. Maybe it would be fun to pretend I was dude through high school. I mean, what are two years, really? ( _Someone help me..._ )

"Aw, man.  _That's_ the first team we're up against? Most of them are seniors!" one of them protested. 

"Not to mention that half of them are in the soccer team," another added and I winced at hearing it.  _Great... this can't possibly get any-_

"Luhan-oppa! Xiumin-oppa! Fighting!" Lili's gentle voice sounded from the sidelines, a choir of girls' voices echoing after her. 

I cringed when I saw the first team we had to play against and wanted to run away.  _Why is this happening to me?_  I whined internally, freezing up when I saw the both of them catching sight of me and smirking devilishly. This did not bode well for me. Honestly, what did they have against me?

"Oh! Jae-sshi, is that you? Whoa, you look cute in your uniform! Fighting!" Lili exclaimed cheerfully, granting me attention that I really didn't want.

"Eh, thanks," I shouted back as she waved.

"Luhan-oppa, Xiumin-oppa, go easy on Jae-sshi! He's in my class and he's new!" the far too sweet girl piped up, meaning well, but I nearly imploded out of embarrassment.

"No worries, we'll take care of him," the doe-eyed guy replied, but something told me that he didn't meant it in a friendly kind of way. Wow...I'm screwed...

"Luhan-hyung and Xiumin-hyung are in the school's soccer team," Lee, a tall guy with glasses, told me.

"Ah. Wonderful. Are any of you in the soccer team?" I asked, but they shook their heads.

"Swimming team."

"Track team."

"Bowling," Lee finished, raising his hand with a smirk. "No worries, Jae-hyung, it's just a friendly game. Is anyone up for being captain?" When all eyes turned on me I quickly waved my hands into an X. 

"I'm new at this, I think I'm better at being a goalie, if you don't mind," I stammered, to which they fortunately agreed. Lee would be the captain and the game started. I watched the guys play, grateful at not having to run after a ball like an idiot, but gulped when I realized just how good Luhan and Xiumin were. They worked together mostly, passing the ball around with grace and obvious skill. When they steadily approached me with the ball, I panicked. However, at seeing that smug grin on Luhan's face, my attitude changed. I didn't know what his problem was, or what he had against me, but I was a little sick at how easily I let him intimidate me. 

So, when he ran towards me with the ball, I planted my feet on the ground and met his gaze, to show him that I was accepting his challenge. He didn't seem to appreciate that much and took a full swing at nearly blinding speed. The most remarkable thing about that, however, was the fact that my reflexes went straight to the ball and it landed in my hands with a very loud thud. 

"Ow," I exclaimed, feeling the ball burn in my sore hands. What was up with him? Was he trying to knock my hands off? Damn, that was a ridiculously powerful kick. 

I was still wincing in pain when my team came over, cheering and applauding, patting me on the back, and it took me another second to realize why. Luhan was looking at me, as though he wasn't happy that I had prevented him from scoring a goal. Maybe there was a little bit of bewilderment in his gaze as well. 

_Yeah, come at me, bro!_

"Well done, Jae!" Coach Bosch suddenly shouted. "You should try out for the soccer team, no one has been able to stop Captain Luhan's power kick like that before, eh?" the P.E. teacher walked on the field, patting Luhan on the shoulder, so the guy had no choice but to break eye contact. He gave an awkward smile at the teacher before turning to me, beaming a grin that was obviously a mask. 

"Yeah, you should try out. You're small, but I guess you can't judge a book by its cover, right?" the smile didn't reach his eyes. I didn't really respond to him. 

The match continued and in the end, we lost, which was no surprise at all, but I've gained some respect from people since I was a pretty decent goalie. I wasn't able to stop any of Luhan's kicks after the first one though, so it was written off as beginner's luck. The coach was, nevertheless, still enthusiastic and hoped I'd try out, which was totally not going to happen. 

The rest of P.E. consisted of groups rotating so that we'd be matched against another team at another sport. This way, I got the joy to meet up all twelve guys who got me bad vibes, with perhaps the exception of D.O., who seemed to have retreated into his own world somewhat, not really interacting with me, but not necessarily ignoring me either. He looked a little uncomfortable though. He must've been aware about his friends' sentiments towards me by now. Not wanting to pressure the guy, I kept my distance, only giving a small nod of the head if he happened to acknowledge me. 

When P.E. finally came to its end, the coach thought it would be fun to have all the girls race each other on the track. The boys would follow after. I was sitting on the grass with my group, feeling every muscle in my body shout out in agony at me, when Minho joined and sat next to me. 

"Coach Bosch," I started, pulling out some of the grass, "he's a sadist in disguise, right?" 

Minho laughed at my question and patted me on the shoulder. "He's a sports enthusiast- his own words. The coach is a good guy though, he just wants to make sure all of us work up a sweat to stay healthy," he shrugged. "You were doing pretty well today. You went head to head with some of the majestic twelve, very impressive. I think you may have won Lili over just a little bit, so better be careful when Luhan is around," he joked, but I only groaned. 

Sure enough, right on cue, Lili shouted at us from the track and waved. "Jae-sshi! You're watching, right?" 

_Oh dear Lord..._  I blushed heavily and tried to cover my face with my hands. "Fighting," I ended up exclaiming, making her giggle. I have to make this stop. This is getting  _way_  out of hand.  _But how are you going to do that?_

The race ended without me paying much attention to it. Minho dragged me to my feet and I shuffled towards the track field. I was in no mood to run. I was way too exhausted. The only thing that I was genuinely happy about right now, was the fact that I got to go home after this. School day was over. I happily ignored the fact that I still had a whole week ahead of me. I was just happy that the day was ending. 

"Don't work too hard at this," Minho suddenly said beside me. 

"Huh?" I questioned, stretching my legs and sore arms. My hands still hurt after stopping Luhan's power ball- yeah, that sounded more than weird... Anyway, moving on!

"Just watch your twelve buddies," Minho stated, a mischievous look on his face. We got into position when the coach gave the signal to start. I ran with whatever strength I had left in me, when I felt Minho nudge my wrist and pointed ahead of us. My eyes widened when the so-called majestic twelve were in the lead, racing each other like mad. That may not have seemed very impressive, but the speed at which they ran sure was. Within seconds they had covered a quarter of the track, evenly matched as they were. In the end, it was the kid with the bronzed skin that won. I didn't even know why the rest of us were still trailing behind them to finish the race. 

"Did you see it? Insane, right? They run like horses or something," Minho noted, out of breath. I was still doing my best to control my own breathing. 

"They seem more like wolves to me," I noted, watching them pass by, laughing and teasing each other, without so much as a hint of fatigue about any of them. 

"Wolves? Ha, good one," Minho chuckled and huffed out a few times, chest panting. 

"Good job, everyone! Alright, I'll see you all next Monday! Get a shower and get out of here!" Coach Bosch yelled and those words were like sweet music to my ears. 

"Go on, go to your other clubs, or go home, Chen- detention, don't think we don't know, buddy," the coach pointed at the grinning teen as everyone went back to the locker rooms. 

I took my time to catch my breath and calmly walked back. I had left my stuff at the room where the coach asked me to find a uniform, so maybe it was better if I just quietly walked to a girl's locker room and flash everyone so that they can all see that I was one of them and not a random pervert. I know how that plan sounded, alright? But I was tired, my body was sore, everything hurt, and screw it all. 

"Jae-sshi!" a sweet voice rang in the air and I glanced at Lili walking towards me.  _Oh man, not now..._

"Hi, Lili," I greeted, using my super girly voice to hopefully get her to realize that I was a girl, just like her. 

"Hi! You were really good today!" she complimented easily and I smiled. She seemed like a sincere, sweet girl, but the fact that she had somewhat of a naive and oblivious look about her made me a little uneasy. 

"Thanks, you're sweet for saying so," I replied as we walked into the hallway. 

"I meant it. I hope you liked your first day, though. I can imagine it's hard being new. I look forward to get to know you better," she said politely and I nodded. 

"Likewise. I'd like that," I immediately replied, desperate for a girl to talk to. 

"Great! Well, I'll see you later then," she greeted, waiting for me to turn the other way. 

"Oh, well, actually, since you said you wanted to get to know me a bit better," I stammered, panicking a little when she gave me a suspicious look. "No, no, don't misunderstand!" I immediately piped up, which just made her smile awkwardly at me and then started blushing. Oh wow, I am giving her the wrong impression. Why am I such an idiot?

"Jae-sshi, you shouldn't tease! Go to one of the boys' locker room and clean up," she demanded, amused at me being clumsy. 

"No, that's what I wanted to say, I can't go to the boys' locker room, because I want to go with you," I tried to explain, shock settling in Lili's eyes and my own eyes widened when I realized how that sounded. 

"No! Wait, that's not what I meant! I mean not with you as in  _with you_ , I meant  _along_ with you to the girls' locker room because-," I cringed at seeing her slowly shuffling away from me. 

"Ah man, this is not going right," I grunted. "I'm not a pervert," I started, hoping that I could try this again, but the moment I opened my mouth to speak, Coach Bosch came out of nowhere and slung his arm around my head, putting me in a headlock as he dragged me along with him. I heard Lili giggling as she watched us walk away. 

"See you later, Jae-sshi!" she piped up, disappearing. 

"Ow! No, no, no, wait, Coach- ah, wait, let me go!" I struggled under his hold and tried to escape when I saw that he was starting to open the boys' locker rooms one by one. 

"Oh, this one's obviously full," he whistled as he dragged me along. "That was very smooth, son, but you should know that school regulations state that girls should dress at a girls' locker room and boys should do so in the boys' locker room. No peeking or sneaking in, buddy," he chuckled, but I only groaned out of utter embarrassment. 

"I wasn't planning on anything like that," I tried, desperately trying to get out of his choke hold. 

"Hmhm, come on, buddy, you honestly don't think that I don't remember what it was like to be your age? Look, I completely understand that boys- ah, full -, your age have certain needs and curiosities about the opposite sex, but you really can't do stuff like that here, son. You might get expelled, so you're lucky that I was the one who caught you. Other teachers may not be so understanding," the coach ranted, chuckling now and then while he opened doors to see whether they were full or not. Meanwhile I was still struggling and trying to get away from him.

"But, sir, trust me when I say that you and I are two _ver_ _y_  different people," I grunted, pushing his arm away, but he wouldn't budge. 

"That's what they all say, my friend. Look, I may be a little older and yeah, I got a little extra in the tummy area, but I was a teenager once. I was a pretty good-looking fellow, too, kinda scrawny, like you- no offense, so we weren't that different," the coach persisted and I only groaned while he guffawed. He opened another door and I felt like running for my life.

"Sir, you're seriously about to make a _huge_  mistake," I started, my voice sounding desperate, especially since the coach just continued laughing.

"You don't quit, do you, kid?" he shook his head in amusement. "Ah! Why is it that the twelve of you always end up having an entire locker room to yourselves?" he shouted, but my heart nearly stopped.

_Twelve?! Oh, God, oh God, oh God, oh God- No!_

 "Just luck, coach!" a cheerful voice sounded from within the room. 

"Hmph, 'just luck' my hairy butt," the coach replied in jest. "Well, make some room for number thirteen then, boys. I've a straggler here, so be nice to him," he piped up and I felt like I was being punched in the gut. He was not serious, was he?!

"W-wait, Coach!" 

Before I knew it, I was shoved into the locker room and that was it. Panic mode was on and I forgot how to function. Turning around with the speed of light I headed back to the door, but the coach was still there and pushed me back in.

"Go on, son, no need to be shy, buddy. We're all men! You just make sure you take a shower, don't worry about your stuff in the other room, it'll be there when you're done. Boys, make sure he doesn't leave until he's clean," he instructed and waved as he closed the door behind him.

_Oh. My. God. This was not happening!_  

"Jae?"

Since I'm a human being who would naturally respond when they hear someone call out their name, I turned around, only to see D.O. dripping wet from the shower, with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. 

"Oh snap- hi," I exclaimed, quickly averting my eyes to the very interesting ceiling, upon realizing that basically all of them were half-naked and to my regret I may have unconsciously been flashed by a butt or two.  _Oh God this isn't happening. Someone get me out of this situation!_

I was pretty sure that my head was about as red as a tomato right now, and I honestly did not know what to do with myself. I was frozen from utter shock and I was waiting for my body to calm back down so that I can head to the door and bolt. 

"Why are you standing around there for?" D.O. asked. Could he be more oblivious?! Did he not see me trying my hardest not to look at any of them? It totally didn't help that they were eyeing me in suspicion as well. This was the first time today that I actually wished I was a real boy. Honestly I felt so betrayed by my girl-hormones right now. I could not stand their heated glares directed at me, abs flashing all over the place- seriously, the audacity! 

Groaning inwardly, I knew I had to come up with something to say. 

"Whoohoo, Bacon's in the house!" one of them suddenly appeared out of the shower, drawing attention and I nearly shrieked when I saw that he wasn't wearing anything. 

"Oh my God," I breathed, quickly covering my face with my hands. 

"Hey, it's the newbie!" he said casually, completely at ease, totally relaxed, while I was flipping my lid. 

"Newbie? Hey, what are you doing here, Newbie?"

I recognized that voice. Coach Bosch had called him Chen, but I remembered Mrs. Tan calling him Jongdae. I really didn't want to find out whether he was naked too or not, so I just grunted and kept my face covered. I could hear them making soft remarks about my behavior and laughing, but I really didn't care. I am not opening my eyes until I get out of here. 

"What is it, Newbie? You're not shy, are you?" someone spoke. I could faintly hear a subtle lisp in his way of speaking, and I flipped when someone's fingers were wrapped around my wrists, trying to pull my hands away. "What? You act like you've never seen guys getting dressed before," he remarked and I pulled back when he managed to get me to look at him. I did my best to not notice that he was tall, had attractive platinum blonde hair and was only wearing his boxer shorts. 

"I- uh, um..." I stammered, still panicking. 

"What? Do you need help getting undressed or something?" another ridiculously tall guy asked, his smile seeming to brighten up the room. "Here, need help?" he provoked under the laughter of a few of his friends when he reached for my shirt. 

"Whoa! No, hey- get away!" I shooed him off, but that just made him laugh. I blinked when someone threw a slipper at his head. 

"Chanyeol, don't be an idiot," D.O. quipped dryly. 

"You're gonna have to take a shower sooner or later. You heard the coach," Suho said in all seriousness, as I tried my utmost best to not stare at his six pack. I was genuinely relieved when he started putting on his white collar shirt. 

"Y-yeah, about that, I think I'm just gonna skip the shower," I said quickly, swallowing. It was getting way too hot in here. 

"Why? Are you scared to shower by yourself, or something?" another lanky teen asked. He was the one with dark circles under his eyes. 

"Eh...yeah, sure, that's it. 'Kay, bye," I turned around to make a dash for the door, when I nearly slammed into another sculpted chest and I looked up at the impossibly tall, honey blonde guy. 

"What's your rush, Newbie? Look, you're new and something tells me that we all kind of gotten on the wrong foot here-,"

"Kris," Suho warned, but I was looking at the ceiling. 

"So why don't we start again and get reacquainted?" the guy, Kris, suggested, but I didn't like the tone he spoke in. 

"There's no need for that, r-really, uh," I stammered, looking at the floor now, still trying to cover my eyes with my hands. "I'm just gonna go." 

"Okay, wait, buddy-,"

My eyes had widened to the size of saucers when he stopped me from moving. I looked down at the placement of his hands on my chest - oh yeah, exactly  _that_  area - and saw that he noticeably froze as well. He frowned at his hands in utter confusion, while I did all I could to not scream everyone's eardrums off. 

"...That's new," he muttered. 

"Oh, trust me, no that's not. _That_  is actually what I've been trying to tell everyone the whole freaking day!" I bit back, to which he immediately retracted his hands and I rushed to cross my arms over my chest. 

"What are you talking about?" Luhan asked in curiosity, lazily drying off his wet hair, his skin still moist from the shower. 

"Whatever, who wants to help me get the newbie in the shower?" Chanyeol piped up, to which Chen and the dude who called himself Bacon (dear lord that boy did not know how to cover himself) jumped up to do so. 

Upon seeing two half-naked guys and one completely in his birthday suit rushing towards me, I ducked down, covering my face with my hands as I started to shout out of desperation,

"IMUHGULL!!" came the muffled cry. 

It was silent for a split second, when one of them asked, "...what?" 

Out of frustration, I removed my hands and took a deep breath. "I AM A GIRL!" I yelled and with that, I dashed to the door and kept running. 

***

The locker room had gone completely still, twelve eyes still staring at the door that had closed itself. 

"Did I just hear that right?" Xiumin asked, looking at his equally dumbfounded brothers. "Did he just say that he... was a _she_?!"

No one said a word, they all just stared at each other, except for Kris, who was looking at his outstretched hands as though he were cupping something. 

Suddenly, D.O. gasped. "I burped in front of her!" 

"You think that's bad? Sehun mooned her," Kai snorted to which Sehun gave him a smack on the arm. 

Baekhyun's jaw had dropped as he slowly reached for a towel. "Oh man, she met Bacon Jr.," he stated in shock, Chanyeol doing his best not to burst out in laughter at seeing the expression on Baekhyun's face. 

"Kris-ge, are you okay?" Lay noted, seeing his older brother still staring at his hands. Kris had a pondering expression on his face as he moved his hands towards his own chest and then outstretched them again, mimicking how he had stopped the newbie from running off. Then, as though it finally clicked what he had done and perhaps worse, what he had accidentally  _touched,_ he shook his hands and jolted back. 

"AH!" he exclaimed, startled. 

Suho still stared at the door, feeling utterly embarrassed, but he also knew that his previous suspicions and feelings had not changed. 

_A girl? That definitely spelled trouble..._


	17. ~ Common Jae ~

***

In case you were wondering what I was doing after the locker room fiasco, well...Make an educated guess. 

That's right; I ran. Oh, I ran like hell. 

I bolted out the door, adrenaline rushing through my body as I ran towards the girls' locker rooms, grabbed my belongings from the storage room and ran back out again. I just wanted to leave, I wanted to go home. 

"Jae-sshi?" Lili called from somewhere behind me, but I didn't grace her with a reply. I kept running, still in my P.E. uniform, trying my utmost best not to think about what happened in the locker room. 

"No, no, no, no, no!" I chanted, crushing my eyes shut now and then while I ran over the campus without really knowing where I was going. "Argh!" I exclaimed when flashes of moist skin and muscles and heated glares entered my mind. I quickened the pace out of pure frustration, still in utter disbelief that  _that_  actually happened. 

"Ugh, this sucks! Oh my God, I'm going to have to go to another school!" I screamed at myself, feeling my face heat up when the memory of a pair of hands rested on my-  _stop it, Jae!_  I shook my head fiercely and jumped around the abandoned area, trying to literally shake off the horrid images. 

How did this even happen?  _Why_  did this even happen?! I groaned and felt like screaming my lungs out. I saw stuff that I really did not want, nor expect I would see on the first day at a new school. No innocent girl should ever have to suffer through something like that, unless, you know, you're into that kind of stuff, then hey! Eat your heart out, but for me?  _Uh-uh, no thank you!_

I dropped my stuff on the ground and plopped down beside it, taking deep breaths. How was I ever going to face any of them again? Would they start telling people that they found out that I was a girl now? Would people start teasing me over it? Why didn't I just opened up my mouth to correct people when I heard them assume I was a guy? Oh, right, because it was my first day here and I was a total newbie who was too awkward to function. 

_Should've, could've, would've, Jae..._

I sighed and pulled my knees up to my chin. "Worst day ever..." I breathed, finally becoming aware of my surroundings. I was pretty sure that I was still on the school grounds, but I must've taken a different turn and ended up in some kind of garden. It was actually quite pretty here. There were all sorts of flowers planted in perfectly kept beds at the side of the green grass and there were rose bushes. A lot of them. 

When I inhaled, I could smell the sweet scent of roses lingering in the air. The smell calmed me down and I allowed myself to relax, to be careless about what had happened. A gentle breeze picked up and trailed over my skin. The touch soothed me and I looked up when the leaves rustled. I hovered one hand over the bending grass and was immediately hit by a feeling of intense nostalgia. 

For the briefest of moments, I was back home in my meadow. I felt rooted in the earth, could sense the energy of life buzzing all around me. The only things that were missing were my twelve stars in the sky, but other than that, I nearly felt- at peace. This secluded, quiet little rose garden was a decent substitute. 

I managed a smile when I caught sight of a butterfly, happily flitting around. I followed its movements with my eyes, how it moved freely about and even hovered over me. Since the butterfly flew so close, I could nearly touch it. I held out my hand to it, not expecting it to come near it, of course, but was rather surprised when it meekly landed on the palm of my hand. 

The butterfly lazily opened and closed its wings while I stared at it in awe. It was light as a feather and its paws tickled my skin. Of course I was far too afraid to move now, so I just held out my hand awkwardly, looking at the creature. The butterfly was gorgeous and so delicate-looking. It may have had a rather fat body, but its wings were big enough to compensate that. They were almost entirely black, spotted in a pale powder blue color, with hints of red. 

I was so enthralled by this little creature that I was too late to notice someone sneaking up from my side. Naturally, I startled, but remained extremely careful in handling the butterfly in my hand. 

"Shh, shh, it's okay, I don't mean any harm, just- just stay very still," the man said in a distinct deep voice that was surprisingly pleasant to hear as he kept his almond-shaped eyes focused on the butterfly. He approached me carefully, a net in hand and I realized what he was trying to do. 

"You're not going to hurt it, are you?" I asked quietly and he beamed at me.

"No, of course not, I wouldn't dare," he replied in the same quiet tone, stepping carefully towards me. He moved purposely slow and still, and since he was so focused on the butterfly, it gave me the opportunity to study this stranger. He was obviously older than me, but not that much. He could be a college student, if I squinted my eyes. His hair was dark with light brown highlights, groomed neatly into a coif. His jawline was impressively sharp and I couldn't help but grin when he stuck out his tongue a little through bow-shaped lips as he focused on the butterfly.

He carefully grabbed his net and ever so gently moved it over the butterfly that was still sitting meekly in my hand. The creature got startled by the sudden touch and flew, giving him the opportunity to lead it into a wooden box framed with something that looked like gauze. The man had a huge grin on his face as he studied the butterfly inside the box and made sure to handle it with the utmost care when he set it down next to me before he sat down himself. 

"You know, I've been out here looking for a specimen like that for the last hour," he admitted, grinning sheepishly. There was something rather dorky about him now that he was at eye-level, but that didn't make him less handsome. 

"You know what this species is called?" he suddenly asked and I blinked at him. 

"Um, a butterfly?" I guessed and he chuckled, shaking his head. 

"I mean, yeah, it's a butterfly, but this little guy is also known as the Common Jay. They're very difficult to catch. I'm a little amazed that you got this little guy to settle down on your hand so easily," he explained in his smooth voice. 

"Oh, well, maybe it was because it knew we have the same name," I quipped and the stranger lifted his eyebrows at me, a surprised smile on his tanned face. 

"Your name is Jay? J-A-Y?" he asked. 

"J-A-E, but yeah," I chuckled, momentarily forgetting about the locker room disaster. 

"Ha. Well, whaddaya know? That makes complete sense to me," he laughed wholeheartedly. "Say, you don't happen to be the new student by any chance?" he then asked, looking at me questioningly. 

I flushed and looked away from him. Guess the momentary amnesia was over again. "Eh, yeah. I started today." 

"Ah, so you're the one Kyungsoo had to show around. Hope he did a good job," he suddenly said and I looked at him. 

"You know D.O.?" I asked and the man nodded. 

"Well, I sure hope so, he's only one of my best students," he chuckled and my eyes widened. 

"You're a teacher?" I asked, stumped, as I appraised him again for good measure. This guy seemed way too young and way too good-looking to be a teacher in my book. What was he doing being a teacher when he could just as easily been an actor or model or something?

"Seunghyun Tabi, I teach biology. But don't hold it against me, though, it's only parttime," he introduced. "It's nice to meet you, Jae." He extended his hand and I snapped out of my bewilderment to shake it. 

"Nice to meet you, sir," I muttered, wishing I had taken a shower after all. _Bacon in the house!_  ... The unwanted memory floated in without me being able to stop it. _Nope, never mind, taking it back. I'm happy I'm probably stinking right now, I can live with this._

"So, Jae, any particular reason why you're out here by yourself in your P.E. clothes?" Mr. Tabi suddenly asked in his low-timbre voice and I wasn't sure how to respond to that. I was not about to explain everything that happened to a teacher. 

"I do hope the other students are behaving themselves?" he asked, a little concerned. 

_What, do you need help taking off your clothes?_  

I cringed at hearing the ghostly voices of the memories in my head and tried to get rid of them. "Yes, sir. Everyone is very nice," I ended up saying, but I doubted whether I actually sounded convincing. 

" _Buuut_?" he offered and I couldn't help but find him charming. He seemed like a nice guy and a good teacher, based on how easy it was to talk to him alone. 

"I guess I'm just having an off day," I decided to say and to this, he nodded understandingly. 

"It sucks being the newbie, right?" he prompted to which I nodded. 

_Brother, you've no idea..._

Mr. Tabi continued looking at me, a playful glint in his eyes. I squinted a little at him, since I couldn't tell what he was thinking. Then, he clacked his tongue and got up to his feet, walking to the nearest rose bush. He picked a beautiful, red one, reached into his bag and took out a pair of floral scissors. He cut the rose neatly, smelled it and then walked back to me. 

I frowned a little at him when he handed the rose to me. "Here, to brighten the day a bit. A lovely rose for a lovely young lady who helped me catch a Common Jay."

My jaw dropped at the gesture, but mostly because he was the first person in the entire school that actually called me a lady! If I was the hysterical type, I would've been crying tears of joy right now.

"Wow, t-thanks, sir..." I took the rose from his hand and looked at it, whilst tugging a loose stray of hair behind my ear. "You... you can tell I'm a girl?" the question flew out of my mouth before I even realized I had said them out loud and was met by yet another stare of surprised and confusion.

Then, Mr. Tabi laughed. "Wow, kid, I don't know what kind of day you've been having, but I hope you'll take it easy. No need for so much stress on the first day, huh?" he guffawed, patting me gently on the shoulder. "Of course I can tell, pretty girl like you, I mean, come on," he stated easily and truthfully, I could hug the guy right now - not that I did, or anything. 

"I bet you're a really good biology teacher," I remarked jokingly and he laughed.

"I try to do my part," he shrugged humbly and gently grabbed the box with the Common Jay still flitting around in it. I sensed that Mr. Tabi wasn't the type of guy that would harm the butterfly, but nevertheless, I still felt a bit sorry for the thing, being cooped up in a box like that. "You'll take care of it, right? The butterfly, I mean?"

Mr. Tabi looked at the box before directing himself towards me again. "I'll do so until it dies, which, unfortunately, may not be very long since they don't have a very long lifespan," he explained. "But, who knows?" he shrugged, another playful glint in his eyes as he looked at me. "This Common Jay might not be so common. Something tells me that you two are similar in that aspect as well," he winked encouragingly and I blushed. Mr. Tabi might be a teacher, but he was charming and charismatic. I wondered how the girls managed to pass his classes. I knew I'd be screwed for biology if he was the one that would teach me. I probably wouldn't stop looking at the guy.

I shook my head. _... Did I just think about that?! Ugh, damn you, girl-hormones! First the locker room, now this? J'accuse! Traitor, traitor!_

"You look tired, Jae," Mr. Tabi remarked, snapping me awake from my thoughts. "Why don't you go home and relax, huh? You still got the rest of the week to survive," he suggested and I quickly nodded.

"Yeah, I think I'm definitely going to do that," I agreed. "Thank you for the rose," I mumbled rather shyly.

"Thank you for the butterfly," he gestured at the box. "Perhaps I'll have the pleasure of seeing you in my class."

"Eh, yeah, maybe," I nodded, hoping fiercely that that was the case. Mr. Tabi seemed like a really cool guy. We greeted each other and as I watched him walk away, I was still holding the rose. However, as soon as he disappeared from sight, the locker room fiasco came flooding back into my mind with a vengeance. Goodbye, peace and quiet.

"Ugh, that is going to haunt me for eternity," I muttered and grabbed my bag. I could definitely use some rest at home now-

_A freaking dude..._

_My stars- don't fall._

_The Common Jae..._

_We'll take care of him..._

_Trouble._

I gasped and grabbed my head when I thought I heard the nasty, angry growl of a wolf nearby. I don't know what the heck that was, but I don't want it to happen again. I shook my head and looked around me, but there was no one there. When I felt that familiar burst of panic again, I dropped the rose. 

"Come on, not now, don't be an idiot, this is useless, Jae," I talked to myself and took deep steady breaths. I pushed my hair back, grabbed the fallen rose and started walking briskly away. Being home will do me some good, gather my thoughts. I nodded to myself at the decision and found myself at the back of the school. I was pretty sure that Mom drove past here this morning, so I guess I should just follow the road back. I mean, this island isn't that big, so it shouldn't be so hard to find the house... _Right_?

***

A pair of green eyes watched the lonely student walk on the abandoned road through the forest. The white wolf watched carefully, licking its snout when it saw the student holding a blood red rose. 

It kept low as it followed the student, watching her every move. It growled softly upon seeing her smelling the rose and humming quietly to herself. The white wolf flicked one of its ears when it smelled danger. The small contraption, made to ensnare it, buzzed with electricity and the wolf snarled. 

It looked up only when it heard the student muttering to herself, her voice gentle and sweet. Then, the white wolf disappeared. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hihihi how did you guys like the previous chapter? I felt like a devil writing it, but it was soooo much fun ^^ New chapter is bit more toned down and serious...hope you guys still like it tho! Thanks so much for commenting and the kudos btw!! It really made my day, you guys are the best!


	18. ~ Burned Bacon ~

***

Where to start? Could he just flip out randomly or was there a certain time and place for it? His brothers were freaking out, that was sure, but he was a little worried that if he started, he may never stop. 

Baekhyun, usually one of the loudest and rowdiest of the twelve, had never been this silent before. The shock was still painted on his face and he kept adjusting his blazer, shirt or trousers, just to make sure that yes, he was wearing clothes. 

When it had truly settled into his mind that the newbie he thought was just a scrawny guy, was in actuality a genuine girl- Kris-hyung could most  _definitely_  attest to that -, the lights in the locker room had all gone out. His doing, of course, but far too late. Suho scolded him for using his ability so carelessly and it was Chen who got the electricity back on and the lights along with it. 

"Are we sure that the newbie didn't just say that to get us off his back?" Kai asked, a frown on his face. Kris glared at him and gestured urgently with his hands. The younger brother was unable to prevent from blasting out a laugh, his eyes slimming down to crescents. Baekhyun would've usually laughed along with him, but not this time. He felt the sweat beads appearing on his heated brow again, blushing involuntarily. He groaned inwardly and covered his face with his hand. How could they all not have possibly known that the newbie was a chick?! Was it because full moon was approaching? Was it throwing them off their game? That couldn't be right. Usually their instincts were enhanced, at least they could've smelled she was a girl! 

_Apparently not..._

"Are you okay, Baekhyun? You're red," Chen remarked, trying his best to stay serious, but the smirk on his stupid dinosaur face betrayed him. Not having the strength to push away the arm Chen draped over his slumped shoulders, he heaved a deep sigh. 

"Could Tao not just turn back time or something?" he finally whined, absolutely embarrassed since he couldn't get the locker room situation out of his mind now. Several hands wrapped around his big mouth in an instant. Since they were still walking on school grounds, there were other students around. 

"Could you speak up a little louder, I don't think the girl on the bench over there heard you!" Suho hissed, his mood having worsened since the 'incident'. Suho had always been more sensitive when that time of the month was approaching, but Baekhyun noticed that this time, it was worse. He figured it had something to do with the newbie - _who is a chick that saw my d-!_  he shivered and felt flustered all over again. 

"Sorry," he breathed when his brothers had removed their hands. "But, still," he glanced at his younger brother. "Can't you do something for damage control? She saw you, too, you know!" he pointed at Tao, who swallowed and looked embarrassed. 

"She didn't see much of me compared to you!" the lanky teen immediately protested. "Besides, you know that what I do doesn't work that way. I can't turn back what has already happened, hyung!" 

"And even if he could, he shouldn't do so. We can never know with your abilities," D.O. noted at Tao, looking grumpy. Baekhyun made a point not to go against his younger brother's words, fearing that he'd find himself in a headlock. 

"I just hope she didn't go around telling everyone what happened," Sehun remarked quietly, rubbing the back of his neck while he kept his gaze fixed on the ground. 

Baekhyun's eyes widened. "S-she wouldn't d-do that, right?! I mean, it was just as embarrassing for her, right?!" 

"Well, maybe you should start wearing sunglasses and a hat when you go to school, just in case," Chen coaxed, making Baekhyun nervous. "Then again, we're only talking about your reputation, right? What meaning does a reputation have in high school anyway?" Chen smirked teasingly. 

"Oh man..." Baekhyun grunted, sighing as he saw his life pass before his eyes.

"It's your fault for not wearing a towel when you get out of the shower, you idiot," Xiumin prompted, his soccer cleats hanging around his neck. 

Baekhyun groaned again. "I didn't think I needed to because we were in the boys' locker room, hyung! Aish, what is this?! I thought brothers were supposed to comfort each other in times of crises?!" he complained, when he suddenly felt a soothingly warm hand on his shoulder. He looked up at Lay as though the boy had been a godsend. His hyung smiled encouragingly at him. "Don't worry too much about it, Baekhyun-ah, maybe she didn't see anything," Lay tried to comfort. 

"Hey, hey, hey, we're talking about Bacon Jr. here! Of course she saw him!" Baekhyun immediately found himself defending his pride, upon realizing that it was just as worse for her to have seen him naked without seeing anything. Lay only blinked blankly at him, slow on the uptake, as usual. Baekhyun sighed and returned the pat his hyung had given him, since he knew that he meant well. 

"Did any of you even remotely sensed that she was a girl?" Suho interjected, ignoring Baekhyun's personal emergency, focusing, as usual, on more important matters. Well, important matters to him, at least. Right now, all Baekhyun wanted to do was complain and figure out how he could get out of this mess without having to wear a paper bag over his head to school from now on. 

"Did any of us appear to have their suspicions, Suho?" Kris retaliated, and Baekhyun could tell that this particular hyung was in a similar situation as him, except Kris was holding in his freak-out, but the tension was there. He was moving his hands in strange ways at times as well, as though he wanted to forget that they were even there. 

"Exactly my point," Suho said. "That didn't seem weird to any of you?" he asked and the brothers went quiet. 

"When the voices disappeared and I heard that gentle voice," Luhan started, the soccer ball placed stiffly in his hands, "At first I thought it was a girl. But then I saw to whom it belonged to and I didn't think more of it. Guess it didn't help that I couldn't hear his-  _her_  voice after that anymore," he shrugged. Luhan didn't look like his usual self either. Baekhyun made note of his troubled expression, how much older it made him appear. Suho looked the same way, but Baekhyun could sense an underlying agitation coming from their leader that was bound to worsen until full moon came. 

He glanced up at the sky, wondering how much longer they had to wait. He was actually rather disappointed that Suho had canceled the hunt for tonight. He could've really used it to relieve some stress. Then again...

"You've been focusing on the newbie intently, haven't you, Suho-hyung?" he asked their leader, to which Suho frowned. 

"What is that supposed to mean? Of course I have! In case you haven't noticed, Baekhyun, since this new kid came to town, all of us are on edge, out of balance- restless and uncomfortable. I don't trust her. I don't trust the trucks she came in with either," Suho sprouted and sighed. "Why can't you take this potential threat seriously?"

"That's not why I made the comment, hyung," Baekhyun clarified steadily. "What I meant to say was, since we've been focusing on the new kid so much, it's like we're not bothering with searching what we always search for at night and now it's like the little trail we had, is gone." 

The brothers fell silent again, quietly looking at one another. Suho scratched the side of his head a little more aggressively than was necessary. "I can't think straight," he abruptly admitted, his voice laced with frustration. "I need the full moon to pass and then I can clear my head again," he grunted, and with that, the brothers agreed. They all felt like they'd feel much better and far more calm after the moon's cycle continued. 

"Alright, here's what we'll do for now," Suho then decided, clearing his throat. "We'll meet the newbie tomorrow again, apologize to her for the whole situation. At the same time, we keep an eye on her, just in case. I need information on her. I want to know why Luhan can't hear her thoughts, I want to know why weren't able to tell that she was female from the get go. I want to know why she makes me feel this uneasy," he listed, gritting his teeth a little. 

Baekhyun nodded a little hesitantly at Suho's words, but he couldn't help but agree, with the exception of having to walk up to her tomorrow to apologize. He'd preferably not go anywhere near her for a while. 

"That sounds difficult. Especially since you also want all of us to stay away from her," Kris remarked dryly. 

"Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer," Suho retaliated. 

"She's an enemy then? We're sure about that?" Chanyeol questioned, looking around his brothers. From the corner of his eye, Baekhyun could tell that D.O. didn't seem to agree, since he wasn't making eye contact with anyone, and Lay, naive, far too kindhearted Lay was shaking his head. A grave furrow was on his face as he pressed his palms together. 

"We're not sure of anything yet, right, Suho-hyung?" Lay asked calmly. To be honest, Lay seemed quite his usual self, even under the effects of the time of the month steadily approaching. Kris was the same way. Baekhyun envied that, since he noticed that he had the tendency to become even more energetic and talkative than he usually was, often making it hard for him to concentrate and causing him to do things that he wasn't necessarily proud of. However, at the moment, he just felt like burned bacon. There was hardly any energy in him left to spare. 

"Exactly. Which is why I told everyone to be careful," the leader answered. 

"...What if the reason everyone felt so strange was because this newbie could be number thirteen to our dirty dozen?" Sehun had declared out of the blue, startling them with his words. 

"Thirteen? That's impossible. What would make you think that, Sehun?" Tao commented, playfully shoving the youth from side to side. 

"Just a hunch," Sehun shrugged his shoulders, though the glance he shared with Luhan did not go by unnoticed by Beakhyun. Had those two been communicating? 

"That's ridiculous. I don't have any memories of a thirteenth person," Kai stated resolutely. He made it more than abundantly clear that he didn't want to have anything to do with the new girl, save for staying away from her. 

"Then who is she?" Suho asked dramatically, wanting to know the answers. 

"Not that bad, actually," D.O. suddenly interjected, finally looking up. "I got to talk to her a bit while I was showing her around and she doesn't seem bad," he repeated.

"Well, in all fairness, D.O., we don't seem bad at first glance either, but piss us off when full moon is coming out to play, and your days are numbered," Xiumin remarked, glancing at his watch. He turned to Chen. "Weren't you supposed to be in detention by now?" he asked.

Chen's eyes widened and he smacked himself on the forehead. "Crap! I've got to go before I get extra detention time," he piped up a little panicked. "Are we done for now?" he asked, already peeling away from the group to head back to the main building. 

"For now. Keep a weather eye out, everyone," Suho instructed. "Girl or not, if she is a threat to us, we'll have to find a way to deal with her. Until then, we'll just have to see what she's got hiding in her closet. Keep in touch, okay?" 

Baekhyun and his other brothers nodded at their leader and went their separate ways. He was contemplating skipping vocal club for today so that he had more time to prepare himself for the apology he'd have to extent to the new kid tomorrow, when someone tapped him on the shoulder. 

"I'm sorry if I'm being too snippy or crude. You know I don't mean it like that," Suho apologized quietly. "And as far as your little problem is concerned-, Lay is right. You shouldn't worry about it too much. If she blabbed to anyone, we'll find a way to minimize the damage, okay?" 

Baekhyun was genuinely happy to see Suho smiling again and recognized bits of his usual self again. He nodded at their leader. 

"Thanks, hyung," he replied and walked with Suho to the main building. "One question though," Baekhyun continued.

"Hm?"

"What did you mean with 'little' problem? I mean, seriously, have  _you_  met Bacon Jr.?" he laughed when Suho shook his head in amusement and smacked him on the back of the neck, wrapping his arm around his head whilst dragging him along with him. 


	19. ~ Reverie ~

***

Alright, so I was wrong. Consistent with how the rest of my day has been going, I found that luck was still not on my side when I was trying to find my own house. 

I must've walked for about an hour in my smelly P.E. clothes (yes, charming, non?), dragging all my stuff with me. It didn't help that we lived out of the small town of Hanwol, in one of the more remote areas of the island, smack in the middle of a forest. How could anyone orientate themselves in a forest? Really, someone tell me all the secrets. Because to me, every tree looked exactly like the next one, and the roads here were identical. I couldn't even remember whether Mom drove past here this morning, but the road would surely lead to somewhere, right? 

A soft buzzing caught me off guard and I stopped walking. It was eerily quiet in the woods, so I was extra vigilant. Sure the island was small, but you could never know. Girl like me, alone... 

Since I had no clue where I was and I figured I had time to spare anyway, I gave in to my curiosity and followed the sound. It lead me to a wire fence, the logo of E.T. Corp hung on it and I blinked. Dad had said that they were busy installing these fences over the island to prevent the animals from trespassing on farm lands, but despite what he'd been telling me, these things did not look friendly. Period. 

It was obviously high strung with electricity and there was a metal net nearby that looked like it could fall any second. Animal-friendly, my butt. What was E.T. Corp doing here? Why was there a fence like this in the middle of the woods to begin with? As far as I knew, no one was living nearby and the land it was surrounding was public domain.  _Odd_. I'll ask Dad about it when I get home, or rather-  _if_  I get home. 

I continued following the road, playing around with the rose Mr. Tabi gave me, when I finally caught sight of a few houses. Just further away, at the back near the edge of more forests, stood my new house. Sighing in relief, I ran the last part since I just wanted to get a shower and collapse on my bed. This has been one tiring day. 

I was greeted by the mouthwatering scent of a homecooked meal when I entered the house and saw that Dad was already home as well. 

" _Tadaima!" I'm home!_  I greeted in Japanese, to which my Dad smiled brightly. 

"Welcome home, Jade! Your mother and I were starting to get worried, what took you so long?" he asked, putting down the newspaper he'd been reading and looked at me. "Wow, that's an interesting getup," he chuckled at seeing my tired expression, before his eyes glanced over at the rose in my hand. He gave a little frown, you know, the kind that fathers pull when they feel the need to suddenly protect their daughters, and crossed his arms over his chest. "Where did you get that, honey?"

Resisting the urge to roll my eyes, I gave him my rose and walked past him. "Hi Dad, nice to see you too. How was your day?" I retorted, heading to the dining room where Mom was setting up the table. She greeted me with a bright grin. 

"There's my baby! So, how was your first day?" she asked, enthused, even halting her movements so she could focus on me. When she heard me sigh deeply, the smile dropped and she looked at me in concern. 

"Did something happen, Jae?" 

_Oh a lot of things happened, but don't think I'll be telling you about those_ , I thought, cringing a little. 

"What, were the kids mean to you?" Dad came up from behind me, his voice sounding worried. 

"No, it wasn't like that," I assured, taking a deep breath. 

"Did they make an issue about the uniform?" Mom interjected and I really felt like crawling into bed now. 

"No, not exactly..." I trailed off and huffed. "It's nothing, don't worry about it. It's just been a really long day. School's fine," I dismissed, since I was in no mood to have to tell them everything that had happened to me today. I was seriously exhausted. 

"Okay," Mom tried, perfectly reading the atmosphere. "Well, hey, did you make some friends?" she attempted cheerfully and I paused a moment, trying so very hard to not think about the locker room. 

"Eh, I wouldn't necessarily say that...Too soon to tell, you know. Uh, there's this kid called Minho in my class who's pretty nice. And a girl, Lili, who's sweet, so yeah," I made sure not to mention any of the twelve guys, pushing them out of my mind. "Oh, the teachers are nice, so that's cool," I added. I wanted to get out of these clothes so bad. 

"Ah, that's nice to hear. Well, it's only been the first day, right? I'm sure you'll make more friends in no time," Dad said in his undying optimism and I only gave a wan smile. 

"You look really beat, sweetie," Mom finally noted. "Here, I have something that will cheer you right up!" she disappeared into the other room while I looked at Dad. He only lifted his shoulders. 

"Guess what came in the mail for you today," Mom sang, and my eyes widened as a wave of sudden energy crashed over me. 

"Oh my God! Finally! Yes, thank you! Hallelujah!" I exclaimed to which my parents started laughing as I grasped the school uniform, which was perfectly my size. "Oh thank God, thanks, Mom," I muttered giving the surprised little woman a hug as she chortled. 

"Wow, baby, I had no idea you were so thrilled about school uniforms," Dad remarked in amusement and I stuck my tongue out at him. 

"You have no idea what my day's been like," I blurted out in my relief of having a wonderfully girly uniform to wear from now on. 

"What has it been like?" Mom immediately prompted and I shook my head, still heaving deep sighs. 

"Interesting, let's keep it at that," I chuckled, my mood somewhat lifted now. "Hey, let me ask you guys something. Do I look like a boy to you?" I asked, perhaps not all too subtly, but they indulged and scanned my face. 

"In those clothes?" Mom questioned while humming. "They're a bit boyish, but I don't think you look like a boy, honey. Don't be silly." 

"Thank you. Dad?" 

"Whoa, why are you asking your old man these things?" he answered a little nervously. "No, I don't think it makes you look fat," he said automatically, earning a playful smack from my mother but I stomped my feet a little. 

"Dad," I whined and he laughed. 

"Okay, okay, why are you asking this, anyway?" he muttered. "I don't know, Jade, you look fine to me. You do have my jawline, though, and your face is a little round. Maybe you could loosen up the bun and go with bangs to cover your forehead a bit," he suddenly went on a makeover trip. "Oh and relax your shoulders when you walk."

He was starting to take this a little too seriously. "What's wrong with how I walk?" I questioned, taken aback. 

"It's a little stiff, as if you're purposely trying to prevent from swaying your hips, baby," Mom answered instead while she continued setting up the table for dinner. 

"What?" I squeaked. "I am not stiff," I protested. 

"Oh, it's okay, baby, so you're a little tomboyish. I wasn't a girly girl myself," Mom wove her hand. "So, what's with asking these weird questions anyway?" she suddenly paused and a mischievous glint sparkled in her brown eyes. "Did you meet someone...special?" she suddenly suggested and my jaw dropped in shock. 

"What? No! Geez, Mom!" I blurted out, though I think my Dad may have protested even louder. 

"Yeah, come on, Jae has other things on her mind, she's smart, she's not into boys, right, baby?" he flipped, though I was totally cool with him backing me on this as I nodded my head. 

"Well, I'm just saying. I thought I saw a pretty cute guy looking at you outside of the school when I drove away. It was adorable, he was peeking from behind a tree- though he may have been secretly smoking at that time. I saw swirls of smoke around him..." she muttered to herself before shaking her head. "Anyway, all I'm saying that if you want to impress a bit with your looks, maybe you could put on some lipgloss, a little eye makeup, let your hair down-,"

"Oh wow, Mom, seriously, stop," I told her, wincing out of embarrassment. "That was  _so_  not the reason why I asked that stuff," I murmured, flushing a bit. 

"Good, keep it that way," Dad sat on his chair, looking relieved. Mom conceded by making a wave with her hand and winked playfully at me. 

I jerked my head towards her. "What's for dinner?" I asked. 

Mom clasped her hands together and grabbed a plate from the nearby table. "German sausage!" she piped up, showing me the dish. However, seeing the smoldering pieces of meat on the plate made way for some traumatizing memories and in an instant my appetite was gone. 

"Ah, uh, yum..."I remarked, pulling a look of disgust and embarrassment at the same time. 

"Something wrong? You love German sausage in a bun," Mom noted and I cringed at her words. 

"Yeah, I know...eh, look you guys start without me, okay? I'm just gonna get a quick shower and put on some clean clothes," I said, walking towards the stairs. 

"Don't take too long," Dad said, already putting some sauce on his food. 

"Got it," I replied, running up to my room. Once there, I neatly hung the uniform behind the door and passed my full-length mirror. Dropping all of my stuff, I started staring at my reflection. I bit my lip and checked myself out in the P.E. uniform. Pulling the shirt tightly around my waist, my more feminine figures became more pronounced, but upon releasing it, they were hidden again. That's it. I'm going to wear push-ups from now on.

I leaned towards the cold surface of the glass to check my facial features. I know it seemed silly, but the fact that people just generally assumed that I was a boy, kind of made me worry and it wasn't doing anything for my self-esteem. I had always thought that my face was rather soft. I did have a strong jawline, but it wasn't masculine. Maybe it was the hair. There was something strangely boyish about my clear face with my hair tied in a bun like that... When I pulled at the bun, my hair fell down, reaching just a little past the shoulders. 

There. No more mistakes. I looked at the school uniform and decided that I had to set things straight first thing tomorrow. I am  _not_  getting shoved into a boys' locker room ever again. 

I quickly jumped in the shower after that and got dressed in my PJs, but while I was combing my hair I noticed that it had actually grown quite dark. I moved to the window to push the curtains away and saw the clear night sky, covered in star dust. I tried not to look for my twelve stars, because I knew I wouldn't find them here, but that moon... _Wow_. It wasn't entirely full yet, but I had never seen it so big and bright before. It nearly made me want to howl at it. I smiled and sat on the window bench, hugging a cushion. 

For some reason I thought to the white wolf I saw when we first arrived here. In that instant, I imagined how a majestic creature like that would get trapped in one of those security systems E.T. Corp designed and shivered. My dad always raved about E.T. Corp because their tech and research were top-notch, but he was never allowed to tell us what they were doing there. Company secrets and such.

I let out a yawn, still looking at the moon. I knew I had to get up to have some dinner, but I was way too comfortable...

When I blinked my eyes open, I found myself still looking at the moon, but it was shining in full now. The odd thing about that was that I wasn't staring at it from my comfortable window bench in my room. I was outside. In the woods. When I tore my gaze away from the mystic moon, I stared straight into a pair of green eyes. The white wolf licked its lips before running off, dashing into the dark forest.

Only the light of the moon guided me as I tried my best to keep up with the wolf. It stopped near a peculiar looking tree, of which I could only see the silhouette. The tree bloomed, its odd-looking branches swaying from side to side. However, from the base of the tree appeared two arms, clawing its way out under fierce growling. The tree split into twelve shadows, twelve humans that transformed slowly before my eyes. From the darkness, the pack of wolves moved towards me, their eyes shining and glowing menacingly my way. I turned to run, but the white wolf was there, blocking my path. I looked desperate at the moon, but saw a butterfly flit by. It disappeared into the light of the moon and when I turned back to look at the wolves, they bared their teeth at me and I was too late to scream. 


	20. ~ Let's Try This Again ~

***

_Jae_. 

"Jae?!' 

I grunted when I heard someone call out my name, and winced when I felt pain. "Ow..." I groused, blinking my eyes open and finding myself on the floor, covered in a mess of pillows and a fleece blanket. I squinted at the sunlight that poured into my room from the window. One of my legs was still clinging on the window bench and I laid my head back on the hardwood floor with a thud. 

Out of nowhere, my mother's face appeared before me and I shrieked, causing her to do the same.  

"Oh for goodness' sake, Jae!" she exclaimed, her hand on her chest when I jolted up, disoriented. 

"Huh, what?" I muttered, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, yawning. 

"Look at you. Will you pick yourself from the ground? It's morning," she breathed, still getting over the shock. "Look at this mess. I can't believe you slept on the bench the whole night," she complained, picking up the pillows. 

"I...slept?" I asked, still dazed. Guess I hadn't woken up properly yet. Mom rolled her eyes at me and helped me get to my feet. 

"You fell asleep before dinner last night. Your father came up to check on you and found you sleeping, so he didn't wake you," she ran her hand through my messy hair and shook her head at me. "That first day at school must've completely worn you out, huh?" 

Stretching I vaguely registered what she was saying to me and I nodded. "Guess so. Sorry about that," I yawned again and startled once more when my stomach growled. 

My mother gazed at me in surprise before she chuckled. "Want me to make you some breakfast before you go to school?" she offered whilst folding the blanket and putting it on the bed. I smiled at her. 

"You're always so nice to me in the morning," I teased and she pecked me on the cheek. 

"Get ready for day two then, baby, I'll make you some eggs," she told me. "Oh, and Jae, do both of us a favor and don't sleep on the window bench again, okay? It's not good for you, you've perfectly fine bed right there," she pointed out and I grinned sheepishly at her. I remembered that I was looking at the moon when I dozed off. It was a pleasant way to fall asleep, though. 

"I'll do my best," I answered, a lazy smile playing on my lips. She left the room and I stretched again, looking around. As I rubbed my head, I couldn't help but move back to the window to look outside. Of course the moon had made way for the bright sun and as far as I was concerned, I never left my room last night. That wolf dream was definitely strange though. I didn't usually dream so vividly and that dream had felt very real. 

Still a bit sleep drunk, I saw my new uniform and pointed at it. "Right, let's try this again." 

At first I thought I would dread having to go back to school, but now I was strangely looking forward to it. I got ready in no time, and when I looked at the mirror, I wasn't having a nervous breakdown. Okay, maybe I had a  _little_  bit of a breakdown because damn, the skirt was pretty short. Thankfully the perfectly fitting knee-high socks covered most of the exposed skin and I was proud to announce that the white collar shirt and the fitted blazer did wonders for my figure (push-up bra all the way!). If there was anyone out there that still thought I was a dude, will get a slipper in the mouth.

I quickly fixed my hair and let it hang loose, framing my face neatly to make it look just a bit smaller to soften the edges of my jawline, just in case. I applied light eye-makeup and used lipbalm for a little shine on my lips, but that was it. I wasn't a fan of makeup to begin with, so this was more than enough in my book. Checking myself out from top to bottom in the mirror, I decided that this was as good as it was going to get and that suited me fine. I knew I wasn't dropdead gorgeous, but that was okay. As long as people acknowledged me as a girl, I'd be happy. Today was going to be different. Yesterday never happened. 

Nodding to myself, I grabbed my bag and ran downstairs. There was no leniency for new students on day two, which meant that if I came in late, I'd have to pay the consequences. 

The sound of someone wolf whistling at me caught me off guard and I blinked at my grinning mother. "Well, well, well, look at you, Miss Jae," she teased while she put the delicious scrambled eggs and bacon on the table for me. "Looking good, Miss Jae. You sure about not wanting to impress anyone, hm?" 

"Ha ha, Mom, you're so funny," I replied dryly, sitting down. I leaned back when she leaned towards me and lifted an eyebrow. Then her eyes widened in mirth. 

"Oh my- is that a little makeup I see?" she piped up excitedly and I pushed her away. She laughed. "Come on, Dad already left early this morning, there's just the two of us. Who's the lucky guy?" she pulled up a chair next to me, leaning her chin on her hand. 

I groaned. "There is no lucky guy, Mom. This is just for me, okay?" I told her, looking at my plate. The eggs looked delicious, but as soon as I saw the bacon, an image entered my mind that I really wanted to forget. Feeling embarrassed once more, I covered my eyes and pushed the bacon away, taking a piece of toast instead. 

"Oh, I see," Mom mused, seeing my reaction. "Just for you, huh?" she winked. "Okay, I get it. I'll hear when you're ready to tell me," she giggled. 

"Wow, you are so wrong it's honestly humiliating," I said, eating my breakfast. It didn't help that I was blushing and for a moment I felt my stomach tingling at the thought that I was going to have to face those twelve guys at school again. Perhaps not all of them at once (thank goodness for that), but at least two of them. Why did two of them have to be in the same year as me?

Ugh. I'd seen them in their uniforms for most of the day. I catch them barely wearing clothes for about ten minutes and I can't picture them fully clothed anymore. What the hell is wrong with me? When I thought of Suho, glaring in agitation at me because he obviously didn't like me, the blazer was gone, the white collar shirt was hung open, revealing his abs. I cringed and tried to sip casually from my orange juice when the friendly Lay came into my mind's eye, with his defined collarbones and lean physique... _How was I able to catch all of that?_

I bit my lip while grimacing. Apparently the ceiling hadn't been fascinating enough.  _Damn it_.

"I'm not assuming anything," Mom suddenly called, leaning in the doorway that lead into the kitchen, "but I just wanted to point out that you're blushing for no reason at all," she smirked, sipping from her coffee. 

" _Mooom_ ," I whined, warning her. "Will you stop? There's no one, okay? I'm not interested in stupid boys with their stupid faces and stupid bodies- just,  _no_. And before you make the comment, there is no one interested in me either, so that works out fine," I finished my meal and took the dishes to the kitchen. 

"Hmhm," Mom mused. "I put your rose in a vase in the living room by the way," she commented shrewdly. "But again, I'm not assuming anything," she teased, walking away before I could retaliate. Honestly, I love her, but man, was she tiring!

"When you're done I can take you to school, baby, you don't want to be late for your date, right?" she called and I sighed. 

Moments later, I was sitting in the car, staring at the pretentious school building, feeling again as though this was my first day here. Except this time, it seemed a little worse, seeing all those students around. I huffed out some air, tugging a loose stray of hair behind my ear, and fidgeting with the skirt. 

Again, my mother's hand covered mine and she smiled. "Are we going to go through this again, sweetie?" she asked. "Or is it because a certain someone is outside right now and he's making your heart flutter?" she teased, curiously looking outside. I checked along with her, not to spot cute guys, but to make sure that a certain group of them wasn't there. I didn't recognize any of the students outside, which gave me a bit more confidence. 

"I gotta go," I said more to myself than to my mother. "I'll see you at dinner time. I'm going to check out some of the extracurricular activities and clubs. See if there's anything interesting to sign up for," I told her to which she smiled ever so brightly. 

"That sounds wonderful. You take your time and browse, baby, we'll be waiting at home for you," she winked and I nodded, stepping out of the car with newfound confidence. I waved when she drove away, turning around. The building was less intimidating this time and when I went to adjust my clothes a bit, I took a deep breath and steadily walked towards the school. 

The first thing I noticed was that apparently, for whatever reason, drew attention from the other students. I felt pressured under their stares, but I couldn't be bothered with it right now. I had a goal to achieve today, so I wasn't going to shy away from it. I sucked it in and straightened my posture. Upon seeing the looks of absolute astonishment on some of the students' faces, it dawned on me that it was probably because they were genuinely shocked to see someone they first thought was a guy, dress up in girly clothes. Of course I blushed unwillingly under all the attention, but the sooner I got this over with, the better. 

I quickly visited my locker, thankful to see that none of the majestic twelve were hovering near it and when I closed the door, the bell rang.  _Showtime_. I checked my schedule and walked towards the same class I had yesterday, where I first saw Suho and Lay. Mr. Quinn taught History and he was the first teacher I met. It would only be appropriate that I set things straight there first. 

I mingled in the crowd of students who were all trying to get to their classes and finally managed to wiggle my way through to the class room. Students were still pouring in, but I had my eyes set on the teacher. I walked into the room, feeling less confident now, but I was actually feeling eager to get all of it out of my system. For the sake of my sanity, I ignored Suho and Lay, who were already there and focused on Mr. Quinn instead. 

"Good morning, seonsaeng-nim," I greeted, making the middle-aged man look up at in me in surprise. When I could tell that he didn't recognize me, he sat straight in his chair appraising me. 

"Eh, good morning," he started, looking confused. "I'm sorry, I wasn't aware that we'd have another new student joining us today," he muttered but I shook my head, flushing a bit. 

"I'm not a new student, Mr. Quinn, well, I technically am, but it's my second day. I'd like to get something off my chest, if that's okay. Do you mind if I set something straight in front of the class?" I asked, straight to the point. 

Mr. Quinn blinked at me and I could literally see the moment that realization smacked him on the face. His eyes nearly bulged out of his sockets when he stared at me again and he cleared his throat. 

"Oh- ah! Yes, eh, oh, I see," he stammered, giving me another look of astonishment. "Jae-sshi?" he asked hesitatingly and I smiled. 

"Hi," I greeted as casually as possible. 

"Oohh..." he mused, obviously a little startled. Then, when he saw that all of the students had arrived he blinked again and nodded his head, a little panicked. "Yes, hello, eh- Yes, quite alright. I-," he cleared his throat again and gave a nervous smile. I bit my lip to prevent from laughing. I had never seen someone so thrown off his game before. He got out of his seat to address the class. 

"Everyone, before we start, there's someone here who would like to a-, well, I-," he loosened his tie a bit. "An announcement," he then declared when he ran out of the proper words to say and I knew that I had to do this now, even though I was nervous at seeing all wide eyes staring at me. 

"Hi everyone," I started, wondering how I was going to on from here. "I just wanted to clear something up. I know I should've said something yesterday, but I was too chicken to function because it was a new school and it was my first day and everything, but- yeah, I'm getting ahead of myself. Wait, let me do this again," I stammered and took a deep breath to settle my nerves. "Hi, nice to meet all of you, I'm Jae-In Miyano, but everybody calls me Jae, which- I realize now - is a unisex name which probably contributed with everyone getting confused. I just wanted to point out, once and for all, that I am a girl. I've been one for seventeen years and I like it this way. I'm not Jae's twin sister or anything- I  _am_  Jae. For whatever reason, everyone seemed to think that I was a guy, which was totally not the impression I wanted anyone to have about me, but yeah- that kind of happened anyway," I blurted all of it out in one go. 

"I wasn't trying to purposely trick you, or anything, it was just that I had arrived on Sunday and with school starting on Monday for me, they only had an oversized uniform for me to wear. It was disastrous, as you could probably tell. The shirt and blazer was too big for me and that skirt that originally came with it, kept sliding from my butt, so I decided to wear jeans instead. But, as you can see, today I've the proper uniform and I'm very happy with it," I said, meaning every word. "So, yeah, I was kind of hoping we could start this over and pretend that yesterday didn't happen," I rambled, purposely not looking at Suho and Lay when I said this. 

"I still look forward to be your new classmate, and hope you'll forgive the mix-up. I truly did not mean to deceive anyone- actually, I'm still not entirely sure how or why that happened," I confessed, chuckling nervously when I was met by dumbfounded silence and confused and shocked faces. 

_Crap_. Maybe I should've thought this through just a bit more and also, it would've probably helped if I didn't ramble like an idiot like that. 

"Well," Mr. Quinn finally spoke, breaking the silence. "That was quite the announcement," he chuckled nervously. "I believe I owe you an apology, Jae. I indeed assumed yesterday that you were male," he started, giving a short bow to apologize. "I'm sure that mistake will not be made again," he added and then looked at the class. Mr. Quinn had been surprisingly mellow in the reaction, but whether that was the same case with my classmates, was a different story. 

"Is there anyone who would like to react to Jae?" Mr. Quinn asked and I winced a little, especially when it was still deathly silent in the class room. Were they  _this_  shocked?

After a painfully long moment of silence, someone finally raised a hand. 

"Ah, Minho?" Mr. Quinn called and I grimaced at making eye contact with the outgoing boy. 

"Yeah, uh, I'm not sure how to say this but...Wow. This makes  _so_  much sense!" he breathed, gesturing with his hands as though he were relieved. "No offense or anything, Jae, but I'd been talking to some guys about Jae and we were all saying what a weird dude he was," he started elaborating. "Seriously, I'm not trying to offend you, but you make one strange dude," his comment elicited some goodnatured laughs from the class room and I couldn't help but smirk out of embarrassment as well. When Minho caught me giggling, the smile on his face widened. 

"Jae makes a weird dude for sure," he started. "But as a girl, Jae's actually pretty cute," he complimented with ease, the answer so unexpected that it made flinch. At this statement, the class erupted in laughter and cat calling to tease Minho, but I couldn't help blushing, either. 

"Uh-o-oh, thanks, I guess," I muttered, embarrassingly. 

"There, there, simmer down, everyone. Minho, if you plan on confessing then do so in your own time, eh?" Mr. Quinn remarked playfully and I didn't really know what to do with myself. 

"Jae, thank you for clarifying. Go take your seat," the teacher winked and I quickly obliged, still feeling a little shy when my classmates were smiling at me. Well, almost all of them. I risked a quick peek at Suho and Lay, but they didn't look back at me. They were probably still just as embarrassed as I was about the whole locker room ordeal. I just hoped that they wouldn't mention it at all. Things were awkward enough as it were. 

After class, I was surrounded by a crowd of people again, this time because they were all eager to talk about the sudden reveal, as though I had purposely hid my gender from them. However, most of them could laugh about the whole situation, and sooner than I thought, I found myself snickering over it as well. At least I was more comfortable now and I was rather proud that I did what I did to point this out to everyone. I was feeling pretty good. 

When it was time for the next class, Suho had suddenly appeared by my side, walking quietly next to me without actually looking at me. For whatever reason, I thought he looked a little rough, tired and still so very agitated. Was he always this way? Or was he only this way towards me? He didn't say anything when he discretely handed me a piece of paper and continued walking ahead of me. Leaving me a little stumped.

Swallowing, I opened the note and that good feeling I'd been having, vanished like snow in the summer. 

_We need to talk. Sorry if this is too straightforward, but wait around your locker when lunch starts. It's important. - Suho._


	21. ~ Sorry, Sorry, Sorry ~

***

Suho's note seemed to be burning a hole in my pocket. What should have been a pleasant morning, with me finally being able to set everyone straight about me being a girl, ended in a sense of foreboding that made me nauseous with anxiety. 

Even though we were in the same year, we didn't take the same classes, which I was grateful for. It helped to clear my mind as I tried to relax. This wasn't necessarily easy, since I was trying my best to focus on the math class, whilst preventing from freaking out. Unable to help myself, I reached into my pocket and read the note again. Suho's handwriting was neat, but rushed. You could read his agitation in between the words. What did he want to talk about? The incident? What was he going to do? Oh God, they wouldn't have blabbed, would they? Or was that exactly why he wanted to talk to me? To threaten me not to tell anyone, or something? Was Suho the type of guy to do something like that? 

I looked up briefly from the note, gnawing on my bottom lip while the teacher explained something about solving linear equations, or something that required me to think really hard and suffer an aneurysm. Math was not my strong suit. 

I glanced at the clock that hung above the door of the class, flinching each time I saw the second hand move. Lunch time was approaching steadily and I wasn't sure whether I was ready for it. 

"Jae-hyung," someone suddenly called in a whisper and I looked over to my left. Lee pushed up his glasses and gave a nervous little smile. "Sorry, Jae- _noona_ ," he chuckled, blushing a little. "I would put that away if I were you, before seonsaeng-nim finds out," he warned me and I gave him a grateful smile. I folded the note and put it back in my pocket, picking up my pencil instead, pretending to jot down notes. I glanced over at Lee, who looked relieved that I wouldn't bring myself into trouble and he focused on the lesson again, though I noticed him glancing towards me now and then. 

Of course I pretended not to be aware of anything, since I didn't want to embarrass him, but it was rather cute. Lee was younger than me, but because the kid was smart, he took math class with people of my year. When he saw me, he didn't know what to do with himself for a split second. Then, he started apologizing profusely, up to the point that it became awkward. I told him that he didn't need to apologize, rather that it was my fault for not correcting anyone, but he insisted that he should've known. 

Everyone was surprisingly accepting after the initial shock wore off about me being a girl. I had half expected some of them to shun me or make fun of me, but they laughed it off and still wanted to get to know me better. Compared to yesterday, I had better hopes of fitting in now, but this thing with Suho still bothered me. Maybe it was best that we talked about what happened and then never speak of it again. At least then I'd have it over and done with. 

I flinched noticeably when the bell rang, signaling lunch time. I slowly gathered my stuff, putting everything into my backpack. Suho said I should wait around my locker, but I felt more nervous now. 

"Everyone finds out that you're a girl and you're already getting notes with written confessions, huh, noona?" Lee suddenly remarked, a shy smile on his face as he gestured at the note that was in my pocket. 

"Oh, trust me, Lee, that was not a confession," I chuckled as we walked out of the class room together. 

"Ah, I see. Good- well, not _good!_ I mean, more of a, good to know kind of 'good'- no, wait, I mean, uh..." Lee stammered, clumsily tripping over his words while he rubbed the back of his neck, cringing when he heard what he sounded like. I only lifted my eyebrow at him in question before chuckling goodnaturedly at him. 

"I get it," I assured him and patted him on the shoulder. "I got to go right now, but I'll catch you later, okay?" I excused myself and Lee quickly nodded. 

"Sure, noona! I'll see you later," he greeted. Giving a short wave, I turned to get to my locker. I was still trying to prepare myself as best as possible, since I've no idea what Suho wanted to say. I was rather pleased that I had to walk the long way back to my locker, since it was at the far end of the hallway, separated from the busier corridors. It gave me the time to gather my thoughts and recollect my nerves, whilst wondering why I was this nervous to begin with. I blamed Suho and his hostile attitude towards me. It was weird that he'd hand me a note like this. Of course it would make nervous! 

Upon nearing the hallway where my locker was situated, I slowed the pace and breathed out. "Okay, you can do this. He just wants to talk, that's all. Be cool, don't freak out. He's wearing clothes, so you should be fine," I mumbled to myself, readying myself as I turned the corner, expecting to see him there- except there wasn't anyone there. The hallway was nearly empty since only a few lockers were situated here, but there was no sign of Suho. 

_Are you kidding me? Was he just joking around?_

I carefully looked around, just to make sure, but aside from a couple of girls walking by, there was no glimpse of Suho to be found anywhere. I crossed my arms over my chest and tapped my foot on the floor impatiently. He wasn't here. I looked around rather awkwardly before deciding that I might as well get to my locker to exchange my books for upcoming classes. I walked to locker 1213, wondering whether I should wait for Suho just a bit longer, or just ditch to get food, when I found myself fighting with the door. 

"Aw damn it," I cursed, tugging at the door to pry it open. I dropped my backpack so that I was able to use both my hands. I planted my feet on the ground and pulled, but it wouldn't budge. "Oh, come _on_!" I gritted my teeth, using all my strength. The door refused to move and I sighed, leaning my forehead against the locker in defeat. 

Out of the blue, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end and before I peeled myself away from the locker door, a jolt of static electricity zapped my forehead for no reason at all and I jumped back, rubbing my head. 

"Ow! What the-?" 

"Your locker giving you grief, Newbie?" 

Startled at hearing the familiar voice, I turned around to see the smiling kid with high cheekbones, the corners of his mouth tugged up as he beamed at me. _Chen_. I backed away and blinked when I saw that he hadn't come alone. Before I was even fully aware what was going on, I found myself being surrounded by twelve guys, with different expressions on their faces. Most of them hadn't even looked at me, some of them just glared, and Suho- oh, Suho was there as well, but it was me that glared at him. When he gave me the note I thought that he meant that we should talk alone. Why did he bring his posse with him? 

I realized then that I hadn't answered the question yet and snapped back into action. "It's nothing, it's just stuck," I murmured, completely aware of the fact that I was having trouble looking any of them properly in the eye without blushing or turning away whilst feeling utterly embarrassed. 

_You're off to a great start, Jae!_

"You sure about that?" I watched as Suho turned to look at Luhan, who asked me the question. What was it about that guy's eyes that made me feel so out of sorts? They were clear and captivating, but perhaps that was why his stare made me so uncomfortable. 

"Yeah, I'm sure," I waved it off, doing my best to keep steady. He lifted an eyebrow at me and leaned to the side to look at my locker behind me. 

"Really? It looks open to me," he remarked, gesturing with his eyes to look behind me. Frowning in confusion I did so and my jaw dropped in astonishment. 

"Wha...how? The door was jammed just a second ago," I muttered, walking towards it and grabbing the door, getting jolted _again._

"Ow, what is it with the static electricity?" I waved my sore hand, momentarily ignoring the twelve guys looking at me. 

Suho cleared his throat so that I turned around again. There was something about the way he behaved and looked that made me think that his mood has worsened. He inhaled and briefly rubbed the back of his neck. "So, I feel that there are a few things that we should discuss," he started, finding the right words. It did me some good to see that I wasn't the only one who felt uncomfortable. 

"I didn't-," I spoke up, interrupting Suho as he was just about to continue. "Sorry," I immediately said, but he shook his head and urged me to continue. "Eh, I didn't tell anyone, if that's what you're concerned about," I finished. 

"Oh, thank God," someone whispered and it was hard for me not to recognize him. The moment we made eye contact, we glanced away. 'Mr. Bacon' gave a nervous little smile and shuffled back to take shelter behind his taller friend with the toothpaste smile. Chanyeol, if I recalled correctly. He was looking a little nervous himself, fidgeting with the end of his shirt, looking guilty. Not surprising perhaps since he was the one that wanted to 'help' take my clothes off. 

"Good to know," Suho commented, looking just a little bit more relaxed. 

"Yeah...So, eh-," I looked around a little nervously and I saw Luhan narrowing his eyes at me.  _What was that dude doing?_

"So, was that it?" I finally managed to ask. "I'm not gonna tell anyone, or anything. I don't want anyone finding out just as much as you do," I added, hoping that it would get them off my back. Suho nodded, but he glanced at Luhan for whatever reason. Luhan only looked at me, his brow furrowed as if he was frustrated about something. 

"There's one more thing," Suho then said and I looked at him, expectantly. He looked at his friends and they suddenly all straightened themselves. I moved back a little when they bowed and said in unison,

"Sorry for the misunderstanding, please don't hold it against us." 

My mouth was agape since this was the last thing I expected to happen. They finished their apology and waited for a reaction from my part.  _What was I supposed to say?_  

"T-that's okay," I started, this whole situation making me very uncomfortable. "I should've said something sooner." 

"That would've helped," one of them remarked, not holding back to show his disdain towards me. It was the bronze-skinned kid who met my gaze evenly, his hands casually in his pockets as he regarded me.  _Anyone up for cutting through the tension here?_

"Then I should apologize as well," I agreed with him, speaking in a neutral tone to show him that I wasn't reciprocating his disdain towards me. That seemed to surprise him. I gave them a bow. "I'm sorry. I hope we can put this behind us and forget it happened," I stated. "Maybe we could start over?" I suggested, hoping that would break the ice a little. At this, I could see Lay spring up, ready to take me up on the offer, but Suho held him back without even having to look at him. 

"No need for that. What's done is done. What matters is that we've sorted this and we move on with our lives," he answered a little coldly. 

Feeling a little agitated myself now, since I really don't know what I've done to him that made him act like a jerk towards me, I felt my awkwardness and anxiety make way for a little anger. 

"You don't believe in second chances at first impressions, huh?" I asked with a bite. 

"I do, but I don't see the point it in. In the end, it's the very first impression that stays, anyway," he replied evenly and I scoffed, chuckling lightly. 

" _That_  I do agree with," I emphasized, using his own words against him. Suho blinked a few times before giving a curt nod of the head.  

"See you around...Jae," he greeted, abruptly ending the oh-so-pleasant conversation we were having. He turned around to leave, his friends ready to follow him like meek little lambs, but this just rubbed me the wrong way. 

"Did I do something to piss you off, Suho?" I asked bluntly, amazed at my hidden ability to be able to make enemies whilst only being here for barely two days. He stopped walking and turned his head towards me. 

"Not yet," he answered, which didn't give me chills at all, because, I mean, why would it right? I shook my head at him as his friends slowly followed his example by leaving with him. Luhan was still looking at me until his friend, Xiumin, patted him on the shoulder and pushed him along. 

When Lay passed by, he was staring at his friend rather blankly, as though he was confused by all the tension. He shot me a dimpled smile. "See you in class, Jae," he greeted, still somewhat friendly, but cautious as well, somehow. Lay was kind, sure, but there was something strange about him as well. Those guys all acted as though they were hiding something. I can't put my finger on it. 

"See you, Lay," I greeted absently. I jolted slightly when someone tapped me lightly on the shoulder. I backed up when I saw that it was Mr. Bacon himself, still looking apologetic. I don't know how well meant their apology was, but something told me that his was definitely genuine. 

"Hi, sorry, eh, I just wanted to make it clear that I am really sorry," he stammered. "I, uh, you know, I usually buy a girl dinner first, go on dates and stuff," he tried to joke before swallowing. "Sorry, that was- stupid...Okay then..." he bowed again and quickly ran after his friends before I could grace him with a reply. When he was gone, the tall dude with the honey blonde hair came up, his hands folded behind his back. 

"Um..." he started. 

"Yeah, I know," I stopped him, hugging my arms so that my chest was covered. "You really don't have to mention it again- ever," I told him when I saw him nodding, pursing his lips now and then. 

"Just, as long as you know, uh, sorry," he attempted to apologize, his hands stiffly behind his back. 

"It's fine, really," I quickly replied since I did not want the memory of his hands on my chest to come flooding back in, not while he was this close in front of me. 

"Okay, uh, g-good. Eh...You know, just for the record, they're, uh, you know-, there's nothing, um, wrong with them, or anything..." he stammered, a blush painting the tips of his ears. 

"Yeah, you should probably follow your friends," I quickly told him and he nodded, relieved to be excused. 

"Yeah, uh, good talk," he pointed after his friends and quickly joined them. I watched him speed walk towards them and just shook my head.  _Well, that happened..._

"Told you they were idiots." 

D.O. was probably the only one that didn't give me creepy vibes, even though he was a bit difficult to read. It did some good to see him smile lightly at me, though. 

"Yeah, you were not wrong," I jested. "Are they always like this?" I asked, feeling more at ease around my ex-tour guide. 

"Ah, well-,"

"D.O., come on," Suho called, waiting for D.O. to move. Geez, impatient much?

"Some other time," D.O. excused himself. 

I chuckled in disbelief. "What, is he your boss or something? The leader of the gang?" I jested, but caught the strange little smile on his lips. 

"Bye, Jae," he only greeted and walked. I watched him walk away, ignoring Suho who was waiting for him whilst keeping an eye on me, when D.O. suddenly turned around, walking backwards only so that he could still look at me. 

"By the way, I take it back," he said. 

"Take what back?"

"What I said," he appraised me briefly. "You definitely look like a girl." And with that, he left with Suho to the cafeteria. 

I'm not sure what just happened, but I did know that D.O.'s remark was rather sweet, I guess. "Oh, what is it with this school?" I murmured, staring at my mysteriously opened locker door. That was definitely weird. I knew that I couldn't open the thing, no matter what I did. I may not be strong, but I sure as heck wasn't weak either. That door was jammed. 

"How did you open?" I mused. 

"Jae-yah, Jae-yah!" a sweet voice rang in the air and when I looked to the side, Lili's head peeked around the corner, waving her hand excitedly towards me, motioning for me to come to her. A little confused, I grabbed what I needed and pushed the locker shut before meeting Lili. 

I was surprised to see that she was not alone. A bunch of girls had gathered around with smiles on their faces, looking very enthusiastic when they saw me. What did I miss this time?

"Hi everyone," I started. They replied with cheerful chattering, which overwhelmed me to say the least. 

"Everyone, this is Jae-yah, formerly known as Jae-sshi, when I thought she was a boy," Lili giggled. When the girls waved at me, I did the same, just a fraction slower since I wasn't sure what was going on. 

"Nice to meet all of you," I said politely, a stiff smile on my lips. 

"Were you just talking to Kai?" one of them suddenly asked and I frowned. Which one was Kai?

"Oh, and Sehun as well?"

"I know you spoke with Luhan! They were all gathered around you, I'm so jealous!"

Upon hearing these statements, I directed myself towards Lili who blushed a little. "Sorry, we couldn't help but notice that you were talking to  _them_ ," she uttered the word 'them' as though it was sacred and I had the urge to back away slowly and not make a sound. 

"Oh, that? Yeah, it was nothing really interesting," I immediately dismissed, hoping that they wouldn't ask for more details. 

"Not interesting? They couldn't stop looking at you!" one of them piped up. 

"I'm not sure that's the case," I defended, now mentally fighting the urge to run away. 

"Are you kidding? Each of us would die for them to notice us. You're here barely two days and all twelve of them give you attention. What's your secret?" Lili sounded like she was just playing around, but the look of determination in her eyes kind of scared me. 

"I-it's not like that, I mean-," something clicked in my mind as I looked at these fresh-faced girls. Perhaps it was evil of me, but this could work to my advantage... "Say, you girls know those guys?" I asked as nonchalantly as possible. 

"Duh," they giggled. Lili even smacked me playfully on the arm. "Everyone knows who they are," she stated matter-of-factly. 

There was a little devil laughing in the back of my mind. "Is that so?" I mused. "Are you girls up for some pizza? My treat," I offered, to which they enthusiastically agreed to. Lili linked her arm over mine while I subtly started asking questions about the so-called majestic twelve. It may have been a bit underhanded on my part, but at the same time I rather enjoyed hanging out with just girls. And if this gave me the opportunity to get to know more about those guys, then I'm taking it. 

I wanted to know why they were on edge when they were around me, and more importantly, I wanted to know what tied those twelve together. They seemed like such an odd combination of personalities that I found it hard to believe that they were close friends.  _But there they are,_ I thought, seeing them having lunch together.  _The Majestic Twelve._


	22. ~ Jolt Out of the Blue ~

***

_Crap. She really is a girl..._

_Crap. Why does she make me nervous?_

_Crap... She's cute..._

Chen was buzzing with energy when he saw the newbie for the first time in her full uniform, but at first he had blamed his excess of energy on that time of the month. He had more trouble controlling his antics and was explicitly more sensitive to the electricity in the air. It didn't help that the weather on the island was so mild during this time of year. He wished it would rain. Not only would he be able to let loose and play with the thunder and lightning, the rain might do Suho-hyung some good as well. Peeking at Suho, he could sense the tension coming off his older brother. But Chen knew that it wasn't just because full moon was coming.

_It was her_. 

"Your locker giving you grief, Newbie?" he had said casually, after witnessing her struggle with the door. However, it didn't go by him unnoticed that she jolted back due to static electricity. Suho had glared at him for that, but Chen wasn't even aware that he did anything. The locker door suddenly opening, however, that was Luhan all the way. If he didn't know any better, Suho would have probably burst if it weren't for the newbie standing right in front of them.

Chen wasn't naturally one to be thrown easily off balance, in fact, usually it was the other way around. He had often heard that he knew how to catch people off guard, get on their vulnerable sides and push buttons. All for his own amusement of course, but at the same time it was a way for him to show that he cared. Teasing others was a natural thing for him to do and it brought him trouble more often than not, but it never stopped him. He liked catching people off guard and toy with them, the same he was doing to the Newbie, simply because he still didn't know how to read her.

And Chen didn't like that.

_Luhan, anything?_  Suho's voice sounded in his head and Chen looked to his older brother. He tried not to burst out in laughter when he caught the look of constipation on the usually handsome hyung's face. The laughing fit passed when Luhan replied to him. 

_Nothing. She's closed._

How was that even possible?! Luhan had always been able to read inside other people's heads as though they were open books. Even the most rigid of personalities were not safe from Luhan-hyung. It didn't take him much effort at all, so what made this girl special? Maybe Suho was right to worry about her?

He calmly ate his lunch whilst keeping an oblique eye on the girl named Jae, surrounded by girls, comfortably chatting with all of them, blending in. Whilst yesterday, Chen remembered, she was an awkward, scrawny guy that stood out because of his odd behavior and appearance. He'd even made fun of her pants. He wasn't easily tricked but that girl...He had no idea that she was female. Chen didn't like that that was probably the first impression she had of him, but he wasn't sure why he was so displeased. 

_She has a cute smile..._  

Blinking at the thought, he forcefully tore his gaze away before Luhan might pick something up. 

"Full moon is coming soon," Kai noted, finishing his chicken. Honestly, that kid never ate anything else at the school cafeteria. "Just a few days left." 

"Yeah, we know. What's your point?" Suho asked, still in a foul mood. 

"Are you planning to go out tonight?" Kai asked, picking at a chicken bone. 

The brothers all gazed at Suho, who was focused on his meal. Chen glanced over at Kris, knowing that usually he was the only one that knew exactly how to handle Suho during the time of the month. Kris was watching their leader quietly himself, simply waiting for him to answer, instead of gazing in anticipation at him. He was always so calm and controlled. Chen felt like zapping him just for the heck of it. He was feeling antsy and wouldn't mind going out tonight. 

"No," came Suho's short and disappointing reply. 

" _Wae_ , hyung?" he immediately protested, lacking a filter through his mouth. Chen startled when it was Kris that cast him a warning glance and subtly shook his head, but it was too late for him to take back the words. 

"You know why," Suho snapped. "I'm tired having to explain it over and over again." Chen leaned back at seeing the sheen of red flash briefly in his hyung's eyes and he looked away. 

"Well, I don't like the new girl either, but that doesn't give us any reason not to go out tonight," Kai stubbornly continued, not so easily intimidated by Suho's foul mood. Then again, he often butted heads with the leader, so he was used to go against him. Kai had always been more rebellious than the others. Chen figured it was because he was the first. Kai was here first. 

"It gives us every reason to stay put, and since when are you so eager to hunt anyway? You never want to hunt," Suho pointed out. 

"That's not true. I only resent going out when you have all of us hunting for something that doesn't exist, hyung," Kai answered, still calm though his frustration was showing. "We need to blow off steam, hyung. If we wait for the first full moon, I can't guarantee I'll be holding back. You know how all of us get once that moon is here," he argued. 

"There's no harm to go out tonight is there? We've got club activities anyway. We could roam for a while and be back for dinner before any of our parents notice," Kris suggested calmly, flaring up his eyebrows when Suho turned to glare at him accusingly. 

"Did you know that E.T. Corp has started setting up their so-called animal-friendly protection systems?" Suho shot back, dropping the news like a bomb. He scoffed. "If any of you ever picked up a newspaper instead of comic books and dirty magazines, you would've known this," he groused, the brothers paling. 

Chen suddenly slammed his hand against the table, startling his brothers. "I thought I sensed something strange in the woods the other day, like a massive source of electricity buzzing around, but I couldn't understand where it came from," he elaborated. 

"Electricity? How is that animal-friendly?" Tao questioned, looking worried. 

"It's not, that's the point," Suho answered. 

"So, we could just avoid those systems and Chen could disable them if we happened to stumble against one of them," Chanyeol piped up easily, carefully shrinking back when he caught Suho's glare. 

"I don't know if I actually can," Chen started carefully. He knew how Suho felt about them using their abilities blatantly. 

"Wait. If those systems were put up in the woods, wouldn't other animals get hit by them, too?" Lay suddenly asked, a look of worry on his face. 

"Electric fences don't tend to discriminate what they hit, Lay," Luhan answered gently, especially when Lay appeared to have paled even more. 

"Whoa, but there are more animals in the forests than wolves alone. What if rabbits get hit? Or a deer? Birds could fly against them too!" Lay's face stood worried, his lips pouting a bit as he thought of all the animals at risk with the new security system. Leave it to Lay-hyung to think of other creatures first before even considering his own safety. Honestly, Chen couldn't imagine anyone else more fitting to be able to heal others than their Lay. 

Kris patted him on the shoulder, but Lay still looked a little concerned. 

"Don't worry, hyung, perhaps the system isn't that bad," Sehun tried, not being able to stand the pouty expression of the older brother. Chen made sure not to mention that the electricity he sensed was quite strong. Those systems were put up to hurt and cause pain, that much he was sure of. 

Lay only nodded vaguely, though it appeared as though he was ready to run off to head to the forest to heal any injured creatures. 

"I still agree with Chanyeol, though. Especially if Chen can sense the electricity, we can just avoid them alltogether," Kai prompted again, pushing the matter. 

"And the new girl?" Suho started again, causing Chen to inadvertently glance at her. She was talking and laughing with those other girls, just like a normal student.  _Except that there's something about her that isn't normal_... 

"What about her? I'm sorry, hyung, but I don't see why you're so worried about her. So her father works for E.T. Corp, big deal. It's not like that makes her evil, or something...right?" Tao dared to ask. 

When Suho sighed deeply, Kris finally stepped in. "Let's drop the matter, okay? Look, we all can't deny that there's something about that girl that's strange," he said in a soothing voice. "Luhan, for whatever reason, can't look into her thoughts. None of us had the faintest idea that she was a girl when we first saw her, while we're usually able to sense someone's present, smell their scent. She's sensitive to the static electricity whenever Chen is near," he noted, which made Chen jolt up. "And it wouldn't surprise me if she happened to be sensitive for anything else." 

"What are you saying, Kris?" D.O. asked, a question burning in his eyes. Chen caught Luhan suddenly looking at Sehun and he exchanged a look with Baekhyun himself. 

"I'm not sure, but Suho is right to worry," Chen followed Kris' gaze as he looked at the newbie as well. His older brother then leaned forward over the table, speaking in a quiet tone. "What if she's like us?" he suddenly interposed, surprising his brothers, but mostly Chen, who couldn't help but blast out a laugh after hearing something so ridiculous. 

"Ah, Kris-hyung, don't be like that," he laughed, but Kris was 100% serious. 

"I mean it. Sehun mentioned it before, about her being number thirteen to our 'dirty dozen', and I don't know whether you meant it or not," Kris looked at the youngest one, "but I couldn't stop thinking about it. Maybe she's not part of us, but she could be like us. It would explain a number of things."

"But wouldn't that mean that we shouldn't worry about it then? I mean, if she is like us, then she would understand who we are, right?" Xiumin tried to reason, but the look on his face betrayed his confusion. Chen wasn't sure whether he understood either. 

"Or it means that she's dangerous," Suho opted instead.

"But she doesn't look like she knows anything," D.O. argued, which Chen found a little strange. D.O. usually didn't care all too much when they were discussing things, and barely spoke up unless he was firmly against something. 

"Which might make her even more dangerous," said Suho determinedly, he jerked his head towards her. "She's already starting to become curious," he grunted exasperatingly. 

Chen strained himself to hear through the noise of the cafeteria and he regretted not having the self-discipline and focus like most of his brothers to listen at one particular voice or sound to be able to hear. As soon as he heard her voice however, he felt his heart betraying him and for a moment, Chen was scared. 

_"How did they become so close, though? I mean, different years, different personalities..."_ she asked, obviously talking about him and his brothers. 

_"They're always together, almost like they're long lost brothers, or something. It's a little strange, but it's so adorable."_

_"Adorable. Right... So, eh, do any of you notice them sometimes behaving a little- I don't know...different? Maybe a bit- unusual?"_

Chen's eyes widened a little at that. Did she sensed something about them, or were they too obvious towards her? Was she like them, after all? 

_"Unusual? How do you mean?"_

_"I don't know, don't they seem a bit- um...mysterious? Like they may have something to hide?"_

_"You're a little silly, aren't you, Jae-yah? Of course they're mysterious, that's part of their charm!"_

_"Maybe you could give an example?"_

_"An example? Uh, okay... Well, like, I don't know... Luhan, for instance. The way he looks at you, as if he can read your mind, or something. It's very- uh - intense."_

Startled, Chen looked over at his brothers. Had they been listening as well? 

"Lucky guess," D.O. offered, though he didn't sound convinced by his own words. 

"Or instinct," Suho glanced at them all before he started talking again about his worries and how they should be careful. Chen felt static electricity at his fingertips though, and he didn't listen to what their leader said. He was distracted. Very much so. He knew that he was the first to have seen her, to have spoken to her. That was a secret he kept to himself. Jolts of energy vibrated throughout his body, whilst he purposely tried to listen for her voice again. 

He subtly and discretely turned to look at her again, but felt his heart skip a beat when her eyes met his evenly. Chen was struck by lightning at that moment, confused and flustered as to why she had such an effect on him. How could she meet his gaze so evenly? She blinked as though she may have been startled by the direct eye contact as well, but then she shyly gave the tiniest of smiles before looking away and Chen hurriedly did the same. 

"Suho-hyung is right," he blurted out, interrupting said brother in the middle of his monologue. Eleven pairs of eyes directed themselves at him and Chen swallowed, sure of his statement. "She's dangerous. I can wait till full moon, or until we know more about her, whatever works," he rambled, rapping on the table with his fingers. He bobbed his head while his brothers just gawked at him. "What?" he asked. 

"That was sudden," Baekhyun noted. "Lay-hyung, see if there's something wrong with Chen-Chen." Chen moved away from Baekhyun's hand as it touched his forehead. 

"Why are you like this with me?" he whined. "I'm fine. I just agree with Suho-hyung. She's too nosy. We shouldn't do anything rash while she's taken an interest in us," he shrugged, though his heart was beating a mile a minute.

"Well, I'm glad someone agrees," Suho decided. "That's it then. We wait a little longer."

Chen seemed to be the only one to nod his head fiercely, his eyes automatically trailing towards Jae. He paid attention when she tugged a strand of hair behind her ear and bit her lips while she was listening intently to one of the girls at her table. He started gnawing on his own lips and turned away to look at his plate of food. He lost his appetite. Chen's eyes moved towards her just one more time. _Or did I?_  


	23. ~ Unicorn ~

***

There wasn't much he could remember about his childhood days, which any other person would find odd, but to him it had never been a big deal. He had always been forgetful, his mind wandering to places so far away he wasn't even aware of where his thoughts were going. 

Lay was the type of person with his head in the clouds, but his feet planted firmly on the ground. His mother always told him what a special mix of fact and fancy he was. He was a dreamer, an idealist that wasn't afraid to work hard to pursue his dreams, to attain his goals. It was one of the reasons why everything Lay attempted was always brought to success, but he never bragged about it. He was grateful and humble about his abilities, respectful to the gifts that were given to him, realizing that they could just as easily been taken away from him. 

That was why Lay worked hard and diligently, to continue achieving the goals he had set and to make the people he cared about proud and most importantly of all; happy. Lay had a personality that was calm and gentle on the surface, but behind his blank stares and oblivious confusion was a passionate, intelligent young man whose heart was made of gold. His misfortune, was that this particular heart was vulnerable to breaking easily. 

He may not remember much of his past, like his brothers could, but he did remember pain. His brothers had told them the vague snippets of their past and he enjoyed listening to them because they sounded like fun, happy memories. Some were even mysterious and a bit frightening, but he could see their eyes light up when they mentioned it. Their memories gave them good emotions. When they asked him what he could remember, Lay would smile, rub the back of his neck and give an embarrassed shrug of the shoulders. 

"I don't remember," he would say, "but I'm sure they're similar to yours." 

His brothers would laugh and shake their heads in amusement at him. "Ah, so typical of this hyung!" they would exclaim. "Why are you so forgetful, hyung?" and they would tease him cheerfully and he'd let them because nothing made him more happy than to see the ones he cared about be happy as well. 

In truth, Lay didn't want to share what little he remembered, because it hurt too much. There were times when he was caught off guard and would wake up with his face stained with tears. He remembered once even screaming in his sleep to such an extent that it had woken the entire house. The look of fear and alarm on his parents and grandparents' faces was something he never wanted to see again. 

No. Maybe the reason why Lay didn't remember much of his past was because most of it was painful. And if that was the case, he didn't want to remember anything else. 

_Why are you hurting for me, Lay? I don't want you bearing my suffering._

The voice was so soft and so gentle in his memory, but he knew that it was filled with excruciating pain. Pain that he felt in his heart, in his body, in his mind. He couldn't heal himself, so he bore with it. 

_Your heart has always been the softest. Your soul the most empathic. And you're still so surprised that I chose you to be my unicorn. My healer._

Even thinking about it made his heart sink to his chest. He didn't even know what was happening, why the voice was saying the things it said. All he knew was that those memories were tied with pain and grief, so heartwrenching he wasn't sure how anyone could bear it. 

_Smile for me._

And so, he did. Always. He never faltered, always made sure to tend to others, try his best to make them happy and to keep it that way. He did whatever he could in order to prevent having to feel such pain and sadness again. If he did came across those things, he did what he did best; he healed. Any injured animal would not go past him unnoticed, and Lay wished that he could heal humans the same way; he doubted that there would be a sick person left on the island then. But things didn't work that way. He couldn't heal cancer. He couldn't raise people from the dead. He only helped. Whenever and wherever he could. 

Right now, he was thinking how he could help Suho and the rest of his brothers. He was one of the lucky ones to not suffer any severe effects from the upcoming full moon. Luhan had once reasoned that it was probably because he had the ability of healing and that that made him immune to the time of the month. Lay wasn't sure whether that was the case, but he was fine with it. 

Everyone was so concerned about Jae, and try as he may, Lay couldn't quite understand why. When they shook hands, she didn't feel at all malicious or dangerous to him. In fact, she had a warm touch that for some reason made him feel extremely calm. More so than usual. Still, that simultaneously caused him to worry. If he didn't know any better, it was as if Jae had unknowningly transferred some of his energy he used on her back to him. Lay hadn't mentioned it to his brothers because Suho was stressed enough as it were, but it had intrigued him. 

What if he went up to her and just asked her if she could do something like he and his brothers could? No. Even he knew that that was a poor idea. He wanted to know more about her though. He had been curious since yesterday, when he thought she was a boy. Right now, he was staring at the back of her head, his face an expressionless mask. It was the last class of the day and extra curricular activities would start. It would be nice hanging around the science lab with Mr. Tabi, and his brothers. 

_Would Jae like to see it too?_

Lay cautiously glanced over at Suho, who was too busy with the class to pay attention to him. He smirked and shook his head. Suho would kill him for sure. He resorted to stare out the window instead, a new concern flooding in when he thought of the E.T. security systems and all the poor, unsuspecting animals that might accidentally walk up against them. The thought alone made his fingers twitch. Since he knew, first hand, what pain and suffering was, he didn't want others to feel them as well. He figured that that was most likely the reason why he was able to heal creatures, of which he was grateful for. 

Lay fluttered with his eyes when he gazed outside, momentarily blinded by the sun. However, upon second glance, Lay realized that it wasn't the sun that was blinding him. They were flashes. Flashes in his mind that intruded his thoughts and made his head hurt. Lay cringed, but said nothing, quietly holding his head and closing his eyes, hoping that it would soon pass. 

It didn't. 

For the first time since ever, Lay found a new memory. 

_He was a child and he was crying. The dove in his hand wasn't moving. "You can do it," a voice called to him. The dove woke, fully healed and flew out of his caring hands._

_"Will you remember this feeling, Lay? There's more than pain and sorrow in this world."_

He blinked his eyes open, the warm feeling in his chest lingering. Lay then noticed that the class had grown quiet. The teacher had stopped talking, and for some reason, Jae had turned around to look at him, curiously. Upon seeing her face, he automatically smiled, but blinked rapidly again when he heard the teacher sighing and his classmates snickering. Did he miss something?

"Yixing, did you even hear what I asked you?" the teacher suddenly called, startling him. 

His dumbfounded and slow reaction elicited snickering from his classmates and he shyly rubbed the back of his head as he usually would do when he felt embarrassed. 

The teacher sighed. "Yixing, at least pretend that you're paying attention to the class. And get your head out of the clouds, boy."

" _Ne_ , seonsaeng-nim. I'm sorry," he apologized sincerely as the teacher went to ask another student a question. Suho gave him a questioning look from beside him before leaning towards him, risking getting caught by the teacher. 

"What were you thinking about?" he asked. 

Lay shrugged his shoulders apologetically. "I don't know. I forgot," he said, making Suho roll his eyes at him, though there was a small smile on his lips. The expression made Lay happy. It seemed so long since Suho smiled. 

"Well, don't try to remember it then, unless you want teacher to catch you daydreaming again," his hyung said and Lay nodded obediently. It didn't take him long after that to stare out the window again, the voice ringing in his mind. 

_"There's more than pain and sorrow in this world."_

_"Really? What else is there, then?"_

That was him. He had asked that question, and he sounded so young. He couldn't see the voice smiling, but he could tell that it was, when it answered him. When he wanted to make sure that the teacher wasn't paying him any attention, since he didn't want to get caught off guard again, he noticed that Jae was still carefully peeking behind her, at him. He didn't make a point to hide the fact that he had noticed and she flushed red, caught by his stare. She gave an apologetic smile before turning around, making Lay notice how beautiful her hair was shining.

The voice in his head was chortling with cheerfulness when it answered his question:

_"Love."_


	24. ~ A List ~

***

Nr.1: The Majestic Twelve as a group are nearly seen as the princes of the school. Lili told me that they're popular, but individually it was a different story. 

Nr.2: Individually, the twelve are their own characters. They have their own unique personalities and are of different years. How are they such close friends? Arinya, a senior who was in the same class as Luhan and Xiumin, said that the twelve treat each other like brothers, even though they come from different backgrounds and have different upbringings. Nobody seems to find this strange. Not even in the slightest. 

Nr.3: They're handsome. As in, that is the general consensus of the school. Even the guys reluctantly admit to that fact and often aspire to be more like them. The twelve appear to get the most chocolates, flowers and confessions around Valentine's Day and White Day. They don't appear to have girlfriends, but they're always polite and kind to their admirers... I don't know why this fact is listed here...Yeah...uh- Moving on! 

Nr.4: The girls claim that the twelve each have something special about them that makes them attractive, besides their looks. When I asked what they mean, I was surprised to have found out that it wasn't their ability to dance or play basketball or excel at soccer. In fact, it would be easier to subdivide this section further to give a brief explanation on each individual.

4a. Xiumin's charm is not based solely on the fact that he's cute- apparently his nickname is Baozi (because, yeah trying to remember twelve names wasn't difficult enough) - but the fact that he's quiet and is a strong and silent presence. If I recall, correctly, one of the girls that had a crush on him said that there was something cold and distant about him that she couldn't resist.  _Cold and distant_. 

4b. Luhan. Need I say more? The very thing that I find disconcerning about him, the other girls find attractive. The way he looks at you, as if he can stare into your soul. Some people may like that, but I still find it rather creepy. There was no denying however that he had attractive, bright eyes. Lili said that she always felt like a moth being caught in a flame when she looked into his eyes. That girl had it bad...

4c. This is going to be a long list. The honey blonde guy, Kris. I personally couldn't be all too objective towards him considering what had happened between us, but he was the tallest person of the group and the girls, for whatever reason, thought he moved as though he was walking on air. He was smooth and cool, though honestly, I thought he was a bit of a dork.  _With big hands_... 

4d. Ah, my favorite: Suho. I think the girls may have been describing another person when talking about him. Coming from a comfortable upbringing, Suho was raised by his parents like a humble prince (their words, I guarantee you, they are definitely not mine). He was kind, warmhearted, gentle and polite- calm and soothing like water, flowing easily amongst the people which earned him a good reputation and standing in the island in general. They must've been talking about someone else, right?

4e. We haven't even reached the list halfway. When the girls talked about Lay, their eyes all lit up. He was considered cute, dopey and a bit slow to react. However, the dude seemed to be multi-talented. He was an average student concerning academics, but he was active in all sorts of extracurricular activities and clubs. He was part of the music class, basketball team (along with Kris), science club and dance team. Yes- they have a dance team here, go figure. In his free time he did volunteer work at the animal shelter. The guy was some kind of freaking saint, but the girls said that his biggest charm point was the fact that he made people feel energized. He had a soothing, pleasant aura. I guess I could agree with that.

4f. Baekhyun, also known as Bacon, who was responsible for making me dislike bacon for that very reason. People kept saying how he had a very strong presence, like sunshine, lighting up the room. I was the last person to deny that. The boy definitely had a way with claiming the spotlight and, in my own experience, not necessarily for the better. Yeah, let's keep moving on...

4g. Chen, the smiley guy who keeps calling me Newbie. He struck me as playful and mischievous and I wasn't entirely wrong. However, the girls, again, stated that there was something- electrifying about him. Sometimes he could suddenly look at you and you'd feel as though you were struck by lightning. His gaze was intense. I found it more subtle. We had accidentally crossed gazes during lunch and I was startled when he looked directly at me, but I felt a subtle jolt instead of the lightning some of the girls were talking about. Except, I wasn't being metaphorical. I felt a literal jolt when we met gazes. Now that I thought about it, I always appear to get shocked by static electricity when that guy was near. Probably just a coincidence.

4h. You thought we were done? Nope, not by a long shot. Next guy up was Chanyeol. His family owned a popular cafe/restaurant which was apparently a cool hangout place for the local youth on the island. He was described as being outgoing, funny and playful, but most of all, and surprising to me- fiery. They said he was passionate about the things he did and there was always a spark about him when he interacted with others.

4...i? Bear with me here, it's not easy for me to keep track with all of it either. Ah, D.O., probably the one person of all twelve that seemed most amicable to me, despite of his rather introverted and stoic nature. It was known that the guy was bullied exactly for those reasons, but the girls who harbored a crush on him were in madly and deeply. He probably didn't know that he had admirers, though, since they claimed that he only focused on his studies and hanging out with his brothers. His absolute charm? Being steadfast. I kid you not, that's what they said. He was solid and strong, like the earth.

4j. Tao, nicknamed lovingly as the Kung Fu Panda. I wasn't sure what to think of the lanky guy. I actually thought he was rather shy and appeared a bit childish to me. He was an avid practitioner of the martial art of Wushu, which, I have to admit was very cool, but I hadn't expected him to be the type for it. There was a timelessness about him, a strange charm that even the girls had difficulty explaining. He was somewhat of a blindspot to me, as well.

4k. Kai, the snarky, bronze-skinned kid. At least, that was my first impression of him. The mere mention of his name though, brought the girls I was with into near hysteria. He seemed to be part of the dance team as well, which I really wouldn't have expected, given his attitude. Again, they described someone that I wasn't familiar with. A boyish, shy guy who didn't laugh or smile much, but when he did- wow, exploding ovaries everywhere. His biggest charm, however? Mystery. Intrigue. The feeling that he was unreachable, that he couldn't get caught. These girls, _aiyah,_ they were in deep. 

4l. The last one and the youngest one, the _maknae_ , was Sehun. They called him a breath of fresh air, with his platinum blonde hair and dark roots, cute face and slender frame. He may appear sweet and innocent on the surface, but according to the girls, he had something wild about him when he was lost in thought. Wild and unpredictable. 

Nr.5: Yes, I am very well aware at how stalkery this all is, but every bit of information about them seemed useful to me. Not because I was fangirling over them like most of the girls at the school, but because- _because...?_ I blinked when I pondered over it. Why was I fascinated? Because I just wanted-  _no_ ,  _needed_  - to know. I realized now that maybe they were behaving strangely towards me, but there was no denying that I felt out of place when they were around as well. It reminded me of the feelings I get when I was having one of those anxiety attacks. 

Nr.6: I'm not obsessed. Honestly. They just seemed to be there everywhere I go.

I contemplated my list, feeling out of sorts whilst looking around the school grounds. I told Mom that I would check out a few extracurricular activities, but I didn't know where to start. There was drama club, chess club, a variety of sport clubs, music, dance, art, film, the school newspaper... Where to go?

My feet moved automatically towards the secret rose garden I had discovered yesterday by accident and I plopped down rather ungraciously on the soft grass. I forgot I was wearing a skirt and quickly changed my sitting position. Feeling a bit lazy, I thought about just lying here until it was time to go home. I could always check out the clubs and such tomorrow as well.

But as I was starting to get comfortable, I heard raised voices, breaking the pleasant silence. I sat up, a little agitated, until I clearly heard a soft _boom_  as if something had exploded, followed by excited laughter and shouts. Frowning, I looked around my peaceful garden, and got to my feet. There was a narrow, overgrown little path that led a bit further into the woods, which I hadn't noticed yesterday and decided to follow it. The sounds grew louder with each step I took and the little path took me to yet another building. It was small and could have easily been mistaken for a storage room, except that it looked too luxurious for it. The building was similar in the style of the rest of the school, so maybe this was used for club activities. I wondered which activity that could be though. By the sound of things, it was a good one. 

I wasn't sure whether I should be doing this, but I was curious. I opened the door and walked through the hallway, still following the noise. I paused momentarily when I recognized the shouts of excitement to be all male. 

_Hm. My spidey senses were tingling- you know, if I had spidey senses..._

"One more time! One more time!" a voice called out. I stopped in front of the door where the noise came from. My hand was on the door handle, but I didn't move just yet. Maybe it was weird suddenly barging in. Should I knock first? Yeah, I should knock first. I jumped back when more shouting came out of the room. 

I knocked, since my curiosity got the better of me, and I didn't know why I persisted, but something drew me to this place. Following my instinct, I cautiously opened the door and entered the room. The door fell shut behind me, and all I smelled was Cola fizz and mint. I jumped a little when a strong and steady stream of the black soda drink shot up to the ceiling, causing the black fountain to fall back down like rain. I chuckled at the sight of something so childish, but when I followed the stream of soda back down, I saw who were surrounding it and froze. 

_You have got to be kidding me..._

The group of guys were laughing loudly at the experiment, not noticing that I was here. I don't believe I have to tell you which group I'm talking about, right? 

_Unfreakingbelievable!_

Since they were too enthralled with their experiment, no one had seen me yet, but I was frozen like a deer caught in the headlights. Making sure I didn't make a single sound, I backed away, turning around to reach for the door. Just when I thought I was in the clear- 

"Oh! Miss Jae?" 

I cringed at the low voice and you could hear a needle drop right now. The voices and shouts and general rowdiness had drowned away, leaving tense silence. I honestly could not believe my bad luck. Did someone have it in for me? I turned slowly to the person that had called for me, and still I couldn't help but smile when I saw Mr. Tabi, wearing big goggles whilst grinning brightly at me. 

"Whoa, it is you! Came to join the science club, huh? Or did you happen to bring me another Common Jae?" he beamed at me, immediately walking towards me to welcome me as he took off his goggles. Replacing it with his regular glasses, he came to shake my hand. 

I shook it reluctantly, well aware that  _they_  were staring at me. "H-hi, Mr. Tabi. Sorry, I made a mistake, I took a wrong turn," I stammered, unable to look at the others present, so I just kept looking at the handsome biology teacher. 

"Ah, are you sure about that? I take it you're still browsing to see which clubs you can join, right?" he asked, completely oblivious at the sudden change of atmosphere. 

"Uh, y-yes, but I don't think- um, I'm not very good at science," I blurted out, hoping that Mr. Tabi would get the hint and let me leave. 

His eyes widened in excitement however, grabbing me by the shoulders. "Oh! But that's fine! More reason for you to check out the club and get you excited for it," he stated resolutely, refusing to let me go. I was trapped.  _Crap!_

Mr. Tabi turned to the other students behind him in his enthusiasm. "Boys, get everything cleaned up, huh? We have a lady in our midst now," he called out which made me want to cringe and die. At the instruction, the twelve boys started moving, cleaning up diligently and putting the tables and chairs neatly in a row. 

Mr. Tabi was smiling the entire time and eventually placed his arm over my shoulder and led me further inside, into the lion's den. 

"Good job, guys," he said, complimenting them, though they were obviously being reserved for my sake. They stood in perfect lines behind the tables, watching us and I groaned inwardly. Why did I have to be so curious?!

"Come on, Jae, no need to be shy. These boys won't bite," Mr. Tabi joked. 

_Much,_ Kai had added in a whisper, thinking I didn't hear it. Sehun was beside him, nudging him warningly. Mr. Tabi was none the wiser. 

"Wow, you've some sort of gift, don't you, Jae?" Mr. Tabi suddenly piped up and I looked up in surprise at him. He smiled gently back. "Usually I'm having the toughest time keeping this bunch under control, but now you've showed up and you're already a good influence," he joked. "Look at how well-behaved they are," he obviously teased, but I couldn't bear to look at any of them. "Honestly, boys, this is the first time I've seen you like this," he directed to them, probably trying to break the ice. Then he smiled again. 

"She's pretty, right?" Mr. Tabi couldn't help but laugh when he noticed that all of us had cast our glances away. The dude was making an effort, but he was seriously misunderstanding the situation right now. 

"Alright, alright, I'll stop. Jae, this is the science club. Boys, this is Jae, she's new here, but something tells me that you're probably already aware of that," the teacher introduced, my cheeks heating up by the second now. My only consolation was the fact that they looked out of sorts as well. "Jae, you already know Kyungsoo, of course," Mr. Tabi pointed out and I looked up at him. He gave a shy smile. "I understand that you're in the same year as Yixing and Joonmyeon, so I take it you know them as well," he continued casually. I knew that Yixing was Lay's real name, but I had to try not to laugh when I heard Suho's real name. He continued with the rest of the introduction and when he was finally done, he told everyone to take a seat so that we could begin. 

"Why don't you sit next to Kyungsoo, Jae?" Mr. Tabi suggested and I moved to the front table, D.O. making way for me. His smile seemed more relax now that I was just sitting next to him, but there was still tension in the air. Mr. Tabi moved around and gave all of us different plants. He winked at me when he set the white rose in front of me and walked to the school board to give an explanation about the capillary action of water in plants. There was a faucet in the middle row of tables behind me where we could fill the vases with water. D.O. grabbed my vase without a word and filled it up for me. I gave him a grateful smile.

_Steadfast. Check!_

While Mr. Tabi had his back turned to us, Chanyeol, who was sitting behind me sneezed loudly, which startled me. Actually, there was quite some ruckus behind me, as if they were already moving things about. I was about to turn my head when I thought I distinctly felt heat coming from behind me- and was that smoke I smelled?

"What is your favorite color?" D.O. asked out of the blue. There was a deadpan expression on his face when he looked at me.

"Eh, I don't know. I guess...pink?" I answered quietly. He gave a little smirk and handed me his bottle of colored pink dye.

"See? You're definitely a girl," he even teased and I chuckled. I caught his big eyes glancing behind us however, and remembering what I wanted to do, I followed his gaze. 

Chanyeol, Baekhyun and Chen simultaneously grinned at me, reminding me an awful lot like a bunch of naughty children who had something to hide. I blinked when I saw that Chanyeol's white orchid flower seemed to be smoldering, but maybe it was just dust, or something. It was, by far, one of the most beautiful flowers around, though. Seeing the three of them still smiling innocently at me, I returned it with an awkward smile of my own. 

Was it my imagination?

Mr. Tabi finished scribbling on the board and turned deftly around on his heels, clasping his hands excitedly together. He opened his mouth to speak, but then frowned in confusing, sniffing the air. "Is something burning?" he questioned. I jumped lightly when all twelve of them shook their heads and mumbled 'no'. I turned to check behind me again, seeing nothing really out of the ordinary until I happened to catch Suho's eyes. He looked at me calmly while I felt uneasy, seeing a frown appearing slowly on his brow. 

_Keep on glaring, dude, but I'm gonna find out what you're hiding. One way or another..._


	25. ~ Fiery Itch ~

***

"ACHOO!" 

That was it. It had come unexpectedly and he was unable to control it. Chanyeol's eyes widened in utter shock when his sneeze unwittingly produced a steady stream of fire, setting his orchid ablaze. Baekhyun, who was sitting right next to him had jolted back in his seat, whilst Chen, just as startled, covered his mouth and that of Baekhyun to prevent from shouting out of shock. 

Chanyeol was lost. He may have always loved being able to play with fire, but it was a whole different matter entirely when full moon came near and it appeared as though fire was playing with him. He had less control over his abilities and no matter how many more precautions he took, no matter how careful he was- fire always won out. 

Stressed, Baekhyun attempted to flick out the fire, considering that it was, in a way, a source of light, but it didn't work. Chanyeol then attempted to douse the fire, but in his panic, the flames grew stronger. 

_What are you doing, you idiot?!_  

At first, Chanyeol thought that it was Luhan, but it was D.O.'s voice he heard. He looked at the back of his brother, who was as expressionless as a blank canvas.

_Put it out!_  

Luhan urged, checking both on Jae and Mr. Tabi. 

_I'm trying!_  

Chanyeol started waving clumsily at the flame, hoping that it would douse that way while the orchid shriveled rather rapidly into dust. 

_Xiumin-hyung, can't you freeze it?!_

Tao's high-pitched voice echoed in his mind, sounding just about as panicked as he was feeling. 

_And how are we going to explain the ice cube appearing where once a flower stood?_  

Came Xiumin's agitated reply, his anger obvious in his voice. Chanyeol cringed, feeling not only guilty, but useless. 

_She's going to see, hyung, put it out!_

Sehun exclaimed nervously. The brothers were in a state of chaos and Chanyeol's heart nearly stopped when he saw Jae's head turning slowly. 

"What is your favorite color?" 

Chanyeol let out a silent sigh of relief, thanking his lucky stars for D.O. to think quick on his feet. Along with Baekhyun and Chen, Chanyeol attempted to put out the fire, but the three of them ended up squabbeling silently on what the better approach was. Eventually, tired of their antics and clumsy behavior, Suho subtly moved the water from the faucet, after Luhan had turned it open. A flowing stream of water snaked its way carefully through the air, dousing the burning orchid. 

Sehun, who was sitting behind them, pushed Chanyeol out of the way and blew the wet table dry with heated air. Seeing the sad condition the orchid was in, Lay, sitting at the table beside them, quickly checked to make sure Mr. Tabi wasn't watching them and motioned with his hand towards the orchid, continuing to move his hand while Chanyeol watched in amazement at seeing the orchid come back to life, blooming more beautifully than it had before. 

By the time Jae turned around, it looked as though nothing had happened and Chanyeol automatically smiled his best smile at her, Baekhyun and Chen following suit. The brothers did not relax until she turned back around. 

Kris noticeably grabbed his chest as though he suffered a heart attack and leaned back into his seat completely, unable to handle the stress. Kai dropped his head against the table, huffing out a long breath of air.

"You sure? It smells like a campfire here," Mr. Tabi continued, looking around. Chanyeol felt a cold sweat coming, purposely keeping his gaze on the orchid in front of him. When Mr. Tabi got on with the project he had set up for today, Chanyeol was anxiously awaiting his brothers to mentally scold him, but nothing came up. 

He carefully looked around when Baekhyun caught him and only patted him on the back for support.  _Don't worry about it_ , he appeared to be saying, but that just made it worse for Chanyeol. He knew full well that if his brothers hadn't been here to help him, their secret would've been exposed. 

He didn't know why the fire wouldn't listen to him when the moon was full. It wasn't fair. He may not have suffered from mood swings or felt restless in anyway, but his abilities just went out of wonk. If they would have enhanced, like Luhan's abilities, then Chanyeol could blame his lack of control on something, but that wasn't even it. It simply felt as though the roles were in reverse. He felt so inadequate because of it, as if he was still learning how he should control his powers. He barely dared to move during club activities and even when it was over, he kept quiet, not making any sudden movements, in full control over his body. 

He didn't like having outsiders around in general, which was why he was extra nervous when the new girl suddenly showed up to their club activities. It was difficult enough to have to keep their secret hidden from all the people on the island, but with another person so close by, things got even more tricky. At least when he was with his brothers, he could just fully be himself, without having to take so much into consideration. He would give anything just to be free, let loose without having to keep secrets. 

"Chanyeol," Suho started while the twelve of them were walking home. 

"I know, hyung, I'm sorry!" he instantly replied. "I don't know what happened, I swear I didn't do it on purpose!"

He waited for Suho to explode and flinched when his older brother placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay. Don't worry about it." 

"Whoa- wait. Did you seriously just say that?" Kai immediately prompted, just as bewildered as the rest of his brothers, Chanyeol included. Suho looked a bit defeated. 

"I should have known that this wasn't going to work," their leader started, rolling his shoulders and running a hand through his hair. "Don't worry about it, Chanyeol. It was my fault." 

The taller brother had no clue whether Suho was being sarcastic, sincere or just melodramatic - an effect of the approaching full moon that they were very well acquainted with. So, he waited, to see what else would follow. Thankfully, Kris was there as well. 

"How was it your fault? These things tend to happen in general, it was no one's fault," Kris said, looking stressed out and nervous. Chanyeol could immediately tell that this hyung wanted to crawl into bed. 

"Except that this was  _my_  fault," Suho sighed. "If I didn't keep such a tight reign on all of you, this wouldn't have happened," he gritted his teeth in frustration and the brothers waited patiently for their leader to let out steam. "Look, the truth of the matter is that I've no idea what to do, okay?" the sudden confession brought a silence amongst them that Chanyeol had never felt before. 

"There's too much going on and I don't know what's right or wrong," a hand rolled over his face and something changed in Suho's demeanor. "But man, it felt good moving that water," he chuckled, a rakish grin sprawling across his lips. 

Immediately Kai exclaimed a shout of joy, while clapping his hands. "Yeah! Alright, hyung!" 

"Whoa, wait a minute- who are you and what did you do to Suho-hyung?" Baekhyun joked, earning a ruffle of the hair from Suho, the atmosphere in the group noticeably becoming more elated by the second. Chanyeol's grin was the brightest, he was sure of that. Things felt normal again. 

"So, does this mean we can go out tonight?" Kai asked in his excitement. Suho looked at Chen. 

"What do you think? You said you can sense the systems, right?"

Chen blinked a few times before answering. "Y-yes, I think I can. But, what about the newbie? And full moon coming and stuff?"

"Yeah, you sure you're up for it?" Kris added, trying to read Suho. 

Chanyeol waited in anticipation for the leader's answer. Suho looked at all of his brothers before rolling his shoulders again whilst looking up at the darkening sky. 

"Screw it," the wolf inside him said. "Let's go out tonight." 


	26. ~ HISTORY ~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Next chapter is a bit long, but I promise it's plot-related ^^; Thanks for your patience and support, I hope you'll continue to like the story as it progresses!! <3

***

Ryo Miyano walked the halls of the brand-new E.T. Corp, ready for his second day to begin. Yesterday he had the opportunity to introduce himself to his colleagues and staff members, getting very little work done. He wanted to show his new team that he was a man of business, but a good leader at the same time. Being a sociable person, he took the time to get to know everyone, from the managers to the researchers, to the assistants and secretaries. He even stopped by the mail room to introduce himself to the workers there. 

Since the island reminded him a lot of Hawaii, he fitted right in and was eager to start his new position as the CEO of E.T. Corp in Hanwol. Today, he was promised a grand tour of the building and property and he'd get an insight look on all the projects they were conducting. Personally, he was excited, since the research and science department had a lot of good stuff in store. Most importantly, he was an avid supporter of ecological and green projects, something that would help maintain nature's balance without having to exhaust valuable sources. 

He was particularly interested in the solar and wind energy projects that they wanted to set up on the island, but at the moment, E.T. Corp needed to get a good standing amongst the locals since he had heard that some people protested at having a major company 'invade' their island like this. He couldn't disagree with them, he understood full well what it was like to have a big company like this on a small island, where most of the locals were fishermen, farmers or owned private businesses. Not to mention that they were accustomed to a quiet, traditional way of life, without much interference of the high-tech modern world. 

The CEO smiled, as Dong-hoon, a short, friendly man with a cheerful face, lead him around the biotech lab. 

"I take it you're familiar with what we usually do at the biotech department, Mr. Miyano," the man started, his voice naturally a bit hoarse, but cheerful nonetheless. 

"I am a bit, yes. And, please, call me Ryo. Since we'll be working together, there's really no need for such formalities," he urged to which Dong-hoon smiled pleasantly and gave a bow. 

"Yes, sir," he conceded, enthusiastically walking towards the first lab. 

"Wow, I see you've installed the iris-scanner here already," Ryo noted when Dong-hoon went to punch in the security code and looked into the camera to get the door to open. 

"Yes, we have, along with voice recognition," he smiled, putting his thumb up when a computerized voice confirmed his name and the door opened automatically. 

"Impressive," Ryo mused, feeling like he was acting in a Marvel movie, looking around at the clean environment, computers and tech surrounding them. There was a massive array of flora and fauna, with researchers in white lab coats walking around, diligently doing their work. 

"Tell me what we're doing here, Dong-hoon," Ryo prompted, letting the energetic man guide him around. 

"Ah, you'll be excited, sir," he stated, still unable to call his superior by his first name. "I'd like you to meet a young and very promising researcher; Mr. Kang," Dong-hoon motioned for a young man with blonde bangs covering his forehead to come join him and the young researcher, a little startled, quickly complied. 

When Ryo got a better look at him, he was surprised to see how young he looked. He must've come fresh out of college and for the briefest of moments, he felt a little old. The young researcher had narrow, but happy eyes, a slight crook in the bridge of his nose, but a sincere smile on his face. He bowed respectfully to Ryo, which he returned. 

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Kang," Ryo greeted, shaking the nervous man's hand. "I'm eager to see what you're working on here." 

"The honor is all mine, sir," the researcher replied and quickly started showing him what he was working on. "Well, we've got quite a few projects lined up, but I think we can, uh, start with, uh, this- one..." he stammered, whilst Ryo exchanged a look with Dong-hoon, who had the same smile of amusement on his face. 

"Relax, Dee, just show Mr- I mean, Ryo, what you've been working on. Why don't you start with the security systems first?" the older man suggested and in that instant, the researcher relaxed. 

"Ah! Yes, please, follow me," he lead them into another corridor and into another laboratory. Ryo was curious about how the security systems worked, since he already received phonecalls from the local newspaper, asking him how E.T. Corp was going to help out with the recent wolf-problem. The island had quite a few of them, as it seemed, and he would like to know how the company would come up with something that could help out. 

He smiled a little when he remembered that Jae wanted to know how the systems worked because she had her suspicions that it may not have been as animal-friendly as they were promoted to be. 

"The state of the art security system has been built exclusively to safely keep unwanted animals away from personal property. Even though the materials used may not be entirely bio-degradable, the system itself is," Dee started explaining. "Allow me to demonstrate," he waited for Ryo to give the okay and he nodded at the researcher. 

The fences were put up on display and when Dee activated it, he jumped back a little at seeing puffs of smoke appear from the fences. 

"Smoke effects, huh?" Ryo prompted, looking at what they did to the nearby plants that stood there. "I can assume it's not toxic."

"Of course, sir! We wouldn't use toxic materials. The smoke is actually a scent that is being shot out that is distinctly aimed for wolves. It repels them and sends them away. Since wolves are highly territorial animals, we've created a scent to make it appear as though other wolves own the territory."

Ryo nodded as he listened to the explanation. "And I take it they're animal-friendly? What are these metal wires for?" he asked. 

"Ah, those are just precautions, in case a predatory animal would still try to pass the fences. The system is wired with a very low voltage of electricity. It shocks just enough to scare them away, but not too much to injure them," Dee said with determination. 

"You're sure about that? Why is there a net attached to some of these fences?" Ryo asked, remembering what Jae had told him. 

Dong-hoon frowned as he inspected the fence himself, whilst Dee came to take a closer look as well. Both men looked surprised and gazed at each other, stunned. Ryo's eyebrows flared up. 

"You don't know?" 

"Uh, well, to be honest, sir, this is the first time we've noticed," Dee bit his lip anxiously. 

"You're not trying to catch those creatures are you? The point is for them to stay in their territory and not kill the livelihood of the local farmers, but I don't want them to be captured or injured in any way," Ryo pointed out, not just thinking about E.T.'s name, but being genuinely concerned for the animals as well. 

"No, of course, sir, eh... these fences were recently updated by the manufacturing department, but I'll look into it," Dee immediately promised. 

"Please do. In the meantime, can we be absolutely sure that they're safe?" Ryo asked. 

"Yes, sir, completely safe," Dong-hoon assured. 

"You're sure? We've placed some of them around the island already, haven't we? I don't want it to suddenly malfunction or injure people. Is it being tested at isolated areas?"

"Yes, sir, it is. We're monitoring it every step of the way," Dong-hoon nodded. "If there happen to be any kinks in the system, we'll immediately fix it." 

"Alright, I'll trust in you to keep me updated on the progress. I hope you understand my concerns," Ryo said gently. 

"Wouldn't want the good name of E.T. Corp to ruined, sir," Dong-hoon prompted understandingly. Ryo smiled and patted the man on the shoulder. 

"Actually, I was more concerned about the system possibly injuring children playing in the woods or malfunctioning when animals go near it. My daughter told me she saw one near the woods where she walks through to get back home from school. That doesn't sound like a particularly isolated place to put it," Ryo elaborated to which Dong-hoon's mouth formed into a perfect 'o'. 

"I see. Well, Dee, you work on this system and keep us informed, won't you?" he asked, turning to the young scientist. 

"Yes, sir, as soon as possible," he promised. 

"Good job, son. Don't stress too much over it, you're doing good," Ryo added, making the young man smile gratefully.

Dong-hoon beamed himself and then cleared his throat as he gestured for them to continue the tour. "May I ask something, sir?"

"Of course," Ryo nodded, looking at the shorter man. 

"Your daughter. She's in high school?"

"Yes, she is. Eleventh grade, started yesterday," his chest swelled up with pride a little, because, hey, it was his daughter he was talking about. 

"Oh, really? I've son in tenth grade, his name is Lee. He mentioned that there was a new kid at school, but the boy is somewhat of a scatterbrain. He was talking about a male student," he chuckled. Upon hearing this and thinking back to how excited Jae had been to see her school uniform, while she usually wouldn't want to be caught dead in a skirt, all of it fell into place and he laughed. Ryo was about to continue the conversation, when a slender secretary approached them, smiling politely. 

"Sorry for the interruption, Mr. Miyano, but there is someone here to see you," she said formally, her voice sweet and clear. 

"Ah, well, is it important?" 

"Quite so, sir," she answered without elaborating. Sensing that this may be a big deal, Ryo turned to Dong-hoon, placing a hand on his shoulder. 

"I'm sorry that we have to cut this short, Dong-hoon," he started. The shorter man gave an understanding nod of the head. 

"No problem, sir. You come and see me when you're ready to take the full tour. I understand the work of a CEO comes first," he said humbly and gave a bow to greet him before he left, whistling amicably to himself. 

"So, what is so important that it can't wait, Miss...?" Ryo adjusted his suit while waiting for the woman to reply. She gave an enigmatic smile, and it was only now that Ryo noticed her exceptional hazel green eyes. 

"Please, follow me, Mr. Miyano," she answered, turning deftly around, sashaying before him. Ryo blinked and followed her, wondering whether he should worry. It occured to him that he hadn't met her during introductions yesterday. 

"You appear to have me at a disadvantage, Miss. You know my name, but I don't believe I've ever met you. Do you work here?" he asked boldly, since he couldn't imagine forgetting people's faces so easily. 

"I work for E.T. Corp," she answered calmly. 

"But not on this island," he concluded and she turned her head slightly to look at him, the lights in the hallway giving her eyes a strange glow. 

"Very clever, Mr. Miyano," she nodded. "I work for the main branch of E.T. Corp, I'm Mr. Yok's personal assistant." 

Upon hearing the mention of the name of the founder of Extraordinary Technologies, Ryo became nervous. "Mr. Yok? He- he's here?"

The unknown woman smiled again and took him to his own office, opening the door for him. "He's ready to see you," she stated, as though he wasn't the CEO at all, but a guest.

Swallowing, Ryo buttoned his blazer and stepped into his office, his mind racing a mile a minute, trying to figure out why the ultimate head of the company would come to see him. Why wasn't he informed beforehand?

"Mr. Miyano," a deep voice sounded and Ryo looked upon a middle-aged man with neat, dark hair and black framed glasses. "How wonderful to finally be able to meet you. I do pardon the sudden intrusion. I had actually hoped to meet you here yesterday, but something came up," the founder of E.T. Corp greeted amicable, meeting Ryo halfway to give him a firm shake of the hand and a pat on the shoulder. 

"The pleasure is all mine, sir, and it's no trouble at all. I should be the one asking for forgiveness since I was not notified that you would come to visit me. Had I known, I'd given you a proper welcome, sir," Ryo spoke earnestly, while Mr. Yok chuckled.

"It's no trouble, son, I didn't want to create a fuss on this tiny island," he said, looking intently at Ryo, as though he was seizing him up. Ryo shuffled a bit uncomfortably on his feet, until Mr. Yok told him to sit down. Being humble, he sat at one of the seats in front of his desk, which made the founder laugh.

"Come now, son, I don't mean to make you uncomfortable. This is my seat, you should sit behind the desk," he patted him on the shoulder and feeling slightly embarrassed, Ryo moved to his own seat. He wasn't sure how to conduct himself with the boss of all bosses and he cleared his throat.

"Have you been offered something to drink, sir? Shall I get you something?"

Mr. Yok put his hand up to silence him, the smile never leaving his face. "Don't worry about me. I'm all set. I just came by to check out the new facility and to have a little chat with you. I could immediately tell that you were a man who liked to take charge. It may only be two days as a CEO, but I've been keeping track of your progress ever since you started working for me. I'm very impressed. You put a lot of hard work and hours into the job to help E.T. move on," he complimented.

"O-oh, thank you, sir," he gave a slight bow.

"I speak sincerely, Mr. Miyano. You have the kind of idealistic vision this world needs and I believe that under you, this branch of the E.T. corporation could go far. Very far. You see, if I may be so bold to say, I look at you and I see a younger, far more selfless version of myself. You care, about this world, how to preserve it on the one hand and how to better it at the same time," Mr. Yok stated and Ryo found that the older man was a very charismatic speaker.

"How are the latest projects faring here, Mr. Miyano? I know you've only just started, but you're already handling projects that some of the older branches haven't been able to initiate just yet. What is this talk of an animal-friendly security system that is helping E.T. make a good standing with its new neighbors on the island?" Mr. Yok asked curiously and Ryo was relieved that he knew something more about that project than others.

"Yes, we're currently working hard on that, sir. It's to keep the wild and indigenous wolves of the island at bay from farm property. It's still early, but it seems to be effective," Ryo stated carefully, blurting it all out because he was nervous. It was the first time for him to meet with his superior, and to suddenly hear that the boss himself had been keeping tabs on his work was somewhat of a shock. He was thankful that the man appeared to be genuinely impressed by him, though.

"Wonderful, those will come in handy especially once they've been perfected," Mr. Yok nodded, still smiling calmly at Ryo. Then he leaned forward, tenting his fingers. "To be completely honest with you, Ryo- may I call you Ryo?" 

Ryo automatically nodded his head. 

"Ryo, you have great potential in you. You can make yourself and E.T. great as well. You see, if I may confide in you, there is another project I've been meaning to start that has the potential to change this world as we know it. This building is equipped with the finest technology E.T. has to offer today, and since yesterday, it has the finest CEO, as well. I'm thinking about handing you this particular project, counting on your discretion, of course. I don't want everyone to have access to it, which is why I trust in you to make the right choices in who will be able to work on this project and to keep it under wraps. Have I piqued your interest, Ryo?" Mr. Yok asked. 

"Very much so, sir," Ryo replied, though there was a part of him that was a little suspicious about this new project. The compliments that Mr. Yok gave him, were kind and flattering, but a bit over the top. He was barely a CEO for two days, so how could he possibly know if he'd do a good job? Still, he was unable to reject a direct offer from the founder of E.T. Corp, so he continued listening. 

"Good. Allow me to tell you a story," Mr. Yok suddenly rose from his seat and dimmed the lights. He grabbed the remote from Ryo's desk and turned on the curved, flatscreen TV that was lowered from the ceiling. Ryo hadn't even the slightest clue that it was there, so he tried his best to hide his surprise. He blinked when he realized that he was watching an animation of Chinese paper puppetry, starring Mr. Yok as the narrator. 

"I'm sure that you've heard of many creation stories. Genesis, stories and fairy tales that aspire to explain how the world came to be. Who gave birth to the moon and the stars, to the sun in the sky? To animals? To humans? What gave life to all these things?"

"God?" Ryo answered unwittingly, Mr. Yok looking at him with a vague smile on his face. In the dimmed lights, the aura he gave off was mysterious, to say the least. 

"God indeed, but what kept things running?" Mr. Yok mused questioningly. Since Ryo figured that it was a rhetorical question, he didn't answer. Instead he frowned when the man freezed the frame at a colorful looking tree, drawn with metallic and golden colors, standing proud upon a floating platform of earth. 

"Do you know what this is, Ryo?" Mr. Yok challenged, sounding giddy. 

"A...tree, sir?" he offered, a bit confused, when Mr. Yok snapped his fingers and pointed at him. 

"Exactly. A tangible, real, existing tree," the man voiced excitedly. "Ever heard of Yggdrasil? Etz Chaim?" 

Ryo gave the man a bewildered look. "I'm not sure I follow you, sir..."

"The Tree of Life," Mr. Yok then announced as the film continued again. "There are countless of myths and legends that speak of a mystical Tree that bears great religious symbolism, but is more often than not, associated with being the source of all life. Now, before you question me, hear me out. The Tree of Life is a myth, a fairy tale, it isn't real. But what if we  _make it_  real?" Mr. Yok looked absolutely serious as he was talking and Ryo wasn't sure what to make of it.  _Tree of Life? What?_ Mr. Yok pushed his cheek towards the screen again when the animation showed a dagger, within its handle was a seed, shaped like a heart. 

"Wouldn't it be wonderful to create a natural source of energy that takes care of everything living without exhausting Mother Earth? Imagine being able to replace all energy with one power source that never runs out. Impossible, you say? Crazy, you exclaim? I'm here to tell you that it's possible," Mr. Yok whispered now, waiting for Ryo to respond, except that the man didn't know how. Was his superior being serious? Or was this an elaborate prank to haze the new CEO?

"What if I told you that I am currently in the possession of something so  _extraordinary_  that the world has never seen before? A new discovery that is in our hands, in the hands not of moneymakers, but of visionaries, idealists," Mr. Yok continued passionately, pointing at the screen. "I'm talking about this," he stated, pointing at the dagger, the heart-shaped seed in particular. "This may look like an ordinary weapon, but you'll never believe that it isn't. I was curious about this object because, as you can see, it's not an everyday item. Just for the heck of it, I studied it, tested it, and did you know what I found?"

_No, but I can guess what you lost- your sanity..._  Ryo thought quietly to himself, forcing a smile on his face whilst shaking his head. 

"The strangest gene mutation with unknown properties unlike we've ever seen before on this planet," he exclaimed. "That object is not only foreign- it's  _alive_." Mr. Yok disclosed quietly for extra dramatic effect. He then pressed another button on the remote and the window shades went down, making the office completely dark. Ryo made a note to remember that button and to familiarize himself with his office a lot more, when he leaned back in his seat upon seeing Mr. Yok approaching him steadily. The man reached into his inner pocket and grabbed a velvet cloth. When he removed it, he placed it in front of Ryo on the desk with utmost care.

Ryo's eyes widened when he saw the dagger he had only seen on the TV, the real thing far more impressive and beautiful than it had been in animation form. Unable to withstand the way it shimmered, he carefully reached out his hand to touch the heart-shaped seed at the tip of the hilt. He jolted back when the seed actually glowed when he came near, as though it was reacting to his warmth, and he felt a light jolt on his fingertips.

"It's brimming with energy. You can feel it, as well, can't you?" Mr. Yok stated, grabbing the dagger with the velvet cloth again, before handing it to Ryo.

"Sir?" he asked, a little startled.

"I want you to study this. Research it. Find out what materials it's made of, why it reacts to warmth, how it reacts, how it works. I've sent the data to your tablet. It contains a fascinating mutation that regenerates used energy, but for the life of me, I don't know how it works, how it does it. And then, I want you to find a way to turn it into energy that we can use. This is a rare opportunity, Ryo. A great chance to better this world, and I trust this to you."

The dagger felt heavy in his hands and he pondered for a moment to ask whether Mr. Yok was joking or not. 

"Are you up for the task, son?"

The question felt like a heavy burden all of a sudden. "To be perfectly honest, sir, I'm not sure," he looked at the dagger in his hand. "You believe this contains an energy source that is infinite, and that we can create it?" 

"I don't only believe it, Ryo, I believe it to be true. Research it. Have only your finest and best scientists working on this and report to me regularly. I have what you may call a great instinct. I'm never wrong." 

Something in the founder's eyes made Ryo believe his words.  _Why would he try to fool me?_

"You can do this, son," Mr. Yok suddenly answered and paused the TV. "Miss Kumiho will be my liaison, check up on the progress from time to time," he stated, overwhelming Ryo completely. 

"Oh- ah, y-yes, I see..." he muttered, watching his superior head towards the door. "Eh, wait, sir, excuse me, may I ask you one question?" he stopped him. Mr. Yok turned around and simply waited for him to ask it. "Where did you find this?" he gestured at the dagger. 

Mr. Yok gave an enigmatic smile, eerily similar to the one Miss Kumiho smiled. "I was outside one night, just enjoying watching the stars," he started. "Then, out of the blue, I caught one falling. Curious, I thought it would be fun to calculate its trajectory and see if I was right about its landing spot," he chuckled when Ryo pulled a confused face. "Yes, it fell to the earth, Ryo. I thought it was a small meteorite of some sort, but when I came to the landing site, I found a small crater, with this lodged inside of a round rock." He laughed and shrugged. "Perhaps it was a prank, but I highly doubt that. Who knows, perhaps it was a message sent to us from another planet." 

Ryo's mouth stood agape as he watched his superior give one final wink and turned around. His hand raised to signal a goodbye, he only said, "Don't disappoint me, Ryo. I expect great things from you," and he was gone. Still stunned, Ryo removed the velvet cloth slowly, wondering to himself whether that actually happened and in what kind of situation he was suddenly placed in. He dropped the dagger when it glowed again, but this time, the blade of the dagger revealed symbols he was sure weren't there before. Picking it up carefully, Ryo inspected the warm blade with trembling fingers.  _Eleven, twelve, thirteen._ Thirteen symbols.

He walked to his desk and sat down in his leather chair. When he went to look at the symbols again, they had vanished without a trace, causing Ryo to drop the dagger again and push his chair back. 

_Alive, huh?_  


	27. ~ Dance With Wolves ~

***

_Yes. This was it._

_Freedom._

Twelve silhouettes raced through the darkness of the forest, chasing one another, as their blood pumped in exhilaration. Their eyes didn't need light to see. The darkness could not have been more clearer to them. They knew which hidden paths to run and they could do so without restraint. 

Well, maybe  _a little_  restraint. Seeing as they were a day or two away from the full moon, it was rather dangerous to transform completely into wolf-form. This was the point when they were most vulnerable and changing completely could mean not changing back for a while, limitless and without control- dangerous. It was safer to wait until the moon had stabilized and then they could freely transform, whenever they wanted, at least until the next full moon came again. So, twelve young men ran as though they were possessed by the wildest spirits, moving like wolves when they sprinted. 

Tao shook his head wildly, laughing loudly as he saw Kris soar by, floating just above the ground, making skating movements as though he were leisurely gliding on ice. His glowing red eyes were a good match for his deep red hair and dark undercut, his canine teeth sharper and longer than usual, were showing when he grinned at his little brother. Tao had long given up trying to race him, since his ability to fly made him faster than anyone. But don't think Kai wasn't aware of that. 

On cue, his younger brother appeared and disappeared in clouds of black smoke, and Tao was only able to see glimpses of Kai's red eyes and his boyish smile, steadily catching up to Kris who seemed to have picked up his pace. Tao bore a wide grin on his own face when he saw that his two eldest brothers didn't want to miss out on a chance of winning a race for once either. Xiumin jumped high to gain momentum as his hands shot out steady streams of ice for him to glide on, his bronze red hair swaying in the wind. Luhan wasn't far behind, trying to create obstacles for Baozi-ge, as he easily moved boulders and tree stumps with his mind. Tao cooed in awe when Xiumin deftly avoided all of them, creating amazing paths of ice as he slid over them. 

_Having fun, Tao-di?_  

Tao smiled happily when he heard Luhan's voice in his mind, calling him his little brother. His dark brown hair had made way for a pale blonde coif, which Tao secretly admired. His own jet black hair had turned blonde as well, but his was more golden than pale. He heard Luhan laughing in his mind after nodding his head in excitement. He pondered a moment on whether he could cheat and just stop them in their motion while he ran forward to win the race, but laughed giddily again when Luhan's voice said,

_Ah, don't even think about it, little brother!_

He warned, quickening his pace. Tao watched them, avoiding the frozen trees and ground. 

"Careful, Tao-Tao!" Lay's voice called to him as he jumped from the trees beside him, running easily next to him. His yellow hair had traces of pink in them, but Tao thought that anything looked good on Lay-ge. "Don't fall, okay?" he smiled his dimpled smile at him, his eyes gleaming red in playfulness while he moved his hands in an elegant way, negating Xiumin's freezing and healing whatever needed healing. He was faster than Tao, so soon, he fell behind him, but Tao didn't mind. 

Chanyeol followed after that and Tao burst out in laughter again when he saw the concentrated look on the tall boy's face. He knew that he was holding back the fire but the heat that came off him was sizzling, almost like he was running next to an oven. It caused the remaining ice to thaw and Tao made sure to jump away when Chanyeol ran past him. Tao pushed his feet against the bark of a tree, flipping in mid-air before landing perfectly on the ground once more. He shrieked when he felt a splash of cold water hit him in the back of the neck and he attempted to catch Suho as the leader raced by, laughing loudly at the younger brother's reaction whilst ruffling his hair when he passed him. Suho's hair looked wild and shone with hints of red. 

"Suho-hyung!" Tao protested when another splash of water hit him in the face, but he laughed nevertheless because this was the first time since a while that Suho just let loose and enjoyed himself. It was the first time since forever that they just seemed to play and have fun, instead of hunting for something. He liked Suho much better when the leader wasn't so uptight and constantly worried about everything and anything. 

"There is no way that I'm going to lose to Suho-hyung!" came Chen's cheerful voice from behind him. Tao could literally feel the air buzzing with electricity when this hyung was near. Chen's childlike laughter filled the air when Baekhyun joined, his violet red hair standing upright with static electricity due to running next to Chen all this time. Tao was unable to stop his high-pitched laughter when he saw Baekhyun's hair, pointing at him. 

"Oh, what are you laughing at, _N_ _amekian_?" Baekhyun commented, making a playful face at him so that he looked even more ridiculous. 

"I am  _not_  a Namekian!" Tao protested at the teasing of his older brother. 

"Maybe not, but you _are_ slow, kkaebsong!" Baekyhun said in a singsongy voice as he raced past him, Chen closely behind him. Tao stomped his feet and tried running faster when he saw a distinct ripple in the earth that moved forward, like a wave in the water. It directed itself immediately towards Baekhyun, and again, the forest was filled with Tao's wholehearted laughter as the earth caught Baekhyun by surprised and tripped him. 

"Oh- kkaebsong~!" D.O. called after him in a similar fashion, a bright smile appearing on his hyung's face whilst winking at Tao. He could always count on D.O. when Baekhyun was teasing him again, and Tao was grateful for it. As was the case with Suho, Tao preferred it when D.O. was more like this. Unbridled, free and happy. His appearance seemed more bold and free than his usual self as well. His hair was red, almost like that of Kris, with a pronounced undercut and flowy, wavy hair that looked thick and blow-dried to perfection. 

"You're not going to let him win, are you?" D.O. asked, his eyes shimmering crimson as he stomped on the earth, making more ripples appear. He jumped up and rode on them as though he were surfing. It was in moments like these that Tao envied not having a more direct and active power like most of his brothers. He could freeze all of them, but where was the fun in that? More often than not, it had made him feel rather lonely, since time stopped all around him and he was the only one that noticed- that is, unless he expanded his gift, purposely targeting his brothers as well, so that they could move freely along with him. But that cost him a whole amount of energy. 

Out of nowhere, a strong gust of wind had picked up, pushing him forward and even lifting him slightly from the ground, so that he made another flip in the air in order to keep his balance and land safely on the ground. Startled, his mouth was still agape when Sehun appeared in his full rainbow hair glory, taking hold of his hand and pulling him with him. 

"Come on, hyung! Just because we're the maknaes does not mean that we have to end up last!" Sehun urged. They ran together to try to catch up to their brothers, but of course they ended up last. Sehun seemed a bit upset, but Tao was having the time of his life. They managed to climb halfway up the mountain where they were in an isolated clearing, a small waterfall nearby, being able to overlook the whole city. Tao stopped a moment to look at the sparkling lights in the sky and on the ground and smiled contently. He was naturally drawn to the moon above him, shining so brightly and nearly in full, but he enjoyed watching the quiet town of Hanwol just the same. When he looked at the spectacular view of his island, his home, he felt a need to protect it somehow, to safeguard it. He didn't want anything bad happen to it, ever. 

Tao turned around when he heard his brothers behind him, laughing and playing games. He watched in amusement as Kris and Kai were arguing who had gotten first place, trying to gather witnesses to plead their case. However, since they were both extremely fast, there wasn't anyone around who could tell who was right or wrong. To end the arguing, Suho moved a large amount of water from the waterfall and splashed it over his brothers. He was met with shouts of indignation and laughter while he joined in as well. Tao saw all the happy smiles on his brothers' face and felt his own heart swelling up with happiness. He looked around at them, feeling a warmth fluttering in his chest. He was content, and even though he knew that he shouldn't, he scratched his chin and flicked his wrist. In that moment, time had stopped and his surroundings froze, like a realistic photograph that only he could walk in. 

He made sure to look at his brothers' faces, all of them, passing them by quietly, remembering how joyful they looked, how free and unburdened. He never told them because telling them straightforwardly would be lame, but his feelings were real. 

"I love you, guys," he said, meaning every word. He looked up to all of his brothers and cared for them deeply. When he found them, he didn't know that it was possible to have such strong ties to people who weren't even related by blood. But here they were. Twelve of them, as if they were always meant to have found each other. 

After taking another mental picture, he stood where he had been standing and snapped his fingers, time resuming while he simply sat down to watch his brothers have fun, unaware that he had momentarily frozen time for them. 

"Whoa, look at that moon," Xiumin noted. 

" _Awooooo_!" Kai immediately prompted, causing them to laugh. Tao clapped his hands, sitting on a boulder near the edge of the clearing. Just behind him, the hill rolled down, so he wanted to make sure that he wouldn't accidentally stumble backwards and fall down. 

"I can't wait for full moon," Chanyeol stated nearly dreamily, scratching himself behind the ear. "Look how close it is. Maybe we'll get a full moon tomorrow," he said hopefully. 

Tao nodded at his words, since he was looking forward to it as well. Perhaps it was rather strange to look forward to being able to turn into a wolf, but it wasn't so much the transformation that was exciting. Rather, it was the sensation of the change. Once they would turn, everything enhanced, everything sharpened. They were closer to the energy of nature, more at one with each other and the environment. Tao wasn't sure how to explain it himself, but he knew that it felt good. It felt...right. Meant to be. 

"We'll have to be careful not to go overboard, though," Suho warned then, playing with a ball of water, panting slightly. "We don't want any inexplicable, sudden natural disasters hitting the island."

"That goes without saying," Kris noted, his attention drawn to D.O. when the boy made the earth move and ripple again as though it was fluid.

"Yeah, we don't need another earthquake. Especially if it happened to hit Kenn's house," D.O. joked, the earth popping out as though a volcano had burst. The brothers laughed, as did Tao, but when he stomped his feet in mirth, he noticed that a crack had formed in the earth around him.

He was about to ask D.O. whether he was the one responsible for it- if so, it wasn't particularly funny, but he hadn't even opened his mouth or the earth gave way mercilessly beneath him and he fell back without even being able to scream. Tao rolled down the hill, hitting trees and shrubs on the way, unable to stop anything. He panicked and knew that freezing time wouldn't matter since he was the one that was in motion. 

"Ah! Ow!" he exclaimed, his body painful by the time that he landed with a thud near a dirt road. It had been a long fall and he groaned when he felt how bruised his body was. " _Ah-yah_..." he murmured, feeling tears welling in his eyes, but he didn't want to give in so easily. His lessons in Wushu had taught him how to bear with pain, but it didn't mean that he was immune to it. He tried to stand up, and did so with much reluctance. Wanting to see what the damage was, Tao brought his hands up to check up on himself, but froze when he heard footsteps. A strange scent was in the air and he quickly dove behind a tree. 

_Why were there people here? No one ever comes to this part of the island!_

He strained to listen and sniffed the air to determine the scent, but all it did was make him a bit lightheaded. Tao was sure, however, that he had smelled that scent before. His eyes widened and he covered his mouth with his hand when he heard a gentle voice. 

"Hello? Is there someone here?" 

Tao didn't bear to peek behind the tree to confirm his suspicions. He only stood frozen behind it, his hand over his mouth while he tried to control his breathing to stay undiscovered. He distinctly heard the soft sound of music being played through headphones and he looked up the hill, hoping that his brothers wouldn't just come showing up in all their magical glory. 

"Hello? I, eh, thought I heard a loud voice, was that you?" the voice continued to interrogate and Tao could hardly believe that there was someone this naive out there that would actually go talk like this after hearing something suspicious. Wasn't the natural and logical option to run?

_Aish, this girl..._

"Hey, you know that I can see you, right? You're hiding behind that tree," the girl approached him and Tao started to freak out. 

_She couldn't see me. I've my back turned to her and it's too dark to make out my face,_  he thought, attempting to calm himself down. His red gleaming eyes were going to be a dead giveaway if he happened to risk getting seen when he took a peek. 

"Okay, then..." she said eventually after a torturous long moment of silence. "Well, hope you're okay. It sounded like you fell pretty badly," she remarked, to which Tao lifted an eyebrow. He heard her walking away again, and since he was far too curious for his own good, he didn't want her to walk away just like that. 

"You're concerned about me?" he asked, purposely making his voice husky, in the hopes that she wouldn't recognize it. He didn't emerge from his hiding spot, though. He stood stiffly behind the tree, back leaning against the bark. 

"Well, yeah, I guess you could put it that way. Don't think too much of it, though, I can't even see your face," she mused and Tao could just imagine her trying to peer at him. He took deep steady breaths, wondering why he wanted to see her, as well. 

"You shouldn't worry for strangers. They might be dangerous," he added, hoping that would scare her off more. He wanted to see her reaction and carefully peeked from behind the tree. 

"I guess. But if you had been dangerous, you would've already did something," she stated, leaning to the side when she caught him peeking at her. Tao immediately retracted and stayed in his position. "Are you sure you're alright? Your eyes looked really red," she noted and he swallowed. 

"It's nothing," he assured. "You shouldn't be here at night, though. Dangerous creatures roaming around," he stated. "You should head home." 

"I was on my way to it, when I heard you falling down," she retaliated. "Are you sure you're alright?" she asked one last time, which Tao found surprising. He wasn't sure whether he praised her for it or should be scolding at her. 

"Yes. Please leave," he answered coolly and waited for her to move. 

"Okay then. Eh, bye," she greeted and left, much to his relief. Tao took a deep breath and steadied himself. Why was it that that girl was everywhere they went? They couldn't catch a break. 

_That was far too stressful for me to handle,_ he thought to himself with another sigh. Then, he groaned inwardly upon looking back up where his brothers were. He'd have to climb up and run up that thing to be able to join his brothers again. Accepting defeat, Tao made his way to the hill again, when out of the blue-  _poof!_  

Kai appeared like a godsent in a whirl of black smoke, his face concerned. "Tao-hyung! Where were you? Everyone got worried when you were suddenly gone!" he exclaimed. 

"Sorry, I fell," Tao scratched the back of his head. Should he tell Kai about the girl that was here just a few moments ago? "Guess I wasn't watching where I was going, but I'm okay now," he said instead. Kai sighed and held on to him. 

"You really have to be more careful. You look like you just took a beating of a lifetime," the younger boy commented. Tao wanted to retaliate but in a flash they were back at the clearing and he had to explain himself again. Lay immediately went to work when he saw the pain and bruises, causing Tao to feel absolutely refreshed. He didn't know what he had to do without his Lay-ge. 

"Thank you, Lay-ge," he said thankfully. 

"Don't scare us like that, do you hear me?" was his soft reply while he focused on his arm. 

"Sorry. I won't," Tao promised. Should he tell them? But what was the point? She went the other direction anyway, there was no need for him to have to tell them about how close he was at nearly being discovered. He was lucky, and he wanted to keep it that way. 

"Was there someone with you, hyung?" Kai suddenly asked, making Tao blush like a child that was caught doing something naughty. 

"No, of course not!" he immediately responded, feeling his heart beat loudly out of anxiety. 

"You sure? I thought I smelled a weird scent..." 

"It's nothing, I didn't smell anything out of the ordinary," Tao persisted. 

"Good, because after the heart attack you caused us, I don't suddenly want people to know about this. The twelve of us, we're something special, and we should keep it that way," Suho added. "Don't let the world know." 

The brothers agreed in assent, but Tao only nodded his head a bit nervously. She wouldn't have recognized him, would she? Her reaction might've been different if she had...

"There. Better?" Lay asked, having healed his injuries completely. 

"Whoa, thank you, Lay-ge. I feel much better!" Tao said gratefully, seeing that his brothers had already resorted to goofing around. He decided then and there that there really was no need for them to know about the encounter he had. That girl was so naive and trusting, Tao doubted whether she was as dangerous as Suho and Chen claimed her to be, but for now, he wanted to forget her kind and caring eyes and just enjoy the night. So when he saw the moon again, he howled–loudly. 


	28. ~ Moonlight ~

***

After I made a lightning fast escape from the science club, I hurried to my locker to grab my stuff and dashed back home. I still couldn't believe that that happened. Why did I keep ending up meeting them? Suho's gaze had given me the chills, like I was dunked into a pool of ice cold water, but there was something in his eyes... I knew I must have imagined it, but now that I think back to it, there seemed to be a red shine in them, something telling me that I should back off or suffer the consequences. 

It was a rather interesting day to begin with. I'm just pleased that everyone is aware that I'm a girl and that those guys apologized for what happened in the locker room. I highly doubt that we can start being friends, the awkwardness in the science club was proof of that, but I can't deny that I still feel a strange pull towards them. 

I didn't want to think this way about twelve guys, but... was I attracted to them? I wasn't the type of girl that would have random crushes on every guy who breathes, but I never felt so drawn to guys like this before either.  _Aish, Jae, what's the matter with you?_

No, this wasn't love. This was fascination. I was curious and I wanted to know  _them_ , while at the same time I wanted to stay as far away as possible from them. I didn't like how I was so preoccupied with them, thinking about their faces and their characteristics, beating myself up over the fact why I was so  _freaking_  drawn to them. Add to that, that I was feeling pangs of anxiety again. Very restless, concerned and confused about my place in this world. When those twelve guys weren't occupying my mind, I would see flashes of a butterfly, green and golden fields, clear blue skies and stars. I don't know...maybe I'm overexhausted?

Things felt a little worse when my dad came home. He told my mom about the founder of E.T. Corp paying him an unexpected visit which nearly gave the poor guy a heart attack, but then he said that he had gotten a project that might change the world. I know my dad, and he gets overexcited real easy, but this time, he really seemed stoked about it. 

Mom found a strange object in his bag and he quickly snatched it away from her. "Sorry, honey, that's company property. I want to take a close look at it myself before starting the project," he had explained, but the velvet cloth that covered it had slipped and I saw the tip of the hilt of a dagger, a green glowing heart in the middle of it. It was just a glimpse, since my dad speedily covered it again and placed it in his safe- yes, he owns a safe, because being the CEO for a company like E.T. Corp meant that you shouldn't ever take chances - but something...awakened in me. 

When I caught a glimpse of that green heart, it felt like everything around me suddenly pulsated. I heard a clear and distinct heartbeat and it caught me off guard. My head became heavy, a cold sweat had taken over and my own heart felt like it was going to bust out of my chest. This was worse than any feelings of anxiety I ever experienced. What's worse, was the fact that I probably lost consciousness, which never happened before. 

I think I was dreaming, after that. I was standing in the center of a dream world, twelve odd symbols circling around a tree in front of me. I remember wolves howling and the moon spinning around the sun. And a green heart, pulsating within a majestic tree. 

I woke up in my room, hearing my parents' concerned voices, and the voice of a doctor, who assured them that I had a fainting spell, but that I should be alright by morning. The disturbing part of all of this, was when I woke up and wondered at first to whom those voices belonged to. Parents, who were they? Maybe it was an effect of losing consciousness, that I had very briefly lost my memory, but it scared me. I didn't feel like myself. I felt like two different people at the same time. 

I couldn't sleep, I couldn't rest, my mind was spinning with confusing and haunting images of fire and ice and black smoke. Thunder clapping, lightning flashing amidst a heavy rain storm, and that howling. That dreadful howling of wolves ringing in my head! It was driving me insane. 

It didn't help that the silvery light of the moon spilled through my window into my room. Is it just me, or does that moon look particularly good tonight? 

"Ah, what is this?" I murmured, hearing my parents retire for the night. I pretended to sleep when they came to check up on me, and the moment when I knew they fell asleep, I rolled out of bed, feeling feverish when I looked at the moon. It was nearly full and the longer I looked at it, the more restless I was feeling. Without any rational reason, I wanted to run. Fast.  _Right now_. 

My body was trembling when I changed my clothes and quietly snuck out of the house - something I had never done before. I was scared and felt like I couldn't control myself.  _Why was I like this? What's happening?_

I actually felt relieved when I was outside and only the moon waited. I had brought my music with me, put on my earphones and ran. I didn't even know where I was running towards, as long as I could run. And this was me, Jae Miyano, who hated running with a passion. I never ran for fun, I only ran when necessity drove me to! 

But the moon was so bright. The wind was so refreshing. It felt so good to be out in the dark like this, with only the slithering light of the moon to guide me. Soon, I was in an abandoned part of the island, at least, it felt that way. I wasn't even scared to be alone like this. I ran on the dirt road and only stopped briefly to listen when I thought I heard an actual wolf howl in the far distance. Thinking about the white wolf I saw, I ran with just a bit more caution, but startled altogether when a few moments later, I heard a crash not too far ahead of me. 

"Ah! Ow!" a voice said, that had me rattled for a moment. There were people here? Maybe this person got injured? 

I ran towards the source of the sound, blinking my eyes when I thought I saw someone scramble up to their feet and hide behind a tree. Was it better if I ran? The gentle breeze of the night floated by and I smelled a sudden fragrance of white lotus flowers, but to my knowledge, there wasn't a pond around here at all. 

"Hello? Is someone there?" I called to the shadow, that was obviously trying to hide from me. It's been a strange night for me, but I wasn't feeling scared at all. I promised myself that I'd go see a shrink if I made it back alive tonight, but my whole mind was scattered at the moment. 

"Hello? I, eh, thought I heard a loud voice, was that you?" I tried, seeing the person shift uneasily behind the tree, attempting to hide. "Hey, you know that I can see you, right? You're hiding behind that tree," I said, a little amused, while approaching the person. At this moment, the scent of lotus flowers became stronger. Was this person wearing a perfume? 

Whoever it was, though, was rather rude, since no reply came. "Okay then," I conceded. "Well, I hope you're okay. It sounded like you fell pretty badly," I commented, seeing the spot where the person obviously made a smack. When still no response came, I backed off and continued to walk. 

"You're concerned about me?" 

I froze and turned around.  _I recognize that voice_. 

"Well, yeah, I guess you could put it that way," I started a little hesitatingly while I leaned to the side, in hopes of being able to see his face. "Don't think too much of it, though. I can't even see your face," I commented, more curious now since I know I heard that voice before. Could it be... _them?_

"You shouldn't worry for strangers. They might be dangerous," he remarked, and finally, he glanced towards me. I refrained from jolting back when I saw his eyes and he had already turned away from me again, hidden in the shadows. I felt my heart beat loudly again, the cold sweat returning. 

"I guess. But if you had been dangerous, you would've already done something," I remarked, trying to suppress my anxiety. "Are you sure you're alright?" I then started, my suspicion and fear growing. "Your eyes look really red."

I distinctly saw the shimmering red eyes, gleaming curiously at me before telling me that I should leave.  _Go home. Dangerous creatures roaming about._

I couldn't disagree with that. This person may have been one of them. By the time I ran back, I felt more refreshed than ever, but those red eyes continued haunting my mind. How was I supposed to sleep now? I quietly walked past my parents' bedroom, watching them sleep peacefully, before heading to my room. However, I passed my father's office and even though he had distinct rules of us not going in there without his permission, I found myself opening the door and slipping inside. 

His safe was typically hidden behind a scenery painting of Hawaii, and even though I didn't remove the painting, I felt like I was in a sort of trance when I touched it and could feel something pulsating from inside of the safe. I knew my dad had hidden that dagger in there. My heart beat wildly again, and even started hurting. 

_I shouldn't be here._

I backed away quickly, trying to forget about the green heart and left to my room. Once there, I fired up my laptop, trying to take steady breaths. Then, I started looking up information about everything that had to do with wolves. The basic information, but myths and folklore as well. You had your standard werewolf stories, but that wasn't what I was looking for. Human transformation was another subject I found very fascinating, but when I looked up the effects of the moon, I was surprised at how many stories detailed encounters of people suffering from "lunacy", a madness caused by the moon. All of it could be scientifically or medically explained these days of course, but taking into consideration the things that have happened to me in one evening, I couldn't help but wonder whether I may be suffering from it as well. 

What was it with this island? What was it with the people on it? What was it with that moonlight that made me want to howl at it as well? When I turned my gaze back at my laptop screen, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and jolted back, nearly falling off my bed. I jumped over my laptop and headed for the mirror, looking at my eyes. They glowed a golden amber just now- I was sure of it! 

Crushing my eyes shut and rubbing my temples, I counted to ten, trying my best to calm down. I checked my alarm clock and tried to comfort myself in blaming the ungodly hour of the night for my sleep-deprived hallucinations. What was I doing here? I had school tomorrow! I carefully looked into my reflection and a pair of warm brown eyes stared confusingly back. 

Deciding that it was enough for one day, I closed my laptop, put it away and tried to sleep. When I found that I couldn't, I walked over to my window bench, drenched in the moonlight and quickly dozed off, the scent of lotus flowers still fresh in my memory. 


	29. ~ Heart to Heart ~

***

Do you believe in vampires? What about ghosts? Monsters in your closet and under your bed, perhaps? 

What about werewolves?

Blame the fact that I had very little sleep last night, but the longer I thought about it, the more I'm suspecting that the latter is possible. There are thousands of folklore about men changing into wolves, some even detailing the symptoms or characteristics. I know I should be paying attention to class right now, but all I could do was stare a hole into the back of Suho's head, sometimes watching Lay as well. Suho, whom I found out to be the class president (a job so very suitable for him- _yeah, right..._ ) was attentively making notes during the lesson, listening obediently at the teacher. His skin was flawless, his dark hair perfectly groomed. He looked like a model student for sure, but he sure didn't act like one- well, not towards me, at least. Seriously though, what teenager has perfectly flawless skin and looks ready to become Hanwol's Next Topmodel? Plus, he was smart. Like, annoyingly smart. 

_Look at that perfect posture and stupid smile when the teacher happens to look at him,_  I thought a bit bitterly, since I knew another side of him that others obviously weren't very well aware of. Was he two-faced? Begrudgingly, no. I don't think so. The dude just really doesn't like me for whatever reason. 

When I looked towards Lay- well, Lay was Lay. He was twisting his pencil between his fingers, looking a bit dazed and distracted. He blinked like a lost and confused puppy when the teacher suddenly exclaimed loudly that what he was discussing now would be tested and he attempted to write it down, but was obviously distracted again and looked outside with a vague smile on his lips. His creamy complexion and dreamy eyes would make him another good contender for Hanwol's Next Topmodel,  _and don't even get me started on that dimple_! 

I startled when his smiley eyes suddenly directed themselves towards me and the smile on his lips widened, dimples deepening. He calmly gave a small wave, all innocence and sunshine, his face betraying nothing whether he might've thought that it was weird of me to have been staring at him or not. I swallowed, feeling betrayed by my own face when I felt the blush rise to my cheeks and I clumsily and quickly waved back. He was still smiling when he bit his bottom lip before turning away to gaze out the window again, lost in his own world. 

I let out a soft huff of air before glaring at Suho again, thinking about the information I looked up last night. Was I losing my mind? Maybe, but consider the following here (ready for another list? 'Cause here I go!)"

1\. Men who are suspected of being a lycanthrope (fancy word for 'werewolf', true story) could be ordinary men, with extraordinary characteristics; aka, they tend to stand out due to their looks or 'talents'. To support this theory, check out the long list I already made about the Majestic Twelve. 

2\. Lycanthropes have enhanced senses and a strong intuition, an animal-like instinct. I'm not sure whether that is the case with these guys, but they sure have a way of showing up whenever I'm around, or maybe that's the other way around- I'm not sure. Either way, there is no denying that there's  _something_  animal-like about them. Well, Suho, for sure, the way that guy glares like he's ready to bite me...

3\. Wolves travel in packs. Majestic Twelve. Need I say more? 

4\. Wolves have a social hierarchy within the pack, one wolf being the leader. I don't think I have to point that person out, do I? 

5\. Ookami Shinro is known to have a population of wild wolves living on the island. In fact, the name of the island itself means White Wolf. I rest my case!

When the bell rang, I walked through the hallway to my locker, faltering my step only momentarily when I saw Chanyeol. He had his locker near mine and I tried not to make eye contact. I did catch him side-eying me from behind his locker door, but said nothing. I ignored him politely as well, while opening my locker. However, the longer I stood there, sorting my things, I started feeling warm. As in literally hot, as if someone had stoked up a nearby fire. I adjusted the blazer and carefully looked at Chanyeol. He wasn't looking at me, but it appeared he was feeling warm as well, since there was a drop of sweat falling from the side of his concentrated face. 

"Eh, sorry, Chanyeol?" I tried carefully. He startled when he heard me call, his almond eyes staring at me wide-eyed. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," I started. "I just wanted to ask if you're feeling that heat as well. It's kind of weird, I don't know where it's coming from," I looked around, wondering whether there might be something wrong with the central heating.

"H-heat? Uh, n-no, I don't feel anything," he stammered. "Sorry," he closed his door and quickly left. I narrowed my eyes at him as I watched him disappear amongst the stream of students. It was remarkable that the heat seemed to have gone with him.

"What the-," I touched the metal of my locker and felt that it was warm. Did someone put a heater in their locker or something? _Hmm..._

6\. Expect strange and unnatural phenomena to occur when a lycanthrope is near. They tend to affect the natural order of things because by definition, they are unnatural creatures. Another site had even pointed out that they were not necessarily unnatural, but rather, supernatural.

_Tomorrow night? Are you sure?_

I jumped back at hearing the voice so clearly. I scanned the students around me, but they were either talking to each others or walking by casually. There wasn't anyone around in the hallway with me. I shut my locker door and walked towards the main hallway, students eager to get to the cafeteria for food. 

_Yes, I'm sure._

It echoed in my head and I rubbed my ears for a moment. 

_Finally! I can't wait!_

Wait? For what? What's happening tomorrow night? Wait, I'm hearing voices in my head and I'm curious to what they're saying instead of worrying why I'm hearing voices in my head?! What the heck is wrong with me? I rubbed the back of my neck tiresomely, rolling my shoulders in the process. Maybe I should see a doctor about this- my breathing halted for a moment when I caught sight of Xiumin and Luhan walking past, a group of girls trailing them steadily. I turned away when Luhan looked at me, but I met his gaze when he narrowed his eyes at me. 

" _Wae_ , Luhan-oppa, do you know the new girl?" came the sudden question which had me startled. In that instant, Luhan actually blushed and gave the girls a radiant smile. 

 "Just vaguely," he answered, smirking at me before heading to the cafeteria with Xiumin. I blinked when I heard his voice. I let out a nervous chuckle while grabbing my head. The voice I heard just now, when no one was around, one of them belonged to Luhan- they were identical, there was no doubt! But, then, was the other voice... Xiumin? 

A flash of red eyes came to mind and I thought back to last night. Maybe I was still not feeling very well. I should go home, rest and come back another day when I'm feeling better... 

_Jae, you're suspecting a group of guys to be werewolves, re-evaluate your priorities and get into bed!_

"Oh man..." I groaned. 

"Jae-yah!" 

I jumped again at hearing Lili's voice. "Hi! I thought I'd catch you here. Wanna get lunch together?" she asked happily, her smile fading the longer she looked at me. "Are you feeling alright? You look a little flustered," she pointed out, gently putting her hand against my forehead, her face suddenly worried. 

"I'm fine," I quickly said, trying to keep up my smile. 

"Are you sure? Your temperature seems to be up," Lili noted after putting a hand on her own forehead for comparison. "And you look a little tired," she commented. 

"Oh, yeah, I had trouble sleeping last night," I confessed, hoping that would explain it all and get Lili off my back. It was sweet that she was concerned though. 

"Oh dear, must almost be full moon," she teased, but the phrase caught me off guard and I felt panicked. 

"Full moon? Why-why would you say that?" I stammered, making Lili laugh. 

"You know, people getting out of wonk when full moon is approaching and all that? Superstition and all that," she grinned. "You sure you're alright? You look a little wild," she chuckled. 

"Oh, yes, sorry, I'm not really functioning all too well when I've had very little sleep," I smiled sheepishly, which wasn't necessarily a lie. Without my usual seven to eight hours, I would walk around the next day like a complete zombie. I'm actually rather surprised that I wasn't in zombie-mode at the moment. 

"Aw, well hang in there a little longer, school's almost out," Lili encouraged. "Let's get some food, huh?" she linked her arm with mine and we walked into the crowded cafeteria. Lili started waving enthusiastically at the group of girls I talked to before and mimicked the same gesture with a more reserved attitude. 

"We can sit over there," she said and leaned in to whisper, "perfect view," she sighed dreamily and gazed at the table where the Majestic Twelve usually sat. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and gave a wan smile. Lili went to get the trays for the both of us, giving me a small moment to glance at the table. Xiumin and Luhan were already there, along with Chanyeol, Chen and Baekhyun. Suho, Lay and D.O. joined not soon after and Sehun was talking to lanky Tao. I glanced at Tao a little longer, his side profile suddenly looking very familiar. The shape of his eyes intrigued me as well and for a split second I tried to imagine what it would look like if his eyes were red of color. 

"Jae-yah, are you coming?" Lili's voice sounded behind me and while I absently turned around, I hadn't expected to bump into one of them. 

"Oh! S-sorry," I quickly apologized, gulping when I found myself looking up to Kai. He balanced the food on his tray with ease, but he didn't seem to like that I bumped into him. This kid was able to give colder glares than Suho and I found it difficult to stay calm under his stare. There was a quiet aura about him that was nerve-wrecking. It felt like he was a ticking timebomb and anything could set him off if you made a wrong move. 

"You seem to show up everywhere," he suddenly stated in accusation. His voice was quiet and low, but very boyish. "Why is that?" he interrogated, his tone obviously agitated. 

I cringed a little since he was standing close, but since I couldn't bear to look at him longer, my eyes trailed at the food on his tray. Fried chicken, french fries, two cans of coke  _and_  dessert. That's a lot of food for one kid. Not to mention that Kai had a lean and muscular physique- where did he store it all?  _Wolf_. 

I shook my head. "Maybe you're the one that keeps showing up everywhere and I just happen to be here," I responded steadily, gathering the courage to look up at him. I knew that he was younger than me, but he was much taller. 

"Well, if that is the case, go happen to be somewhere else," he replied and walked away to his friends. I sighed out of relief and went to quickly join Lili. 

"What are you in the mood for today?" she mused, unaware of my interaction with Kai. "I think I'm going to go with the Caesar salad. Hm, maybe just french fries and ketchup? Or just bread...What do you think, Jae-yah?" Lili turned to look at me and since I've experienced the portions of food at this school, a salad or a sandwich would be the logical choice. However, after my encounter with Kai... I was really craving for chicken. 

"I'm going with the fried chicken and side salad," I decided, grabbing a Sprite in the process. Lili's eyes widened a little before she giggled. 

"Whoa, you're really not shy about eating, huh, Jae-yah?" she said endearingly, but my eyes were solely focused on the fried chicken. 

"I'm really hungry," I said, my stomach grumbling softly. I was a little startled when I felt my mouth watering, but I didn't care about that. I just wanted to eat. 

We sat down at the same table where I enjoyed the yummy chicken and of course the topic of today's conversation were the Majestic Twelve. I glanced over at them as casually as I could, but I soon found out that the Majestic Twelve was a member short. 

"There's only eleven today," I murmured before I realized the words had flown from my mouth. 

"Ehh?" the girls cooed, turning around to look at the table. 

"Ah, where's Kris-oppa?" they immediately noticed. 

"Right here," a deep voice sounded that startled the heck out of me. The girls were no different and some of them even squealed when they saw him. He had a relaxed smile on his handsome face, his honey blonde hair combed to perfection.  _We have a winner, ladies and gentlemen; Hanwol's Next Topmodel!_

I looked down and focused on my food while he was having a pleasant and casual conversation with the others. Meanwhile, I was wondering where he had suddenly popped up from and how it was possible that he could hear what we were talking about. As Kris was schmoozing with the girls, the other guys glanced towards his direction and I frowned. Why didn't anyone else notice their weird behaviors?

"Uh, excuse me," a deep voice called and I swallowed when I saw that the whole table was looking at me. My eyes darted confusingly at all the faces before they settled on Kris, who was looking directly at me. He gave a lopsided smile. "It's Jae, right? The new girl?" 

Why was he putting up a front? That guy knows who I am. _And if he doesn't, his hands surely do..._

"Um, yeah," I nodded, exchanging a look with Lili who looked overexcited. 

"What's up? I'm Kris. We didn't get a chance to properly introduce yet," he said and I was very much inclined to ask him what he thought he was doing. He was smooth, though, and the girls that were crushing on him were sighing dreamily all this time he opened his mouth. 

"Uh...oh," I said, showing off my eloquency. He smiled a bright smile. 

"Do you think we can go and talk for a while? I mean, if you're done eating, that is," he suddenly asked, throwing me off balance. My eyes widened. 

"Uh- ah- ya...wait. What?" I fumbled over my words and he chuckled in a suave manner as if I was amusing him. Meanwhile, some of the other girls were sending me their death-glares. Was he doing this on purpose? 

"What for?" I managed to ask. 

"Meet me outside of the cafeteria when you're done," he stated easily, adjusting his blazer and running a hand through his hair. "You'll find out then." 

When he winked, the girls cooed and giggled, but I just stared at him in suspicion. I get now why he got such a 'cool' reputation, but I've seen him on off days, even though I've only been here for three days. I kept watching him as he walked out of the cafeteria, passing his group's table casually. My eyes lingered on them and they seemed to be up to something. Why would Kris come up to ask me to talk with him? Did Suho know? Or was Suho in on this?

"Yah~ Jae-yah!" Lili suddenly shook me from side to side in enthusiasm. "I cannot believe that Kris-oppa wants to talk to you!" 

"Uh, neither can I..." I mused.

"Wah...I'm so jealous," one of them said, but I blinked in confusion at them. 

"Jealous? What for?" I asked and Lili started laughing, slapping me playfully on the arm. 

"Everyone knows that if a boy asks you to come talk to him, he usually means to confess to you," she giggled. "You should hurry and go after him!" 

I'm sure that my eyes were about to pop out of their sockets when I heard Lili's explanation. "Wh-wh- _what_?! N-no! You're mistaken, there's no way that he's planning something like  _that_ , trust me," I assured. 

"Well, you're not going to find out by sitting here. Go, already!" Lili urged. I felt my heart sink into my stomach now and my appetite has definitely disappeared. Sighing, I got out of my seat and headed out the cafeteria, passing the Majestic Twelve's table quickly. I turned around to look over my shoulder at Lili, who gave me an enthusiastic thumbs up. Some of the girls followed her example, others seemed a little less enthused. 

I bit my lip and headed outside, but the hallways was empty. 

"Over here," Kris called behind me and I saw him leaning casually against the wall, one hand in his pocket, the other holding his iPhone. One foot was planted against the wall behind him and he used it to push himself away from it. Now that we were alone, he looked more nervous and unsure- more himself, from what I gathered. 

"Wanna take a walk?" he suggested, probably feeling about as awkward as I was feeling. I appraised him a moment. 

"As long as you keep your hands in your pocket, I'm cool with it," I retorted, making him blush and chuckle nervously. 

"Deal," he agreed immediately and shoved his hands in his pockets. We started walking slowly and awkwardly next to each other and Kris was looking around as though he was trying to find a topic to talk about. I thought I'd make it a little easier on him in that respect.

"So, what was that all about back there?" I asked, referring to his act. 

"Ah, that, yeah, uh..." he trailed off, running his hand through his hair again before quickly shoving it back into his pocket.  _Not so smooth now, huh?_  I thought amusingly to myself. 

"I thought it would make it less awkward," he then explained and shrugged. "I know who you are, obviously...and, you know me," he stated, rather than asked. 

"Just by name and face," I answered, to which he nodded. He seemed to ponder about something before heaving a sigh. He licked his lips and stepped in front of me. It was safe to note that we were completely alone at this point, but that didn't make me feel comfortable at all. 

"Look, um, I'm not sure how to say this, so I'll just say it," he suddenly exclaimed and my heart jumped into my throat, my cheeks blushing furiously when I thought to what Lili said. 

"You're not going to confess, are you?!" I nearly shrieked in my panic before planting my hands in front of my big mouth.  _Oh. My. God. Jae. You are such an idiot!_

Kris' eyes widened as he looked at me before he frowned in bewilderment and quickly shook his head. "What?!  _Aniya!_ No, no, no, don't misunderstand," he quickly corrected and it made me breathe a little better. "I just wanted to discuss something with you, that's all. It's about- well, you see- ah, how to say this?" he wondered out loud. 

"I think we both know that there's something between us," he then started, making me suspicious all over again. He saw me blinking blankly at him and he shook his head again. "No, not like that- will you stop thinking like that?" he then accused. 

"You keep saying it in weird ways, dude, what else am I supposed to think?" I shot back. 

"I'm not hitting on you! I'm trying to have a conversation with you, okay?" he stated. 

"Well, you obviously had me fooled," I spewed in frustration. 

"Why would I hit on you? I mean- you know, I might if I saw you walking in the streets and didn't know who you were- but- oh! Why are we talking about this?" he said in his frustration, the tips of his ears violently red. He sighed deeply. "When I said that there's something between us, I meant you and us, me and my br- friends. It can't be easy for either party, right? Now, I'd suggest that we'd start over, but there are some that disagree with that," he started and I didn't need to ask who those people were. "So, basically, I'm asking if we truly could put things behind us and leave it at that. You know, I mean in the sense that we leave you alone, as long as you leave us alone," he suggested, but I narrowed my eyes at him. 

"Leave you alone?" I questioned, crossing my arms. 

"Yeah. Stop asking people questions about us, stop glaring fire at Suho every time you see him, things like that," Kris clarified and I scoffed. 

"Hold up. Suho sent you? What, he couldn't handle it himself to tell me these things so he sent his hyung?" I mocked. 

"Oh, trust me, I offered it. If it were him standing in front of you right now, the both of you would have been screaming your lungs out at each other and make our relationship worse," Kris stated jokingly. 

I propped up my eyebrow at him. "Relationship?" I quipped, finding it a little amusing to see how easy it was to get cool guy Kris so flustered. 

"Why are you twisting my words?" he asked. 

"Why are you letting me?" I retorted and he scoffed, trying to think of a good comeback. 

"It's just- Do you want to know the truth?" he suddenly inquired and I glanced at him, nodding slowly. Kris calmed down and stepped closer towards me. Since he was so impossibly tall, I had to crane my neck up to look at him. "You make us feel uneasy," he stated honestly, quietly, privately. His voice was soft and gentle when he spoke. "And not necessarily the good kind of uneasy, but at the same time, not the bad kind of uneasy either." 

I swallowed. He described exactly what I was feeling towards them. "Right back at you," I told him and this seemed to surprise him a bit. His eyes flashed with realization when he looked at me, and for the life of me, I felt a bit caught in his stare. 

"Is there something that you perhaps- know?" he then asked.

"Like what?"

"Something you know about yourself, that you can't necessarily tell to others?" he tried carefully and I frowned at him. "Like, what is the reason you feel uneasy when you see either of us?" he then tried instead. 

"I don't know. There's just something. The way you act, the impressions you give me," I started explaining, since this confrontation might exactly be the thing that needed to be said out loud. Kris nodded as he listened to me, a grave expression on his face. I was aware how close he was suddenly standing in front of me, so I stepped back when he stepped forward. 

"And what impressions would that be?" his voice was a purr, his eyes intently looking at mine. Soon, I felt my back pressed up against a wall, Kris leaning one hand easily next to the space next to my face, trapping me. Was this a flirting technique he had? Was he playing with me? The smirk on his face indicated that he was, but something about his eyes...his eyes...that were getting very close all of a sudden. My gaze trailed to his lips that were formed into a gentle smirk, glistening when he licked them. 

"Wolves," I finally breathed, and I blinked my eyes as though a spell had broken. Kris had paled and my heart beat fast. Why did he looked so startled?

"Why would you say something like that?" he asked, recovering and pulling away to create more distance between us, which I was thankful for. 

"Instinct," I replied, pressing myself against the wall further when something changed in Kris' expression. 

"Who are you?" he demanded, no playfulness or teasing to be found anywhere. 

"You know who I am," I told him, wondering what brought on this sudden change in behavior. 

"No, I mean  _who_  are you, really?" he asked, but I didn't know what answer he was waiting for. All I could think of was that the little nagging voice in the back of my head was right;  _they're hiding something._

I didn't answer him, since I didn't know what he wanted to hear. So, a deafening silence fell between us, each of us glaring at each other. I flinched when the bell rang, signaling that lunch was over. Kris didn't. He didn't even move a muscle. 

"I'm asking you nicely this time," he then decided when the first students spilled into the hallway. "Keep your distance from me and my brothers," he didn't correct himself that time. He made sure to tell me that his friends were his brothers. "For your own good," he added more gently. 

"Was that a threat?" I asked, not sure whether I wanted to know the answer. 

"A friendly warning," he said instead. "Please, just leave us alone." 

We looked at each other a bit longer, giving me the opportunity to see the sincerity and genuine pleading in his eyes when he made the request. But it only made me feel even more uneasy. When he walked away, his hands in his pockets, I was left wondering why he would ask me something like that. Why did he react that way when I bluntly said I thought they were like wolves? Why did I remember what his lips looked like when they were glistening?

_Could it be...? Were werewolves real?_


	30. ~ Jae Snaps ~

***

_Please, just leave us alone._

Kris' words still echoed in my mind, but it was mostly the way he said it that stood out to me. It was a genuine, earnest plead of someone who obviously cared deeply for his friends -  _brothers_  - and his face... His eyes were so concerned, so gentle. Werewolves shouldn't be able to look like that, right?

_Unless they were puppies_... 

I sighed. Was I seriously contemplating the possibility that Kris and his eleven 'brothers' were actually werewolves? Rational, logic thinking would state that I needed to be admitted to the nearest psychiatric hospital, but when I think about putting my observations and facts together, them being otherworldly might not be such an impossible idea. I mean, come on, it's a little weird that Kris reacted so startled when I told him that I thought the twelve of them reminded me of wolves. And, what was with the sudden change of attitude when he asked me who I was? 

Other,  _normal_ people would have reacted differently, right? They would have laughed or looked at me weirdly for saying they reminded me of wolves. And that request! 

_Please, just leave us alone._

I mean- what even?! Why would he say something like that unless he wanted to prevent me from finding something out? 

But, next to Kris' plead, there was something else that was bothering me. Luhan. And Xiumin. I know I heard their voices, loud and clear, as though they were speaking directly at me.  _Tomorrow night_ , Luhan had said, and Xiumin had responded enthusiastically. What was going on tomorrow night? I knew then and there that there was no way for me to accomplish Kris' request. I didn't know exactly what I was doing here, but I knew that I was in it too deep. 

"Jade? Jae, baby." 

I blinked, woken from my thoughts and looked at my father, who gave me a questioning look. "Are you alright, sweetheart? You seem a bit preoccupied this evening," he pointed out, casually eating his steak dinner while waiting for me to respond. Mom was eying me curiously as well, trying to hide the smirk that was forming on her face. As usual, she was making the wrong assumptions. 

"I guess I'm just a little bit tired," I said, looking at my food as though I just noticed that it was there. All of a sudden, I was overwhelmed by a ravenous appetite and started eating quickly. 

"Maybe you're still a bit weak after what happened last-," Mom abruptly stopped talking mid-sentence when she caught sight of me eating. "Are you planning to chew your food are you going to keep gorging it all down like that?" she remarked sarcastically, shaking her head in disapproval at me. 

I stopped eating and swallowed. What was she talking about?

"Hungry much, Jade?" Dad chuckled, looking at me. "What, did you skip lunch at school, or something?" 

I frowned. "Eh, no. Why?" I responded, wishing I could grab the juicy piece of steak with both my hands and devour it. This was one seriously delicious dinner. Mom outdone herself tonight. 

"What did you eat at school then?" Mom wanted to know, staring at me while I was eating. 

"Uh, I had fried chicken and some salad," I answered, helping myself to some more mashed potatoes. 

"And what? Did you only eat the drumstick or something?" Dad asked and he sounded amused, but I didn't know why. 

"No, I think I ate the whole thing," I replied casually, grabbing a roll of bread and buttering it. 

"The  _whole_  thing?" Mom repeated in shock and I shrugged. 

"I was hungry. Don't worry, I'll watch my weight," I assured her. 

"You sure about that, honey?" Mom asked and I blinked at her. 

"Yeah. Why are you guys staring at me like this, by the way? Never saw me eat before?" I asked, a little agitated. I noticed Dad exchanging a glance with Mom before I looked down at my dinner again. 

_PMS?_

"No, Dad, it's not PMS, that's so lame to use that as an excuse to describe a woman's behavior," I answered and I looked up when he dropped his cutlery, startled. "What?" I looked at him, bewildered, just as he was looking at me. 

"Is there something wrong, honey?" Mom added, looking concerned and lost. 

"I...eh- I didn't say anything, sweetie," he told me and I froze. 

"Yes, you did. You said 'PMS' just now," I pointed out and directed myself at my mother. "Mom, you heard him say it, right?"

She fluttered her eyes at me in astonishment before glancing over at my confused father. "Sorry, honey, I didn't hear him say anything." 

"In all fairness, I was  _thinking_  it, though. Are you a psychic, or something, Jade?" he attempted to laugh it off, grabbing his knife and fork, glancing at me from time to time. But I was feeling nauseous. I heard his voice, loud and clear... What's wrong with me?

"Honey, maybe you should take Jae to the doctor again," Mom was suddenly by my side, holding my forehead while I was still chewing my food. "Oh my God, baby, you're burning up," she wiped the sweat from my brow while I tried to move away. 

"I'm- I'm fine," I said, shaking her hand off, still stuffing my face with food. I was so hungry...

"No, you're not, you're sweating and you're trembling! Ryo, we should get her to the doctor," Mom fussed over me, trying to make me put down my knife and fork, while she was discussing with my father how worried she was and how I should get a physical checkup. Her hands were on my back, my neck, my forehead and I knew she was just concerned about me, but did she have to be so clingy?

"Mom! I said I'm fine, will you just let me eat?!" I burst out, standing up and knocking my chair over in the process. After seeing the utter shock on my mother's face, I startled myself. I never raised my voice at my parents like that- ever! Even if I was angry- which I was, right now, but I don't know for the life of me why. She was only concerned because I had fainted last night and didn't want me to get sick. 

"Jae-In Miyano! What the hell do you think you're doing, young lady? That is your mother you're talking to!" Dad shouted, just as surprised as I was at my outburst. 

"Did something happen at school?" Mom then asked, thinking that that would explain why I was acting like this. 

"No. Nothing happened at school," I said, feeling very strange. I wiped the sweat of my brow with trembling hands, a feeling of pure agitation lingering in my chest. I wanted to be left alone.

"Then why are you shouting like this?" Mom asked, eerily calm, which usually meant that she was pissed off. 

"So, what? I can't shout? I have to be the perfect teenage daughter all the time?"  _Jae, what the hell? Why are you saying these things?_  I was frightened because I couldn't control myself. That's not what I wanted to say.  _Why did you say that?_

"Where is this coming from?" Dad interjected, absolutely taken aback. 

"As if you don't know. You dragged me here so you can play CEO and healer of the world and I had to turn my life upside down for it and pretend everything is fine?" I abruptly closed my mouth. This wasn't me. Why was I saying these things to them? A sharp pain in my head make me wince, drawing my breath through clenched teeth. And my parents being my parents didn't get upset with me, rather, they noticed my pain and fussed over that instead. 

"Okay, that's it, I don't know what's going on with you, missy, but you're staying home. I'll call your school tomorrow morning," Mom decided, but I pushed her away from me before I was able to stop myself. "Jae!" she exclaimed, surprised. She rubbed her arm where I had shoved her. 

"No! I want to go to school tomorrow! I need to go to school!" I exclaimed. "I-I'm sorry, okay? I-I'm just hungry and tired and I just need you to leave me alone, that's all," I tried, trying to make sense of my behavior, holding my head. A deafening silence fell, with my parents looking at each other and at me in concern. I was panting, not because I was exhausted, but because I was- angry. Which made no sense at all. I wasn't the type that got angry like this. 

"Well, whatever the case, Jae, you're going to your room this instant. We'll see tomorrow whether you're going to school or not," Dad stated firmly. 

"You're grounding me?" I challenged, blinking through the pain in my head. 

"I'm very inclined to do so," he replied. "Now get to your room, now!" he ordered and I snarled -  _I never snarl!_

_"Fine!"_ I shouted and left the dining room, stomping my feet as I walked up the stairs. However, I could still hear them talking when I moved away. 

_"What's wrong with her?"_

_"Maybe she's still not feeling well..."_

_"That's not like Jae, Ryo. She's never done this before."_

_"Maybe those rebellious, teenage hormones finally caught up? Here, let me see your arm."_

_"That's another thing! When did that kid get this strong? It's all red."_

_"Well, it's a full moon tomorrow...That looks like it's going to bruise. I'll talk to her a little later."_

When I got into my room I felt my body shivering and I grabbed my head in agony, but my father's words still stayed in my mind.  _Full moon tomorrow_. That had to be it. What Luhan and Xiumin meant. Why else would they get excited? I felt that familiar surge of panic again when I thought about what I had just done to my parents. Oddly, the anger I was feeling didn't make way for the guilt that came with it. Was I still sick? My head was hurting like hell, but even when I was extremely ill, I never acted like that. 

"Ah!" I groaned, shutting my door and heading towards my bed. At this point, the pain in my head became too much to bear and I fell to my knees, lying on the floor exactly where the light of the moon shone brightest. My head was thumping and felt like it was going to explode any moment. Changing my mind for a split second, I tried crawling back towards my door to call for help, but it felt like the moonlight kept me trapped. I didn't want to move away from it. Was this it? Was this lunacy? 

"Argh!" I curled up on the floor, grabbing my head and crushing my eyes shut. In flooded images of twelve stars-  _my stars_  - as they fell mercilessly from the sky. Around me, the world was burning, the air was frozen as lightning tried to break the silence, and the earth shook wildly. I fell into the darkness, the rays of light unable to catch me. When I opened my eyes, I saw twelve symbols and a tree, a green heart shining within it. I've seen this before, but never have I felt the pain I was feeling now. The tree changed slowly before me, the green, beating heart turning into eyes, a white wolf licking its lips and bearing its teeth at me. I briefly saw a glimpse of another pair of lips, shining alluringly to be kissed. But then, I screamed when the wolf ran towards me and devoured all of me without warning. 

_Jae._

A multitude of voices sang. 

_You're mine._


	31. ~ Gurae WOLF, Naega Wolf, AWOOO! ~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OAO Things are starting to roll! Let me know what you guys think so far, feedback is always appreciated ^^ Thank you so much!

***

I woke up the next day feeling hungover, dizzy, pain throbbing numbly throughout my body as though a horde of elephants went tapdancing on me last night. 

I groaned and blinked, my eyesight hazy at first until I realized that I was looking up at my ceiling, from my bed. My head spun when I looked to the side and saw a bottle of pills on my nightstand. Looks like the doctor stopped by again. My room was gently lit by the sun and I felt much better than I did last night. Carefully trying to sit up, I tried to think back to what had happened last night. My parents must've been so angry, but I didn't really know what was going on either. I knew about my panic attacks from time to time, but this took the cake. 

_Not to mention those images..._

I kept seeing flashes of a world in disarray, followed by strange symbols I had never seen before and a tree with a green heart. I might be able to explain that last image since I caught sight of that funny dagger Dad had brought home the other day, and my subconscious might've caught up on that, but all the rest? The scary part was that those images didn't just feel like dreams. They felt like memories. 

"Oh man..." I huffed, wincing while I waited for the dizziness to pass. "I really am losing my mind." 

Then, panic slapped me across the face again when I realized that it was already morning. The moonlight had turned into the sun and today was a school day. _Oh no!_

I glanced at my alarm clock and my eyes widened. "What?!" I reached out to grab it, but fell off my bed in the process because I'm just elegant that way, and groaned out of frustration once more when I realized that it wasn't just morning- it was one o'clock in the afternoon. I slept throughout the night and most of the day! I was late for freaking school!

As fast as I could, I washed my face, brushed my teeth and hastily put on my school uniform, making a racket while I did so. The noise drew my mother's attention when she hurriedly came into my room. 

"Jae? Jae! Baby, what are you doing, you should be in bed right now!" she said, watching me hoist my skirt up while attempting to put on the blazer at the same time. I carelessly pulled up the knee-high socks and didn't bother when the left side slid back down. 

"Hi, Mom," I greeted in a hurry, quickly brushing my hair and grabbing my backpack. 

"Don't you 'hi, Mom" me, missy! Get back into bed!" she pointed, taking my backpack away from me. 

"No, seriously, it's fine, I want to go school. I feel a lot better, sorry about last night, okay?" I know I said it in a hurry, but I meant those words and even gave her a quick hug before grabbing my bag away from her again, heading towards the stairs. 

"Jae, I am serious! You fainted again last night and the doctor wants you resting. The school knows that you're sick so you don't have to go today. Please, stay in bed. I don't want to see my baby like last night again," she pleaded, following me to the kitchen where I grabbed a loaf of bread and put it in my mouth. 

"Jae," she called again, grabbing me by the shoulders. "You're not well, baby," she said, gently caressing stray locks of hair from my face. "You scared me last night, do you realize that?" she then stated and immediately pangs of guilt hit my chest. 

"I didn't mean to," I started, slowing down just a bit. "I...I don't know what happened." 

"And neither do we, which is why I want you to stay at home today, please, for me?" she pleaded, gently stroking my hair, her eyes full of worry.

"Mom, I'm sorry about last night, I really am. I don't know what had gotten over me, but I swear to you that I feel a lot better today. Please, I just want to go to school," I insisted. If I heard correctly, Dad said that tonight would be a full moon and everyone has the right to call me crazy right now, but I wanted to know why Xiumin was so excited about that fact. I won't know if I wasn't at school. I just needed to know, or I won't be able to let this werewolf matter go. Maybe once I find out, once and for all, all the things that have been happening to me might stop as well. 

"Baby..."

"Mom, please. I swear, I'm fine," I told her, looking at her eyes and putting my own hand against her face. She held onto it and pouted as she pondered about this. 

"You acted like an animal last night," she started and I cringed. 

"I'm sorry. I had a headache," I tried and she inhaled for breath. She removed my hand from her face and held onto it. 

"Well, it's just two or three more classes, right? I want you to come straight home after that, though," she told me strictly and I smiled, hugging her. 

"Thanks, Mom, you're the best!" I pecked her on the cheek and rushed to the front door. She grabbed my hand, however. 

"Jae, what is this? How did this happen?" she pointed out and I hummed in confusion as well. There were odd markings on my hand, as though someone bit into it... My eyes widened and I pulled my hand back, thinking about that strange dream I had with the white wolf attacking me. 

"Nothing, I think I slept weird or something- uh...okay, bye! I'll be home before dinner!" I promised and rushed out the door, my mother blinking at me as she watched me run off. 

"I hope that boy is worth all this trouble!" she called after me to tease me and managed to chuckle, but I only shook my head, whined 'Mom!' in response and ran. Yes, me, Jae, the girl who hated running with a passion, was running to school. And you know what? It felt good. Fantastic, even. I liked the rush of the wind flying past me, the feeling of freedom in the open air. I would enjoy it more if I wasn't so late. 

The school building loomed in front of me and not caring one bit about my most likely disheveled appearance, I quickly dashed towards my locker, dumped the books I didn't need, checked my schedule, grabbed my stuff and ran. The next class started fifteen minutes ago, so getting into class unnoticed was not going to happen. 

I continued running to the second floor to get to my first biology class of the week and in my panicked rush charmingly burst through the door interrupting the lesson. I only realized what I had just done when I saw all those eyes staring at me, bewildered. 

_Ah, look! It's the spotlight and I'm standing in it! Yay..._

Flustered and blushing, I gave a nervous chuckle and a small wave of the hand at my classmates and cringed when I saw who my biology teacher was. 

"Miss Jae! We meet again," Mr. Tabi said with a lopsided grin as he appraised me for a moment. I quickly adjusted my blazer and backpack strap which had slid off my shoulder and gave a nervous smile. "I understood that you were sick today, but, here you are. That's very devoted of you," he joked and some of the students snickered. My face only became a brighter shade of red. 

"H-hi, sir, I'm so sorry for disrupting the lesson and being late. I felt better when I woke up and I didn't want to miss out on any more lessons since I have some catching up to do," I said as an excuse and Mr. Tabi gave a friendly smile. 

"Are you sure you're up for it, though? It looks a little like you could still use some rest," he said gently. 

"Oh, I'm fine, sir, I promise," I said, wondering how many times I had to say that today. 

"Alright, take a seat then," he winked. "As for all you gentlemen in the house, I know that Miss Jae is a pretty girl, but that is no excuse to keep staring at her like that," he then stated not so subtly and I winced again. Mr. Tabi then did subtly point out to my exposed left leg and I hurriedly pulled out the knee-high sock, trying very hard not to be too embarrassed. 

Once I settled down, I realized that next to Suho and Lay, there were more members present in this particular class. Chanyeol, Baekhyun and Chen were here as well. I was still out of breath and panting, and even though I still felt a little bit dizzy, I was glad I made it. Were Chanyeol, Baekhyun and Chen here because they took advanced science classes? Chanyeol and Baekhyun ignored me politely, but Chen was looking at me, curiously at first, then shy and then he smirked a playful smile and adjusted his tie, as though he was telling me to do so with my own tie. I frowned and reached to my tie, sighing out of humiliation when I felt that it was crooked and adjusted it quickly. 

A tap on my shoulder startled me and I glanced behind me. Minho was smirking at me, playfully tugging at my loose hair. "Why the heck would you still go to school when you're sick? Tell me honestly, you overslept, didn't you?" he teased and I was able to relax somewhat. 

"You caught me," I answered in a whisper, which made him laugh. 

Mr. Tabi, was as I already knew, was an excellent teacher, but my attention went to the five members of the Majestic Twelve. I needed to find out what they were excited for, it couldn't just have been Xiumin and Luhan. I unwittingly turned my attention back to Mr. Tabi when he started talking about butterflies. 

"One of the most interesting phenomena in the animal kingdom is that of metamorphosis, transformation. Beginning with one thing and growing into something else entirely. This transformation process has a cycle it abides by. If we were to study the circle of life, the metamorphosis of the butterfly would make an excellent example," he explained with much enthusiasm.

"Observe. We start at the first stage, the egg," there was a plant laid out in front of him and he walked through the classroom to show everyone the eggs on the plants. "Laid by the female butterfly, the eggs are carefully placed on edible plants so that when we go over to the next stage," he rushed to grab another plant, this one was infested by larva and I pulled a face, "the larva will have something to eat and fatten themselves up. Look at them, chubby, little fatties," he joked, carefully stroking one caterpillar while some girls shrieked. 

"Now, now, no need for that. Even these guys have feelings, you know?" Mr. Tabi jested, a playful smile on his handsome face. "What do you guys think when you look at these things? Pretty cute, right?" 

"Ew, Mr. Tabi, they're disgusting," someone piped up from the back of the class. 

"Disgusting?" he prompted, feigning shock. 

"Yeah, and ugly," Lili stuck out her tongue and I smiled at her when she shivered. 

"Ugly?!" Mr. Tabi pretended to gasp. "These precious creatures, disgusting  _and_  ugly? Never! Look at them!" he teased, walking briskly towards her table, where she gave a squeal when he placed the caterpillar-plant in front of her nose. The classroom filled with laughter again when she jumped up to move to the seat next to her as one of the larva fell on her table. 

"Oh, calm down, now, Lili, they're just caterpillars," Mr. Tabi smiled, carefully grabbing the fallen caterpillar and the plant again. 

"Ew, ew, ew! There's still one there!" Lili shrieked, but it was Lay that got up from his seat, that gentle smile on his face as he looked to where Lili was pointing. 

"Lay-oppa, over there!" she pouted and Lay grinned when he carefully picked up the caterpillar, staring at it with the fascination of a two-year-old. 

"There, that wasn't so bad, was it?" he murmured, though I wondered whether he was talking to Lili or to the caterpillar. Lili's eyes were glued on Lay though and for a moment I thought for sure that she had forgotten all about her dear Luhan-oppa. 

"Whoa, thank you, Lay-oppa," she cooed, treating him like a knight in shining armor. 

"You're welcome, Lili," he replied gently, putting the caterpillar back with his friends on the plant. 

"Good man, Lay-sshi," Mr. Tabi stated, ready to continue his lesson. 

"Yah, Lili-noona, there's one more left on your head," Chen suddenly called, pointing at her, causing the girl to shriek again. The classroom was in an uproar as Chen clapped his hands and laughed in that childlike way he does. 

"Ah, Chen! That's not funny," Lili exclaimed, slapping the younger teen repeatedly, which only made him laugh louder. Mr. Tabi shook his head and attempted to calm everyone down. 

"Chen, you get one warning, my friend, so don't get another one," he snapped his fingers and quickly continued. "After these caterpillars have eaten, they slowly turn into pupa, the third stage. They hang upside down like this," he showed us another plant, its branches thick with cocoons, "and spin, spin, spin themselves into these cocoons. Remarkable, right? Does anyone know what the process entails for them to go to stage four?" when no one raised their hands, Mr. Tabi pushed his glasses up and smiled, purposely looking at Lili. "They digests themselves, releasing enzymes to dissolve all tissues." 

"Yuck!" Lili exclaimed and I was inclined to agree with her. It was disgusting, the way he said it. 

"Yuck," Mr. Tabi nodded, though there was still that smile playing on his lips. "But, the miraculous thing about nature, is that in the end, these yuckie things," he gestured at the three stages, "transform into this." He carefully grabbed a familiar-looking box, and within it, surprisingly, a fluttering Common Jay. 

Mr. Tabi pointed at the box while looking at me excitedly. "Still alive and happy," he winked and I couldn't help but grin, blushing lightly under his attention. "Anyone know the name of this species? Jae, wanna make a guess?" he jested, smirking at the inside joke. I chuckled. 

"A Common Jay," I answered easily making him more enthusiastic. 

"Correct! But, just like our lovely friend over there," he gestured at me, "this little friend is not so common at all. Special, simply because it is, what it is. A butterfly, being able to do something other creatures could not dare dream; transforming from one thing, to another." 

I felt like applauding the guy, the way he taught his class, but as I looked at the different stages of the butterfly, ending my gaze at the Common Jay, I pondered his words. I bit my lip and raised my hand. 

"Yes, Jae with an E?" he joked. 

"I was just wondering, sir, the metamorphosis of a butterfly is a natural phenomenon, isn't it? But, and I'm just curious, is it possible for other creatures to transform the way a butterfly could? To be one thing and then change into something else completely?" I ignored the fact that Suho had turned his head so that he could glare at me again. I ignored Lay blinking at me, forever confused. I ignored Chanyeol, Baekhyun and Chen staring at me. 

Mr. Tabi's smile widened and he chuckled. "Not in the natural world, I'm afraid. What other creatures did you have in mind?" 

I blushed now. I didn't know if I should, but I did it anyway. Suho's glare of death was a good motivation to keep going. 

"Oh, I don't know...wolves, maybe?" I challenged and heard my classmates snickering. 

"Whoa, yeah, like werewolves!" Minho unexpectedly said from behind me. "Or, bats!" he said enthusiastically. 

"Hold on, hold on," Mr. Tabi laughed. "You're talking about the supernatural world here. Unfortunately, I'm only a biology teacher of the natural world," he jested. "To my account, the life cycle of the butterfly only allows for drastic transformations. Humans, as you are well aware, are not capable of changing that way. It's biologically and anatomically impossible," he explained goodnaturedly. 

"Are you sure?" Minho was a surprising ally all of a sudden and I didn't mind at all.

"Yes, Minho, I'm sure," Mr. Tabi said determinedly. 

"How can you be sure? Have you ever encountered one?" Minho crossed his arms over his chest, looking smug. He winked at me and I smiled. 

"Well, no, but that's beside the point," Mr. Tabi tried to wave off. 

"Well if you've never seen one, how can you be sure that they're not out there, in secret?" Minho interjected. 

"Yeah, maybe they're amongst us right now," I stoked, adding oil to the fire. Mr. Tabi chuckled and shook his head. 

"And I think that maybe you should've stayed at home to take care of the obvious fever you're suffering through, Jae," his joke was met with laughter and even though I bore a smile on my face, I casually took note at how five of my dear classmates were not so amused. 

The rest of the classes went by like a flash and it irked me that I was none the wiser. I even purposely tried to stay quiet when I was walking down the hallways, hoping that I would suddenly pick up on a voice again, but there was nothing. There was no way that I rushed and went through all this trouble to get to school, just to miss out on the supposedly main event tonight, right? I'm sure that Luhan was talking about the full moon that was going to shine tonight, but  _why, what, where, how?!_  

It didn't help that I was too chicken to start to randomly follow one of the Majestic Twelve whenever I saw them, so I was still none the wiser. Should I try to follow them anyway?  _Aish, stalker much, Jae? Where's your pride?_

Perhaps it wasn't such a bad idea to head home and sleep instead. I have to take care of my health, but damn my curiosity for not allowing me to even consider that option.  _Why? Why couldn't I let this go?_

I spent half a school day mostly trying to figure out what Luhan and Xiumin had been talking about, based on assumptions, and ended up with nothing. I saw Kris when he was heading towards basketball practice, but I didn't feel like bumping into him after our conversation yesterday. He seemed surprised to see me though, but pretended not to see me. As I gathered my things to go back home, I then noticed Tao and Sehun hanging around in the main hallway and for a second I thought about just walking up to them to see if I could fish something out of them. They appeared to be excited about something. It crossed my mind how thoroughly embarrassing it was going to be if it turned out that they were just planning someone's surprise birthday party, by the way, but I suppose that's a problem for later. I'm starting to get used to embarrassing myself anyway. 

I sucked in a breath of air for courage and steadily walked towards them, while I mentally practiced what I could say to them. Once I figured out what I was going to say, I took another step, only to nearly let out a shriek when someone pulled me by the arm, placed his hand over my mouth and trapped me in between the wall and himself. My eyes widened when I saw that it was Suho, his face inches away from my face, looking around him to make sure that we were indeed alone. 

"I'm going to make this quick. You don't get to talk," he hissed while I noted how freakishly strong he was. "You talked to Kris, didn't you? Yes or no?" 

Unable to respond verbally, I gave a quick nod of the head. 

"And did he not tell you to leave us alone for your own sake?" he continued. 

Trying to stay calm, I nodded slowly. 

"So what the heck do you think you're doing then?" he said in an angry whisper, but I only lifted my eyebrow at him since he expected me to answer while he still had his hand over my mouth. He clacked his tongue and removed his hand. 

"Why are you freaking out?" I immediately retaliated, knowing that I didn't need to beat around the bush with him. That's probably one of the very few good characteristics of Suho in this respect. "And most importantly, why are you on my tail all this time? You're telling me to leave you alone, but you seem to be particularly interested in keeping taps on me." 

"That's because I don't trust you," he said bluntly. "Look at you, you're a delusional girl who suspects a group of regular guys to be wolves," he stated and he actually smirked when he saw the look of shock on my face. "Yeah, Kris told me what you thought of us," he whispered, backing off a little when a group of giggly girls past by. No one noticed that we were standing in an abandoned hallway, people casually walking past heading home or to their clubs. Suho turned back at me when he thought the coast was clear. 

"If you think that way about us, then why would you even risk trying to get closer? Risk messing with supposed wolves?" Suho voice had turned husky, threatening even. His demeanor changed and for a moment, I was actually scared. He suddenly pinned me down against the wall, his face so close I could feel his warm breath tickling my skin. His eyes were intimidating as he glared at me and even if I wanted to look away, I couldn't. 

"You know that wolves are predators, don't you?" he stated and I could have sworn there was a soft growling coming from deep within his chest. 

"And you know that all I have to do is scream and have you kicked out of school. Bye, bye, reputation," I managed to reply, trying very hard not to be intimidated by him. However, next to the anxiety, I felt the need to challenge him. The wild emotions I had felt last night were simmering subtly within me. 

Suho scoffed and backed off, but still kept me trapped so I couldn't run. "When Kris warned you, it was friendly. You won't get anymore warnings. I don't know who you think you are, but you need help. In the meantime, stay away," he whispered so softly it didn't even sounded like a threat. 

I could still feel the warmth of his proximity after he left and after I took a couple of calming breaths, still watching him walk away. "It's funny," I said, loud enough for him to hear. He halted in his step. 

"What is?" he asked, impatiently. 

"How people tend to behave when full moon is coming," I carefully watched his face for a reaction. "It's just superstition, but one can't help but wonder," I added, seeing only a flash of the muscle underneath his eye twitching before he gave a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. 

"Take care of your health, Jae. You obviously need the rest," he quipped before leaving. I purposely waited a few moments before I would walk out. I caught Suho walking steadily to an excited Sehun and Tao before leaving. I know I shouldn't, but at this point, I didn't care when I dashed after them. They took their sweet time walking and talking, waiting by the school gates. I observed them, even ducking behind a tree to make sure that they didn't see me. Nervously, I peeked from behind it to watch them.

"What are you doing?"

I nearly jumped a hole in the sky when D.O. had appeared out of nowhere, giving me a confused smile as he observed me. 

"Oh my- you nearly scared me to death," I breathed, a hand on my chest to calm me down. 

"Sorry, didn't mean to," he answered casually. "So, what were you doing?" he asked and I started to panic all over again when he followed my movements and the direction where I was looking at. He frowned a little when he saw Suho. "Is Suho-hyung giving you a hard time?" he asked out of the blue. 

"What? Oh, uh- no," I answered, rubbing the back of my head in mild guilt. Before I got a chance to make up an excuse, D.O. continued talking. 

"He's not a bad guy, you know. I know he tends to give people a hard time, but when you get to know him, he's actually nice," he said. "Too nice, now that I think about it," he said thoughtfully. "Nice to the extent that you'll think he's an idiot." D.O. smirked and I smiled back. Of all people, he's the one that always been nice to me, in his own way, despite what his brothers might think or say. I can't but admire that. D.O. lives up his reputation of being steadfast and loyal, for that matter.  

"Don't let him give you a hard time, okay?" D.O. told me and I nodded at him. 

"Thanks, D.O.," he blinked at me before giving a small smile again. Naturally he walked over to his friends, Suho included and just when I thought about sneakily following them anyway, I froze upon seeing Xiumin and Luhan, hoping that they wouldn't disappoint. I watched them greet the others, slowly questioning my sanity and feeling very much like a creepy stalker, but there was nothing. No voices, no sounds. Nothing. See, a sane person would be thankful and happy to not hear voices in their heads, but not me- nope! I'm disappointed. 

Just when I thought of giving up, I jolted again. 

_What time should we meet?_

I shouldn't be hearing this, right? Wrong. It was there. The voices. I guessed that it was Tao speaking. 

_Is ten a good time for everyone?_

_Yeah! Can't wait!_

_The usual meeting point?_

_Edge of the forest, foot of the mountain. Let's do this!_

And with that, I ran home myself. 

My heart was racing a million miles a minute and I seemed anxious since I got home. Of course this prompted my parents to send me to bed as soon as possible, which worked out fine for me. I wasn't sure what I was doing here, but I let my body take over, my mind focused on the task at hand. It felt a little ridiculous, donning a black hoodie with matching baggy pants, a scarf to cover the bottom half of my face, just to take precautions when I'd follow the Majestic Twelve to- well, I didn't rightly know, did I? 

What I did know was that it was 09.30 pm and I had half an hour to go to this meeting place they were talking about. I'd probably have to run there, since bringing a bike might be too much of a fuss, but seeing that beautiful full moon...  _Wow_. I really didn't mind. I checked my appearance in the mirror for good measure, feeling only a slight pang of pain in my head, but other than that, I was feeling good. Energized. 

Sneaking out of the house while my parents were in the living room, watching TV, was probably the most nerve-wrecking thing I had to do in my life. For all they knew, I was sleeping peacefully in my bed and not stalking a bunch of guys from school. 

"Ahhh, what am I doing?" I chanted while jogging through the quiet roads and peaceful streets. "You're crazy, Jae, absolutely crazy," I sang, still running to head over to the only mountain that was accessible on foot. It helped that I ran there last night. I knew exactly which paths to take. I glanced at my watch and quickened the pace. 

I was out of breath and frantic, pulling my hoodie over my head when I caught sight of Kris and Tao, walking towards their meeting spot. I was having second doubts about this, but I moved my feet anyway. Eleven of them had already gathered and I frowned when I saw Kai hopping up and down in excitement like a little kid. One of them was late and it didn't surprise me when Lay came jogging past, apologizing for being tardy. I watched breathlessly as they laughed and talked together, looking like a bunch of normal teenagers, when Suho clasped his hands together and they ran towards the forest, away from the streetlights, into the darkness of the woods. 

"Oh boy, here we go," I waited just long enough before I sprinted after them, and let me tell you; they're fast. Ridiculously so. Again I depended on the light of the moon to guide me, making sure I kept track of the shadows that moved before me. I was so focused that I didn't even felt my muscles burning, that I wasn't even aware that I was tired. The moon was very lightly hidden by swirls of clouds in the sky, but she still looked beautiful. 

I kept low when they arrived at their destination and I narrowed my eyes when I saw them at a secret clearing, preparing to stoke up a bonfire. I rolled my eyes and started sweating. If one of them would suddenly pop open a keg of beer, I'd be utterly humiliated. There was even a part of me that hoped that they would start to vandalize random stuff and drink beer and act out like teenage boys would, but...that didn't happen. 

I stayed and watched them carefully, staying hidden behind the trees, keeping low to the bushes. It was a little difficult for me to see, but they didn't need to have light at all as it seemed. 

_Who are you guys?_

For a moment fear took hold of me. I'd been determined to figure out their secret, determined to find out if my assumptions about them were right, but now that the time was near, I was starting to worry. What if I was right? All this time I tried to prove that I wasn't wrong, but now I was actually frightened over the fact that I could be right. If I was right, would that mean that I broke the universe? It would mean that werewolves, formerly known as nothing more but myths, were real. 

I gasped softly when I heard one of them howl, eliciting laughter from the group and my eyes widened. That wasn't a particularly funny joke, and my heart thumped loudly in my chest. 

"Full moon, baby, whoo!" Baekhyun shouted loudly, followed by laughter and howling. 

"Yeah! Finally! I need to let off some steam!" Kai exclaimed, throwing big wooden branches in the middle of the clearing. 

"Is it time yet?" Xiumin asked in anticipation. 

"Almost," Suho said, looking very different with a real and relaxed smile on his face. I held my breath as I continued watching them. "Sehunnie, why don't you help out here?" he suddenly said and I squinted my eyes, seeing the tall blonde step up, looking at the shrouded moon. 

"Ready?" he asked, a wide smile on his face. What happened next, I wasn't sure, but he blew air from his mouth, and as sure as my eyes witnessed it, the wind had picked up and the clouds that shrouded the moon dispersed. Did Sehun do that? Impossible!

When the moon shone fullest and brightest, I couldn't help but look up as well. The moon was so big here and its shine was even more alluring. The boys became rowdy, shouting and laughing and howling as they went. 

"Now is the time, boys! Party on!" Kris exclaimed happily. "Chanyeollie, if you will do the honors," he patted the youth on the shoulder and Chanyeol's toothpaste smile appeared as he cracked his neck and his knuckles. 

"My pleasure, hyung!" he rubbed his hands together and out of the blue a steady stream of fire appeared from his freaking hands and set the wooden branches on fire! At this point I was leaning against the tree, my mouth covered by my hands, standing frozen. I was unable to run away, unable to move, unable to look away. My eyes only widened more when I saw them  _changing_. Kris' honey blonde hair made way for a dark undercut with flowy red hair, his eyes shimmering red. Sehun shook his head and a multitude of colors shone, once where only platinum blonde was. Luhan was suddenly pale blonde while Lay ran his hands through his dark hair and they changed to yellow by the time he removed his hands. 

_Oh my God. This isn't happening. This-this is not-_

My thoughts were jumbled, I frozen in shock and didn't know what to do. When Kai howled at that moon, he sounded more animal than man and frankly, all of this frightened the shit out of me. While they were busy doing whatever the hell it was they were doing, I gained control over my body and wanted to bolt out of there. I wanted to forget what I saw, wished feverishly that I listened to Kris and Suho when they told me I should let the matter go. 

I carefully stepped away, one miniscule step at a time. When I thought I was in the clear, I looked over my shoulder, seeing their eyes shimmering red and that was enough for me to want to run. But then, do you remember how elegant of a person I am? Yeah, of course, right at this moment, I stepped on a fallen branch that cracked so loudly it seemed to echo through the forest. 

_Crap_. They didn't hear it, did they? It was eerily still behind me, the silence so deafening it made me tremble. I turned around, and saw to my horror that there was no one there. The fire had been suddenly doused and there was no sign of any one of them. Had they left? 

I felt the blood run cold in my veins when I heard it. The soft, low, threatening growl of a wolf. I turned around slowly, my breath caught in my throat. "Ah!" I gasped, falling backwards when I saw the dark wolf approaching me, its fur bronzed and dark, its upper lip trembling as it beared its teeth, roaring softly. This wolf was surrounded by black smoke and when it hunched down to leap at me, it turned easily back into a human form. 

_Kai_... _!_

He glared at me with eyes that glowed red, but he didn't seem to recognize me. "Ever heard of the phrase, 'curiosity killed the cat'?" he whispered in a husky voice, but I didn't answer him of course. I scrambled back up to my feet and ran. In that instant, more wolves in a variety of colors chased after me, driving me insane as the silhouettes changed from man to wolf around me with a blink of an eye.

I didn't know where I was running to, but I knew I had to get out of here. Just when I thought I had outrun them, a cloud of black smoke appeared right before me, and out came Kai, grinning devilishly. I was too late to stop and bumped up against him, falling back down, while he was untouched. 

Eleven wolves then circled around me from all directions and I knew that I was trapped. There was nowhere for me to run. No way for me to escape. 

_This was it. I'm done for..._


	32. ~ Let Out The Beast ~

***

_I take in your scent. I scrutinize your color._

_I'll eat you up with more refine than drinking wine._

The voices echoed in my mind, chanting in harmony with one another, while speaking through each other at the same time. It made my head feel heavy, ready to explode. I don't know exactly how I escaped. I remember seeing Kai, surrounded in black smoke, lunging towards me while changing in mid-air into an actual wolf. I was sure that he'd attacked me, had not another wolf jumped up to stop him. They rolled over the forest floor, growling and biting each other before changing back to human form. To my surprise it was Suho that had stopped Kai and from behind me, another, larger wolf jumped over me, but when he landed it was Kris that stood there, holding Kai back. 

In the confusion and heated arguments, I think I must've ran. My eyesight was cloudy because I was frightened so much, tears started falling. I wiped them away while navigating through the dark woods, desperately depending on the moonlight to help me see where I was going. I couldn't see anything, but I knew. I knew they were chasing me. I heard their heavy breathing, heard their growls and their voices in my head so loud I think I'm going insane. 

_Someone, help me!_

"Ah!" I caught my foot against the root of a tree and fell, rolling down a hill and landing in an open clearing where the moon seemed to shine the brightest. The clearing was circular and confusing. There were only trees surrounding me, how was I supposed to know which way to run? I crawled towards the center, since I injured my leg, doing my best to get back to my feet. I looked frantically around me, trying to determine where the wolves would show up. But then, I got distracted. That moon...I grabbed my chest when I felt my heart thumping, like my heart wanted to burst out again. 

"Think, Jae, think!" I forced myself to stay focused, trying my best to ignore the pain. I gasped when the blast of voices rung in my mind again. Try as I may, even covering my ears didn't help. 

_Maybe I'm sick, have I fallen ill?_

_Yeah, **you're**  in trouble. _

_It's - the human - only a one-bite meal..._

"What do you want? S-stay away!" I shouted in vain, the hoodie and scarf still hiding my face. I froze in terror again when I saw the glimmering red eyes in the darkness of the forest, steadily approaching me. I tried to turn around and run, but my foot buckled underneath me and one of the wolves had leapt towards me, shoulders haunched, teeth showing. Startled, I moved away, only halting again when another wolf growled behind me. They were closing in and I was staring at a particular wolf with black spots around its eyes, accentuating the red glow. 

_Tao?_

_That's right, wolf. I'm a wolf!_

I backed away, hugging my knees as the wolves started pouncing over each other, running around me, growling and snapping their jaws at me. The flurry of movements had me dazed and it didn't help that it felt now as if the light of the moon was burning me. I was not okay. 

_I've fallen for this irresistible, powerful feeling and I've let go of myself._

_I like simplicity. The hidden thing within me has opened its eyes now._

What were they singing? What were they chanting? Were they- were they going to kill me? I shrieked when Kai appeared before me again, looking like he had been fighting with someone. He stared down at me and I scurried back, but there was nowhere for me to run. 

_Kai, no!_

My eyes widened when I saw Kai drawing back his hand and lashed out at me. I felt his nails scrape against my skin, his hand ripping off the scarf. I covered my face with my hands, getting to my feet in one last attempt to run off. I slid to a standstill when a jolt of electricity pulsated through my body and I fell back, slamming my head on the ground, the silver moonlight shining brutally down on me, exposing my face. 

This was it. Did they recognize me? I blinked at seeing the wolf that had stopped me, changing into Chen as he looked down at me. Suho appeared by his side, his expression aghast, but I still tried to move away. Still tried to escape. 

_I told you to stay away,_ Suho seemed to say, but the others, the brothers, their voices shouted in my head. 

_Yah! Look at that girl fall into terror!_  

I felt them pulling at me, leaping over me, howling. 

_Can't, can't understand the situation before her eyes..._

_That dirty wolf guy will end up eating me!_

_...But that's not it..._ Was-was that..."D.O.?" I watched a smaller wolf circle around me, the only one with gleaming red eyes that did not bear its teeth at me.  _I've fallen in-_

"Ah! No, wait, stop, please!" I felt someone grab me by my collar, lifting me up to my feet and throwing me back again, into the center of the clearing. 

"What part of 'leave us alone' could you not comprehend?!" Kris stood before me, looking angry and wild with his red hair and red eyes. "Is this what you wanted?!" he pushed me back in rage, his voice deeper than usual. 

_Rip her apart!_

Kai. That was Kai. My whole body was trembling and shaking, but it wasn't because of fear alone. I wasn't feeling well. Why was that moon so bright? 

"I told you there was something wrong with  _her_! The moment she stepped foot on this island, everything seemed different. No one ever suspected anything, no one was curious about us - and now,  _you_  come along and this is what you see! Are you satisfied?!" Suho roared, running towards me while shapeshifting into a wolf in the process, making me scream out of terror when he pushed down my shoulders, its fangs snapping before my face. 

I yelled again when another wolf jumped on Suho, pushing him aside and taking his place on top of me, except this wolf changed and D.O. stared at me. "Why did you come here?" 

_The yellow moon teases me, that I can't have you._

I looked up when I thought I heard Lay, but he was shouting for D.O. to move since another big wolf was approaching, leaving small flames in his wake.  _Chanyeol._

D.O. turned to meet his brother, changing back to leap against him. Was he protecting me? Lay changed himself, trying to separate his brothers, and in the melee, I tried to leave again. This time, I was blown back by a fierce wind, knocking me down and keeping me there. 

_Sehun._

I was not allowed to leave. 

_But you're only a rough beast._

_If you're going to say that kind of thing, get lost!_

"Please," I looked at the wolf I thought was Sehun and he blinked at me, back haunched. "I won't tell anyone," I whispered and saw him flick his ears at me. He was listening. That was a good sign, wasn't it? If they really wanted to kill me, they probably would have already- but then I remembered that Kai had been trying to attack me from the start... 

"Won't tell anyone? You think that's enough?" Kai yelled in his human form, escaping the grasp of his brothers by surrounding himself in dark smoke and appearing close before me. Sehun whimpered and backed off, looking at his other brothers. 

"You know too much. You've seen too much, and you think we're just going to let you walk away? Ruining what we have going here?" Kai seemed out of control under the moonlight, but his brothers weren't any better. 

"I-I don't want to ruin anything!" I told him, my voice weak, my body trembling. My head had started hurting and my heart beat so loudly. I felt my blood run through my veins, pulsating. 

_If you need me, change me._

_That's right, wolf. I'm a wolf!_

Covering my ears, I heard them howl at the moon, but the strangest about this was that I was inclined to join. I squinted my eyes at the large moon. The first full moon of the month. I'd never seen it so bright before, the light making my skin itch. 

"You don't want to ruin anything? We're supposed to believe that? Look at my brothers! They're willing to stop me to protect you!" he shouted, grabbing me by my collar and pulling me up with one arm, holding me close so that I saw his blood red eyes. "You've already ruined it," he whispered, throwing me away again, but I was caught by another pair of arms that felt so warm I thought for sure I would catch fire. I wriggled out of Chanyeol's grasp. 

"Stop, this isn't the way," Luhan yelled. "Let me try to erase her mind, we don't need to spill any blood," he said, looking at Kai, while I gulped. 

_I don't want anyone hurting my brothers,_ a voice then said and when I turned around, the wolf with black spots leaped towards me and Tao had me in a chokehold. 

"I'm sorry," he whispered, but looked up in surprise when more wolves had started pouncing, and I was at a lost what to do. I felt claws and fangs tearing my clothes, but they weren't necessarily attacking me. It felt as though I was caught in a heated family discussion and I fell to my knees the moment I had a chance. Covering my head in desperation, I just screamed amongst their growling and howling. 

_Get rid of her!_

_You can't kill her!_

_Then scare her to death!_

_Luhan- make her forget!_

_Just knock her out cold!_

Amidst their arguing, my breath had shallowed, panic and pain overwhelming me. I felt their punches, their tugging and pulling. Like a ragdoll I was at the mercy of their strength, praying that they wouldn't kill me in the process. And their voices. Lord, their voices. So loud, so frightening, thundering in my chest, splitting my head. I peeked through half-closed eyelids and of course, the night sky and the burning moon were the first things I saw. But, a force pulled me towards the pallid moon, the way it pulsated in the sky. Something was wrong. Something...had changed. 

Rage. Anger. Fear. And, lastly, liberation. The voices had stilled, my senses seemed to have sharpened, the pain along with it. I only had eyes for the moon when I heard its voice:

_You can never tame me who's like a naughty child._

_The instinct that can't be hidden you know..._

_Let out the beast._

I didn't know what the words meant, but like a spell it lured me and awakened something that had been slumbering deep within me. I yelled amongst the chaos at the pain, but I knew that once I bit through it, I would feel better. I wanted to be released. My skin was itching, burning, my spirit was restless. I didn't know what was going on, but at this point- I didn't care. 

Gasping at feeling Kai tug at my hair to pull me up, I instinctively grabbed his collar and pushed with such a force that he was thrown back. Everything stilled at that moment and even though I didn't feel like myself, I strangely enjoyed the rush, the sensation. I turned sharply at the other wolves, all of them backing up. 

_What's going on, guys?_

_Kai...?_

_Her...her eyes..._

When I snarled at them, I felt a soft growl coming from within my chest, but I wasn't even rattled. I had never seen so clearly before, never heard, smelled or sensed better. I felt so-  _alive._

_Chanyeol, Baekhyun, no!_

The warning couldn't have been better timed. Two wolves leapt at me in an attempt to stop me, but I reacted faster. I dodged out the way while pushing a second wolf to the ground. And then, I ran. 

"Jae! No, wait!" 

_Sorry, D.O.,_ I thought to myself as I dashed through the woods, faster than ever,  _I'm not going to be killed so easily._ I jumped over a stream easily, seeing glimpses of my reflection, passing by like a flash. I wasn't even bothered when I saw the moon again, howling at it as though I was a servant, heeding the call of a master. My bones cracked when I ran, my hair flew and whipped in the wind. I could smell a variety of flowers and I knew they were behind me. Did they really think they could catch me? They were steadily approaching, but I felt no fear. Not when I knew the moon was at my side. There was a distinct sense of agony as I ran and made another leap forward, but it soon dispersed and it felt like I was running faster, my body was more agile and my senses had sharpened, significantly. I could see in the shadows as though the light shone and the moon didn't burn me anymore. 

_Jae, wait! Come back!_

_Ha! Forget it, Kris!_  I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out. What was wrong? I was standing near a small, quiet pond, feeling my ear twitch when I heard a distinct buzzing sound not all too far off. I turned my head to see what it was, but startled when the twelve wolves burst out of the woods, in their human form. Suho and Kris were at the lead, a disoriented Kai closeby. However, the look of animosity he had before was gone completely. Instead, he was looking at me, bewildered and confused. Chen and Chanyeol were supporting Baekhyun, who was leaping on one leg... _Did I do that?_  

Sehun, Tao and Xiumin were carefully standing at the rear of the group. Lay was panting heavily when he looked at me and I backed away, but limped on one leg since I had injured it before. His eyes darted to my leg and he carefully approached me, but I didn't want him to come near me. He somehow appeared to know that and he held up his hands to show that he meant no harm. 

"You're hurt," he said softly. "I can heal you," he offered, all of them tense as though they were afraid that I was going to snap if they made a wrong move. I frowned and shook my head. Instead, D.O. gave it a shot, his big eyes wide when he looked at me. Why was he kneeling down? 

"Jae...Did you- did you know about this?" he asked carefully. 

_Know about what?_ I asked, my senses on alert. Strange, though, why couldn't I speak? All I heard was heavy panting, but I assumed that it came from them. I was a surprisingly fast runner, after all. D.O. seemed to wait for me to respond, but what did he want? I already answered him. His eyes shot up to Luhan now, who followed his example by kneeling. 

"Can you hear me, Jae?" he inquired quietly, a cautious demeanor about him as well. What was this all of a sudden? Why were they so meek? I nodded and Luhan licked his lips, keeping his eyes on me, nodding along when I bobbed my head. 

_How about now?_ he asked, without moving his lips. I know I should be startled to hear his voice in my head, but recently, I was used to living with voices in my mind. I nodded again, wondering what point he was trying to make. 

_Good. I can't hear you, but all of this seems to be explaining a lot. Did you know about this? Was this why you were so uneasy, why you couldn't keep away?_

His questions didn't make a lot of sense to me, so I backed away, flinching a little when I felt that I nearly stepped into the water. 

"What is she saying?" Suho inquired. 

_What, you can't hear the words that are coming out of my mouth?_ Oh. Wait. Why couldn't I speak?

"No, she's not giving me access," Luhan said out loud and I started to freak out. I tried to say something, but all I heard was whimpering.  _Why whimpering?_

"Then maybe this will work," Kris suddenly said and approached me, turning into a wolf, but this only made me wary of him. I could hear myself growl at him, but the big wolf didn't seem all too impressed. 

_Jae, this is important. Did you know about this? Why- why didn't you just tell us?_

Unlike before, his voice was gentle now, soothing, but I still didn't trust it.  _Know about what? Tell you what?_  I shot back, to which the wolf perked up his ears and glanced briefly at his brothers as though he was telling them what I was saying. 

"Maybe it's her first time," Xiumin suddenly said. 

_First time? What first time? What the hell are you freaks talking about?!_  I blurted out. 

Kris chuckled lightly in my mind, attempting to get closer, but stopping immediately when I showed him that I wanted him to stay away. 

_Freaks, huh? Pot calling the kettle black, don't you think?_

I frowned at him.  _What is that supposed to mean?_

_You really don't know?_

_Know what?!_  I startled when I heard an angry growl and I looked around. Who was that?

The big wolf made tiny steps to approach me, one ear flicking to the side in curiosity, his red eyes surprisingly gentle, instead of vicious. _Jae,_ he started, ever so quietly,  _you're one of us._

I gasped and didn't know whether I should laugh or cower in horror. Did he get hit a bit too much on the head back there? What the hell was he talking about? Kris gestured towards the pond, licking his snout. He wanted me to look into the pond? Okay, fine, two can play that game, but if he suddenly pounced, I'd make sure that he'd regret it. 

I casually gazed at the still reflection of the water, expecting my tired face to pop out, but to my horror, a white wolf with golden, glowing amber eyes was staring back at me, hints of dark silver accentuating the tips of the ears. Startled at seeing the unfamiliar reflection, I fell back, scurrying away from the pond and from  _them_. 

_What the- What the hell?! What did you do to me?!_  I yelled, struggling to get to my feet out of sheer panic since I saw that my perfectly beautiful human limbs had been replaced by fluffy paws and -  _oh dear lord, is that a tail?!_

_Calm down, calm down...We didn't do anything to you. This is- eh, normal, I guess?_

I shook my head at him, scared for my life when I scurried to my feet.  _Normal?! You call this normal?! Just- Just stay away from me!_ I yelled at him, turned around and bolted. 

"Whoa! No, Jae, don't run! Wait!" D.O. called again. 

"Hey, seriously, watch out!" Chen suddenly called and I heard them running after me again, but there was no way I was going to stop. They did this to me- whatever the hell  _this_  was! 

_Oh God, this isn't happening. Wake up, wake up, wake up!_  

But I didn't. I ran, fast and hard while I felt like crying like a baby, desperate for my mother's embrace. I squealed when Kai had suddenly zapped in front of me in his wolf form, blocking my path. 

_Will you stop and calm down for one second?!_  he asked, but I pushed him away, turning aside.  _Argh! Don't go that way!_

If he said that to me, that probably meant that was exactly the way I needed to be going to escape. I quickened my pace, looking up only when I heard that strange buzzing sound again. I startled when Suho had caught up with me, attempting to catch me. He was warning me for something, but I wasn't buying any of that. It was only then that I skidded to a halt, far too late when a logo of E.T. Corp appeared before me, followed by a stinging mist that made my eyes hurt. I scratched at my nose, hearing myself whimper. Too focused on getting rid of the painful sensation, I was too late to realize that a stream of electric charge followed after it, hitting me at such a force that I not only jumped, but was shot back. I slid over the ground, stunned and injured. 

After that, my entire body seemed to convulse as a wired net fell over me. It might as well have been barbed wire. My limbs wouldn't move and my eyes felt heavy. The more I attempted to struggle, the more pain I felt.  _Animal friendly, my ass._

Red eyes. That's what I saw. A pair of hands holding me ever so gently. Suddenly, the net was gone, but the pain still stayed. 

"Jae! Jae, hold on..." it echoed.

_Suho? Help me..._

"Lay! Get over here!" 

The moon still shone behind Suho, like a glorious halo, making everything bathe in a bright light, but everything else was so blurry. My ear was twitching again, but I couldn't move anything else. Suho directed himself towards me, his voice no more but a whisper by now. 

_Hang on, stay with me. Don't go..._


	33. ~ Two Moons ~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!! I just wanted to take another moment to thank you for taking the time to write comments and provide feedback for a struggling author, it's really appreciated! Thank you for the kudos as well, it truly means a lot! Okay, without further ado, here's the next chapter <3

***

_Don't go._

_Jae, can you hear me?_

_Wake up..._

_Wake up, little one._

_M-Mom?_

_It's alright to open your eyes, baby._

_Dad? Is that you?_

_I never had clear memories of when I was a child. The only thing I remembered was that I was one at some point in my life. I had vague memories of a world that felt like home, but I knew that it never existed. It wasn't like I didn't feel I belonged where I was now, but I was never at ease either. I had fond memories of shining stars and a gentle voice singing to me._

_I never felt like I was different, or special, for that matter. I just felt out of place sometimes. I never knew why, never knew why I'd get strange dreams and heavy emotions, vague memories that never made sense._

_But now, it seemed that the moon revealed the reason, without providing an explanation. The tree I see in my dreams. The symbols. The wolf. A world at peace in one moment and destroyed the next. Were they memories of a past life? Or the memories of another person?_

_I was a stranger in a strange world. A lone wolf. And, I didn't even know._

_In these memories, these strange dreams, other images had come now. Flashes of a storm and darkness. Shadows roaming about, encircling the tree that was always surrounded by twelve symbols. I didn't like these images. I didn't like how they made me feel. My heart thumped rapidly in my chest when the shadows approached. Even the howling of wolves could not scare it away. I stood in the center of a floating platform. Two moons shining above me as one. Beneath me, two suns burned, but they had not met completely._

_If I was smiling, why was I so sad?_

"Uwah!" I woke up with a gasp, jack-knifing into a sitting position. I wiped the sweat from my brow in a hurry, trying to control my breathing. Immediately I looked at my surroundings and saw, to my relief, darkness, while I was covered in blankets. There still felt something off, but right now I was just happy that it seemed that whatever just happened, was a dream. It had to be a dream, right? I mean, me, a wolf? 

I touched my face and felt that my cheeks were wet with tears. Wiping them away, I was thrilled to see my own hands, full of relief to feel my smooth, human skin. That was seriously one freaky night- I blinked when I took another gander at my surroundings, and froze. This was  _not_  my room. Feeling like my heart had sunk into my stomach, I tried getting up, when I felt a distinct chill flow over my body when the blanket slid off. 

Frowning, I looked down and gave a squeal, quickly grabbing the blanket to wrap myself in it.  _Where the heck are my clothes?!_

"Oh God...okay, keep calm, Jae, don't freak out. There's a completely rational explanation for why you're in a freaking cave in the middle of the night, with nothing but a blanket to cover your  _naked_  butt with. Just, relax," I told myself, trying to see if there was a trace of my clothing anywhere, but there was nothing and no one around. 

"What is your last memory? Think, Jae," I murmured to myself, only being able to remember pain, and... "E.T. Corp..." I felt around my body, anticipating for pain to come, but I was fine.  _Naked_ , but fine. 

"Wait..." my eyes widened and I gasped in terror again. "They- they wouldn't, would they?!" 

The Majestic Twelve. They were there! Suho was the last person I saw and what happened after that? Kai wanted to kill me, and then Chen zapped me and Chanyeol probably wanted to burn me. Tao most likely wanted to Kung Fu my butt to kingdom come. Sehun blew me away- literally. Luhan wanted to erase my memory, D.O. seemed to attempt to protect me, while Kris... Kris spoke to me. They were the last people I saw when I was fully clothed, and I distinctly remember Suho hovering over me. Did they help me?  _Or did they help themselves?_  I gulped and shivered at that thought, and even though they were wolves, they'd sooner eat me than violate me, I mean, somewhere they were still just boys. Right? 

Still didn't explain why I was without clothes though. Grabbing the blanket tightly and wrapping it around me, I got to my feet, completely healed from my injuries, and carefully walked out into the night. I shivered at feeling the cool wind, but my breath had been taken away at the stunning view. I was somewhere up high, a mountain plateau that made me think of the Lion King, except that I could overlook a sea of forests and beyond that, the proud, beautiful moon, casting silvery beams on the glistening ocean.  

The wind felt pleasant on my heated skin, though a ripple made goosebumps appear on my skin, causing me to shiver. The breeze played gently with my hair while I looked at the beautiful scenery. The world was quiet and I felt so small overlooking the amazing landscape. 

"So, you're awake," a voice suddenly sounded behind me and startled, I flung my arms back in a reflex, hitting something behind me. I turned around, my hands covering my mouth when I saw Kai wincing and groaning in pain while grabbing his nose. 

"Oh my God, K-Kai?" I squeaked, stepping back in my bewilderment, tripping over the blanket and falling down. 

"Ow...okay, I may have deserved that," Kai murmured, shaking his head to recover from the pain and shock, before looking at me. The moment he did so, his eyes widened and he froze, his jaw dropping. I shrieked again when I saw the blanket was dangerously close to slipping off me and grabbing it tightly, I saw to my utter shock that Kai was just standing there.  _Staring!_

"Look away!" I squealed, throwing rocks at him which caught him off guard. There was no sign of the brutal and vicious demeanor from before as he tried to avoid the pebbles I threw at him, panic, confusion and bewilderment gracing his face and movements. 

"Whoa! Hey- watch it, ow!  _Noona_ , wait, I'm- yah! Sorry, don't- stop it!" I kept throwing the pebbles at him until he suddenly disappeared into black swirls of mist and appeared behind me. In utter disbelief that that just happened, I gave another shriek, jumping when he touched my shoulder carefully. I pulled away, holding the blanket as though my life depended on it. 

"What- how?! Oh, stay away from me!" I exclaimed, throwing whatever I could find at him. He flinched like a lost puppy, not knowing what to do. I was fine with that, I didn't want any of them near me. Him being here, with his red eyes looking so bewildered at me, just made me realize how real all of this was and I wasn't ready for that. I couldn't accept it yet. There was still a part of me that wanted to wake up.

"Noona-," Kai started, doing his utmost best to dodge the branches I flung at him.

"Don't 'noona' me! I said to stay back!" I yelled at him, slowly retreating to the cave. I glanced to the side when more of them approached. 

"Kai? What are you doing?" Kris asked, frowning at the younger man. 

"A little help, please, hyung!" he pointed frantically at me and when Kris saw me, his eyes slid over my appearance, which just made me more upset. 

"Yah!" I exclaimed, starting to throw things at him as well. 

"Whoa! Hey- Jae, wait, don't misunderstand, we didn't do anything! Ow!" he grabbed his head when a branch successfully hit him there and I continued throwing things at them when I saw the other brothers approaching as well. It was rather amusing to see these wild beasts cower away at a girl chucking items at them. _Hehehe, feel my wrath!_

"Didn't do anything, huh? Then where are my clothes, you perverts?!" I shouted, the thought of them removing my clothing just fueling my rage. I picked up a larger rock, swinging it at them, causing them to disperse and scatter. 

"They got ripped and we had to remove them," Suho explained, jolting back when I glared at him. "B-but we didn't see anything, I swear! Whoa!" he ducked when I flung another rock at him. 

"Jae, just calm down, okay? We're not going to hurt you," D.O. then said and something in me snapped. 

"Calm down?" I breathed, the boys around me looking like they wanted to find a place to hide. D.O.'s Adam's apple moved up and slid back down when he gulped. "You want me to calm down? Why? Do I not look calm enough to you?!" I shouted, using both hands to grab a larger rock so that I could chuck it at his head. D.O. moved away swiftly though and I didn't understand why his eyes widened further when he looked at me and quickly looked away, pursing his lips. 

Now that I looked around, all of them had astonished looks on their faces, suddenly doing their best to avoid looking at me. "What?!" I snapped, frowning, when I saw Lay covering his face with his hands, carefully peeking through long fingers. 

Luhan cleared his throat rather uncomfortably, avoiding looking at me. "It's a bit, uh, chilly, don't you think? I can imagine you might, uh, feel a bit of a draft..." he bit his cheeks.  _You may want to look down..._  The boys flinched again when I let out a squeal at seeing the blanket around my ankles and I dove down to grab it, utterly embarrassed. 

" _OH MY GOD!"_ I screamed, wrapping the blanket tightly and going on a rampage. I threw anything I could find at all of them, while running towards the cave. 

"Wait, Jae, will you stop throwing things at us and just listen for one second?" Suho tried, and I was angry at how shy and blushy he looked. 

"No! Just leave me alone!" I shouted from the cave. 

"Hey, if you really think about it, this isn't really all that bad. I mean, I can imagine it's embarrassing, trust me, I know, but now I guess you could say we're even!" Baekhyun was grinning stupidly at me and I let out a roar while I threw a branch at his head. 

"Yah!" he exclaimed, falling back, rubbing his forehead. Kris added insult to injury by smacking him on the back of the head as well. 

"Idiot," he sighed and then peered into the cave. "Jae, will you come out so that we can talk?"

"Why, so that all of you can gawk at me to your perverted hearts' content?!" I shot back. 

"Move aside," someone then spoke quietly, pushing his brothers away. Xiumin looked into the cave, his crimson eyes blinking as he caught sight of my white blanket. "Jae, we brought you some clothes to wear," he said gently, waving a black plastic bag in the air, a kind smile on his face. 

I paused. "Really?" I asked. Xiumin smiled, reminding me momentarily of a cute hamster rather than a wolf. 

"Really, really. Here, I'm going to throw it at you. You just take the time to get dressed and come out whenever you feel like it, okay?" he calmly threw the plastic bag towards me and moved away, taking his brothers with him. I slid the plastic bag towards me and found an oversized sweater and a pair of leggings. I slipped them on quickly and lingered in the cave. I didn't want to go outside to meet them, but I couldn't stay here either. 

After taking a few deep breaths and calming my nerves, I cautiously and quietly walked out of the cave. The twelve of them were busy talking amongst themselves, gathered around Lay. I did my best not to shriek again when I saw a soft glow coming from his hand as he gently tipped Kai's head back, seemingly healing him. 

"Thank you, hyung," Kai said, taking a deep breath through his nose, Lay patting him on the back with a smile. He was the first to notice me standing awkwardly back. He flushed, but seemed relieved that I was wearing clothes now. 

"Whoa, she's back!" Kai exclaimed when he saw me and actually ducked away, the others having a similar response. 

"Luhan," Baekhyun called frantically, and I startled when every loose pebble and branch floated away under Luhan's command, rolling off the side of the plateau with ease. Despite of the situation, I managed to chuckle and bit my lip to prevent from laughing. Were these seriously the vicious wolves that had been chasing me just now? Look at them.  _They're puppies._

"Hi, um, yeah, I guess I should say sorry for the throwing and stuff..." I murmured, biting down on my thumb a little nervously and wincing when I accidentally bit it open. I felt around my mouth with my tongue and frowned at feeling the sharpness of my canines. 

"Oh, here, I can fix that," Lay prompted, seeing the trickle of blood oozing from my thumb. He still had a cautiousness when he approached me, but his touch was warm when he held his hand in mine. He moved his other hand over my thumb and the wound closed, no trace left of the injury. I blinked in astonishment, while he smiled casually back. 

"Oh my God," I exclaimed, not the first time this night. "You can actually heal? I mean, this is- this is real?" he nodded, smiling while biting his bottom lip like he usually would. Lay still held on to my hand when I carefully inspected my thumb. To say that I was amazed was an understatement. 

"Hey," I noticed, taking hold of his hand now. "You're injured, too," I showed him the cut in his hand and in that moment all the anger and fear I'd been feeling evaporated. He must've gotten hit when I was throwing things at them. 

"Don't worry about it, Jae-yah, it's just a scratch," he assured me, as though he could tell what I was thinking, how guilty I was feeling. 

"Why don't you heal it?" I asked, curiously. 

"He can't," Suho answered instead. I looked at Lay, puzzled. He seemed a bit embarrassed. 

"I can't heal myself, only others," he disclosed, patting my hand before pulling away. 

"O-oh," I breathed, not knowing what else to say. 

"Lay-hyung healed you, too, after you got zapped by those electric fences," Chanyeol suddenly stated, jumping a little when I looked at him, as if he was afraid I'd started throwing another fit. 

"He did?" I glanced at Lay again, the dimple deepening when he smiled. "Thank you," I said, meaning it. He only gave a bow. I turned to the others, playing with the sleeves that were too long for me. "So, eh, who was responsible for taking off my supposedly tattered clothes then?" I interposed, making them nervous. 

"Your clothes fell off by the time you changed back, we didn't touch it," Suho assured, a lot more milder than he had been before. 

"Changed back?" I inquired, trying to process everything. 

"From wolf-mode," Kris said, holding up his hands as though he expected me to flip out again. Well, I really left a maniacal impression on them, didn't I? Served them right, I suppose, considering all the things that have happened so far. I hugged my arms and slowly sat down, the twelve of them keeping a close watch on me. 

"Wolf, huh?" I tried to stay calm, really, but inside, I was still freaking out. Was this really happening? How could it? Why hadn't I noticed anything before? Why now? Was it because of them, somehow? But they said that they didn't do anything...?

"Yeah, like the rest of us," Kris said calmly. 

"We're all wolves," D.O. added, just in case I didn't get the hint yet. He looked very different than his usual self. It almost felt as though I was looking at their wilder, more free-spirited twin brothers instead of themselves. It became quiet while I let the information sink in, unconsciously pinching myself to prove to myself that I wasn't dreaming. This was real. I didn't know how, but this was real. How does a person cope with that? 

"Here, noona, you can see that we're telling the truth," Tao suddenly piped up grabbing his smartphone, of all things, and walked towards me. He extended the device to me with both hands, already looking apologetic for his previous behavior. I swallowed and gave a little smile as I looked at the screen, using the camera as a mirror. I nearly dropped the phone when I saw the person staring back at me. 

This girl looked a lot like Jae, except that she had fangs and long, flowy hair which was cyan green of color, the layers highlighted here and there with shades of blue. The most exceptional part, however, were her eyes. Liquid gold pools, glowing when the moonlight hit them. 

"Who is that?" I blurted out, hearing them chuckle at the response. 

"It's you. It takes a little getting used to, but by morning you'll be back to normal," Kris explained, while I nodded absently, still looking at my reflection. How did my hair... and my eyes! I turned away from it and handed Tao his phone back. 

"So, uh...how?" that was the only sentence I was able to form at this point. A one-worded question. 

"None of us know 'how', or why, for that matter. It's just something that happened," Kris' explanation wasn't very satisfying. Suho then approached and knelt down near me. 

"Did you really not know about this? Was this the first time you changed?" he asked me. It felt weird that Suho was so gentle and nice all of a sudden, when he hadn't been this way all this time before. 

"Does it look like I knew? I'm freaking out here," I admitted honestly. 

Suho glanced back at his brothers before he directed himself towards me again. "You never noticed something different? About yourself?"

"Like what?"

"It could be anything, strange dreams, vague memories, maybe the environment reacting differently when you're around?" he summed up, watching me for a reaction. I didn't respond immediately, a creepy feeling rippling through my body. 

"It's okay, Jae, you don't have to be afraid," Luhan said in a gentle voice, his eyes still bright despite of the red color. 

"I thought you said that I didn't give you access to my mind," I prompted and he gave a smirk. 

"I don't, but I didn't have to read your mind to know what you're feeling right now. We've all been through it, same as you. Tao here even cried the first time he changed," he laughed as he nudged his younger brother, who protested out of indignation. 

"And, you're all okay with this?" I asked, still fazed about everything that happened. 

"We are now. Never thought that there'd be another one like us, though," Suho said, looking at me. I couldn't quite read his face. 

"Well, that makes two of us," I told him, hugging my knees. 

"How are you feeling, Jae?" Lay then asked. 

I shrugged. How was I feeling? Did he really want to know the answer? My expression probably told them enough and Lay quickly shook his head, sitting down in front of me. "I meant physically. Are you in pain? Does your head hurt? Skin burning, maybe?" 

I shook my head. "No," I sensed around a bit and then felt a bit embarrassed. "I'm hungry, though," I murmured, which brought another dimpled smile on his face. 

"Hungry is good," he nodded. 

"Ah finally, can we go hunting then? I'm starving!" Baekhyun said, scratching the back of his ears fiercely. "All this talk is making my stomach growl." 

"H-hunting?" I panicked, looking around as they started to move. 

"Yeah. You're coming with us, Newbie. We're not leaving a new pup alone the first night. You're handling your transformation differently than us, but who knows what could happen," Kris stated casually as if none of it was a big deal. I was shaking on my legs when I finally got up. 

"What exactly could happen?"  _Did I want to know the answer?_

"Earthquake," D.O. answered. 

"Hurricane, typhoon...tornadoes," Sehun added, combing his fingers through his rainbow-colored hair. 

"Forest fire," Chanyeol murmured, rubbing the back of his neck a little uneasily. 

"Tsunami," Suho muttered softly, looking a bit embarrassed. 

"Ice age," Luhan noted, smirking as he received an elbow from Xiumin. 

"Thunderstorm," Chen also quipped, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "Apocalypse, end of the world, the regular stuff," he shrugged casually, and I wasn't sure whether he was teasing or not. 

"...Ah," I uttered. 

"Yeah, so we're keeping an eye on you," Kris decided.

"Speaking of which, what kind of party tricks do you have up your sleeve, Newbie?" Chen then asked curiously, but I was taken aback by the question. I was still processing the fact that these guys were apparently capable of using magic, for lack of a better word. I'm surprised my brain hasn't exploded by now. 

"I don't have any tricks," I replied, still confused. I thought being able to change into a wolf was more than enough already, I really didn't need anything supernatural added to that, thank you. 

"Really?" Chen questioned, tilting his head to the side. "Hm. Maybe it'll come in due time," he beamed. "Hyung, is it alright if we go ahead?" he then jumped up like an excited kid, looking at Suho. 

"Yeah, just be careful of those systems. You've seen what it can do," he warned. Chen nodded and dragged Chanyeol and Baekhyun with him. 

"We're heading off, too," Kai then said, and even though he didn't look to be so angry anymore, he still had a look of suspicion in his eyes when he glanced over at me. "We'll meet up with you later," he promised, grabbing hold of Sehun and Tao as they disappeared into a cloud of black smoke. 

Still confused, I let everything be for what it was and just let all of the information sink in. Was I confused? Yes. Was I scared?  _Hell yes_ , but, and slap my butt and call me Martha, I felt rather assured at the same time. Had these twelve guys made me feel uncomfortable at first, I tentatively felt rather safe. Whatever I was, I wasn't alone... _I guess_. It still bothered me that there was no explanation, that things were still vague, but the best way to deal with it right now, was to go with the flow. There was room to ask questions later, right? For now, I just wanted to still my hunger. 

"You ready, Newbie?" Kris asked, looking at me. 

"No," I replied honestly, making him grin. 

"Don't worry, just stay close to Lay-hyung and me," D.O. whispered, making me feel better. 

"Let's go!" Kris leapt forward and changed into a wolf, dashing ahead with blinding speed.

I gawked at him. "Is he flying?!" 

"Nah, just showing off," Luhan answered. "Come on, you don't want to be left behind," he ran into the woods as well, Xiumin and Suho following suit. I lingered a while longer when Lay turned into a wolf as well and D.O. ran beside me. Was I supposed to change into a fuzzy animal as well? How was I supposed to do that? Why would I even want to? But, the longer I ran, the more liberated I felt and before I knew it, I was running on four legs. Still unsure about what kind of situation I was in, the only thing I was certain of, was that things were definitely going to be different now. And as I ran through the woods, wild and free, the moon shining bright, the starry skies all ablaze with sparkling dust, I felt, for the first time, like I belonged. I halted momentarily when I felt like howling at the moon, but startled as I gazed up to the sky. I understood now why I couldn't find my twelve stars here. It probably wasn't showing, but I was smiling pleasantly when I saw that in the skies above Ookami Shinro, not twelve bright stars shone, but thirteen. 


	34. ~ Just A Peep ~

***

If there was one thing Ryo hated the most in the world, it was to be called to work when he was off-duty. However, the young researcher, Dee, had called in a supposed update, one that he'd been asking for and according to the young man, it couldn't wait. On top of that, Miss Kumiho, who appeared to never go home, stated that she wanted to know about his plan for the new project and whether more developments had been made. Said that Mr. Yok was eager to hear news and it couldn't wait till morning. 

So, here he was, at the biotech department, doing his best to keep his eyes open while a caffeinated Dee explained how he tore the system apart to study all of its components and put them all back together. Ryo thought that the time of him spending nights at the office were long over, but it seemed like that wasn't the case just yet. Glancing at a hyperactive Dee, the poor kid probably didn't get a wink of sleep either, and he wondered whether he had been home these past days or not. 

"Of course the systems placed at a few parts of the island are just prototypes so they'll be updated if needed, but I thought you should know in an instant, sir," he finished his story and Ryo blinked, trying to process everything. 

"Okay, hold on. Let me get this straight; you're saying that the security systems aren't safe after all?" he summed up in one sentence what took Dee exactly 23 minutes to explain. The young scientist nodded his head fiercely, his narrow eyes a little wider than usual due to all that caffeine pumping in his veins by now. 

"Well, not necessarily unsafe either, sir. There are kinks in the system. We have to modify the scent that scares off predators and find a way to not have the gates shoot a charge of electricity after it, because that would totally not be cool for those animals," Dee said seriously. "But the weirdest part, and the most important part- because that's why I called you in the middle of the night, sir-, is that net you talked about," he moved towards one of the fences, grabbing a tablet with which he could control it. Ryo followed a little slower, watching the kid work as he stood beside him. 

"Observe," Dee stated dramatically, pressing a button which startled Ryo since the fence started buzzing. Dee grabbed him by the arm to move him out of the way. Three seconds after that, Ryo had counted, the net flew off, actually sparking with electricity as it landed on the ground where he had been standing mere moments ago. This shocked him to such an extent that he was wide awake now. 

"What the hell was that?" he cursed, since that was a feature of the system that he was not aware of. 

"A charged net, sir. It's seriously the weirdest thing. Apparently, the net falls off whenever an animal comes near, catching it, which doesn't make sense because our company is not supposed to catch animals, we're trying to make machines that can co-exist with them right? Now the amount of voltage on the net alone is enough to render them unconscious which is another thing that is totally not cool, so I was really confused when I researched it, because by my accord, it shouldn't even be on it- unless something changed and we're catching animals now, sir?" Dee blurted out a stream of words at high speed, but Ryo was focused enough to catch all of that. He grabbed the tablet from Dee's hands to deactivate the whole system, including the net, and knelt down to study it. 

"Yeah, 'totally not cool is right', Dee," he mused. "These things are dangerous. I want all the systems that have been deployed so far to be retreated until the development is completed. And I want this net off the final design," he ordered, waiting for Dee to respond with an affirmative, but the young man bit his lip nervously. Unsure whether it was a nervous tick brought on by the amount of coffee he had consumed, Ryo looked at him. "Is there a problem, Mr. Kang?" 

"Well, eh, no, sir, I mean- yes, well- um...maybe, sir?" Dee cringed a little and Ryo only looked at him, one eyebrow lifted. The young man immediately cleared his throat and licked his lips. "May I speak freely, sir? Just between us?"

"Of course, I wouldn't want you to hold back," Ryo immediately answered, assuring the kid. 

"Okay. Well, you see, there's something bothering me about the security system. Obviously it has its kinks, but it doesn't feel right, and isn't it a little strange that we didn't know about the net? We're not supposed to capture any animals, right? I mean, the reason I wanted to work at E.T. Corp was because of its cutting-edge innovation and research program, focused on ecological and green designs. I don't want to hurt any animals, sir. Animals are cool," he started. "I even asked Miss Kumiho about it when she asked me what I was doing, and she said that there was nothing wrong with the design and that the net should be here, but then you just said that it shouldn't be there, so now I'm a little confused and conflicted. Also, sleep-deprived and possibly constipated, but that's really another issue, sir," he breathed. 

Ryo blinked at hearing Dee speak and he frowned, shaking his head. "Wait. What? What was Miss Kumiho doing in the biotech department?" 

"Oh, she said she was checking up on things, making sure everything was still running smoothly, sir..." he trailed off and bit his lip in concern. "Should I not have said anything?" 

"No, no, it's fine," Ryo mused a little absently before patting the kid on the shoulder. "What exactly did she say about the security system?" 

"She said that once the kinks were figured out, the net would safely capture animals and E.T. Corp could tag them, or something like that? Maybe there's a new project to preserve wildlife, or something, sir? I don't know, to be really honest, I thought it seemed a little bit fishy. I had an internship at the urang utan facility in Bali once and we'd tag wild apes as well to protect them, but we never used measures like this. This stuff right there," he gestured at the net, "that's pretty dangerous." 

Ryo couldn't help but agree with that and the fact that Miss Kumiho apparently went behind his back to browse through  _his_  building, didn't sit well with him either. 

"I see," he mused, the cogwheels in his mind spinning. "Thank you, Dee," he then said, patting the scientist on the shoulder. "Hey, listen, I can depend on you, can't I?" he then asked, and Dee blinked rapidly before nodding his head. "Let's keep all of this between us from now on. Do you think you can do that? Don't disclose any information about the system unless I've heard it first, so keep me updated. Anything you might hear that seems a bit off, I wanna know about it, especially if Miss Kumiho is the one to say it." Ryo didn't feel particularly well to have to ask this of the young man, but he felt that Dee was reliable and the scientist seemed to be on the same page as he was when he nodded solemnly. 

"Yes, sir, I understand." 

"Good man. You keep this up, and I might be able to put you on a new, top-secret project," he then said, smiling at him. 

"Wow, really, sir?" Dee asked, looking excited. 

"Yeah, I need a few good men on this new project and you're one of the first to come to mind. So keep up the good work," he stated. 

"Yes, sir!" Dee saluted happily. "Oh, a-and what about the system? Would you like me to update it accordingly?"

"Let's work on retrieving the ones that are already out in the island and then I'll think about what we can do with it," Ryo replied. "Oh, and Dee?"

"Sir?"

"Go home. Get some rest. You've done enough," he winked and the young man relaxed visibly before smiling. 

"Yes, sir. Goodnight," he greeted. 

Ryo nodded and walked towards his office, where he knew that Miss Kumiho would be waiting for him. He pondered whether he should confront her, and the anger he was feeling was motivation enough to do so. He took a few steady breaths before entering his office. 

"Miss Kumiho, you called," he stated, seeing the woman stand by his desk in a straight posture. She turned around and gave a small smile. 

"Mr. Miyano, thank you for coming on such short notice. Mr. Yok is very curious to hear from you. As you can see, he has me working around the clock as well," she gestured at herself, but she didn't appear tired at all. 

"Yes, so I've been made aware," Ryo started, refusing to sit down if she didn't. "It appears that you've been snooping around my facility behind my back, Miss Kumiho, and I'm not quite sure I appreciate that," he confronted, waiting to see what kind of excuses she had to tell him. 

"Ah, I would not necessarily call it 'snooping', sir. I am merely keeping a watchful eye on proceedings, to give Mr. Yok some peace of mind," she smiled charmingly at him, but Ryo wasn't so easily fooled. 

"Is that so? And does Mr. Yok always make a point to spy on his CEOs? I would've thought he'd have more trust in his employees, especially after the talk I had with him a few days ago," he stated, keeping a polite tone, even though his words were rather harsh. Miss Kumiho did not seem to be that rattled at all.

"It is not a matter of trust, I assure you, Mr. Miyano. Mr. Yok has only faith in his employees, but it is his curiosity that is restless and cannot be stilled. I'm sure you understand."

_Smooth, lady. Real smooth,_ Ryo thought to himself. "I see. Well, I can only hope then that you understand that I do not particularly appreciate you walking around my facility, checking up on my employees and interfering in their work, Miss Kumiho. If you wish to be updated with any other projects than the one Mr. Yok handed to me personally, do say so and I'll provide a summary for you," he stated strictly, showing her that he meant business. Miss Kumiho appeared to want to protest, but then she gave a sweet smile that did not reach her eyes and she bowed. 

"Very well. Thank you, sir," she said, but something told Ryo that she wasn't sincere about it. "Now then, may I ask what news you have regarding the Yggdrasil project?" 

Ryo heaved a soft sigh and grabbed his laptop where he had secured data on the foreign object he'd been researching. "I did an extra check up on the dagger," he started. "The data I collected is an exact match to the data Mr. Yok found so far," he said, rereading the data as he spoke. "Truthfully, it's rather remarkable. I thought Mr. Yok had been deceiving me when he said that he thought the dagger was alive, but he's not wrong. Not entirely. I found indications implying that the dagger is a living organism. It's pulsating with energy, but I can't explain such a phenomenon. And the way it's able to regenerate cells, genes, energy- is unlike I've ever seen before," he reported. "But I need more time. I'm thinking about expanding the project in the upcoming week, so Mr. Yok will have to wait until then." 

Miss Kumiho nodded amicably while she typed in notes on her tablet. "That is good news, Mr. Miyano. It sounds very promising. Mr. Yok will be pleased to hear it."

She continued typing while Ryo watched her and looked for signs of fatigue, but couldn't find any. "Have you been here all night, Miss Kumiho?" he asked, wondering why she was still here. He doubted that she was still working only because Mr. Yok told her to stay. 

"Yes, sir," she answered briefly, not elaborating further. 

"Well, you should go home after this, there's not going to be anyone else around anyway," he suggested, secretly because he just wanted her away from the office if he wasn't there either. 

"I'll definitely do that, sir. Thank you, you've made my job a bit easier and Mr. Yok happier," she said in her silken voice. "It must not have been easy having to go back to work at this hour. I hope your wife wasn't too upset," she added. Ryo looked at her. 

"She understands, thank you," he answered rather coolly and Miss Kumiho nodded. She was finished, but she wasn't leaving, which Ryo found more than just suspicious. She looked around his office and her smile widened when she saw the picture on his desk. 

"Oh, is this her? She's gorgeous, sir," she complimented sweetly. "And this, this must be your beautiful daughter. She looks like her mother," she stated, pointing at Jae. 

"Yes, I'm always very grateful she takes after her," Ryo managed to joke, carefully taking the picture away from her and putting it back on the desk.  _Why was she not leaving?_

"You're a lucky man, sir. There are plenty of people out there that would die for a family like yours," she stated. 

"I am indeed," Ryo kept his answers short since the conversation was making him uneasy for whatever reason. She smiled at him. Always that smile, one that never reached her hazel green eyes. 

"You should return home to them, sir. They must be waiting for you," she mused. 

"I guess I should. Can I offer you a ride to your home, Miss Kumiho?" he suggested since he did not want to leave her alone in his office. Ryo always thought of himself that he was good at reading people, and Miss Kumiho gave him the wrong kind of vibes. Simply put, he didn't trust her. 

"Thank you, but I live nearby. You don't have to worry, sir, I'll make sure everything is locked up," she insisted and Ryo didn't know what to say to that.  _Too smooth, lady,_ he thought to himself. 

He jumped when the phone in his office suddenly rang and he frowned. Other than Dee and a few cleaners, there shouldn't be anyone around to call him at this hour. Unless...was it Dee?

"Excuse me," he said and picked up the phone. "Ryo Miyano speaking," he greeted, listening to the other end. "The security system? I think that might be a mistake, we don't have livefeeds installed. Is this the security department? Why are you even still at work, you should be at home," he said listening to the other line. Ryo was well aware that Miss Kumiho had not left his office. 

"No one gave the order to do that. Security footage? Why would you- okay, look, I'll stop by in a moment. Thank you," Ryo scratched his head, a little confused. 

"Is everything alright, sir?" Miss Kumiho questioned. 

"That was the security department. He said that there was some footage that I should see? Do you have any idea what he's talking about?" he asked, not shy about showing his suspicion towards her. Miss Kumiho met his gaze steadily. 

"Ah, I'm sure it's nothing, sir. I think he's talking about the footage from the newly installed security system. They're placed there so that we can record the workings of the system to ensure its safety. I believe it was in one of the memos, sir," she explained. 

"Aha, I see. Well, guess I should head on down to check it out," he walked towards the door, but was stopped by Miss Kumiho, holding his arm. 

"Please, don't bother yourself with such trivial matters, Mr. Miyano. I'll take care of it and report to you in the morning. You should go back home, to your lovely wife and beautiful child. I'll handle this," she offered sweetly. Ryo was inclined to decline, but there wasn't an excuse he could use against her. Reluctantly, he gave in, thinking that there wasn't much harm she could do anyway. 

"Very well. Thank you, Miss Kumiho. After that, I want you to go home and get some rest, alright?" he instructed to which she gave a bow. 

"I shall. Goodnight, sir," she greeted and Ryo left, feeling only a little uneasy. 

Miss Kumiho rode the elevator down to the security department, her face devoid of a smile. When she entered the room, she walked steadily towards the monitors, one sole employee still working there. 

"I hope this is worth it. The CEO nearly caught on," she hissed, to which the employee flinched. 

"Sorry, I didn't know he was still here. But, check this out," he started typing and showed her some interesting footage of a wolf being chased through the woods and being hit by the security system. She leaned forward to observe it closer, attentively taking in the images. 

"There's more than one," she mused, a light chuckle escaping her plump, red lips. 

"Do you see their eyes?" he asked and she nodded, silently watching. 

"They're very fast," she smiled as her eyes sparkled. "Oh, bet that hurt, huh?" she mused as she saw one wolf being stupid enough to get hit by the fence. "Freeze that!" she barked upon seeing a young man running towards the wolf, his eyes shining far too brightly than was humanly possible. His face was blurred, but it didn't matter. A smirk appeared on her face when she watched the other screens, showing a pack of wolves in one shot and suddenly a few young men in the other. The quality of the images had too low of a resolution, but she could see clearly, and - she wasn't surprised in the slightest.

"Rewind and freeze that frame," she said, watching how a group of young men free the wolf from the net, one of them looking directly at the fence and zapping it to deactivation, shutting off the camera in the process. Some of their faces were exposed, though blurry. She moved the employee aside and zoomed in closer on the youths, the smirk on her face widening as her green eyes shone. 

"Well, well, well," she sang, letting out a purr, studying their features. "It's been a while...boys. Mr. Yok will be very pleased," she laughed. "Save the footage on the external hard drive and delete it from the main board. Hand the disk over to me as soon as possible," she instructed. 

"Yes, ma'am," the employee didn't hesitate to follow orders. 

She turned away to let him do his work, while she did hers. Typing the message to her employer, brought a real smile to her face this time. 

_Sir, you'll like this and you'll love me more for it._

_It's been a while, but all the hard work and effort was worth it all._

"Ma'am, the footage," the employee called. She tapped the disk against the hightech tablet, uploading the data with ease into the message, the screencap showing brightly lit eyes and blurry, but distinguishable faces. 

_Everything is set._

_We've found them._


	35. ~ GROWL ~

***

Was this it? Would everything settle down now? Would all the awkwardness and suspicion finally be over?

I walked towards the school building amongst the crowd of students as usual, my head still reeling and my body sore all over. Honestly, I was grateful to be back to normal, with my usual shoulder-length, boring brown hair and brown eyes, not a hint of "wolviness" about me. Preferably I'd forget that last night happened at all. In fact, after last night I vaguely remembered promising not to utter a word about it, which was rather redundant since,  _hello?!_  what reason would I have exposing their secret which was now apparently my own as well?!

I shivered a little when thinking about it and tried to focus on school matters instead. It was Friday today which meant that the weekend was near and I could definitely use a break.  _Most tiring first week ever!_  and that was an understatement. I did feel awkward walking through the fancy school halls as though I was the new girl all over again, except this time I was the only one who was aware of it. 

How was I supposed to behave now? How would  _they_  behave? Would they pretend like nothing is going on? I remembered running with them and eating with them, and they were different then. Far more relaxed and nicer, but still a bit reserved. I guess it was strange for them to find another one like them as well, but to me... Ugh. If only I could turn back time. None of it even made sense! Why them? Why  _me_?! 

I caught Suho walking ahead of me and I froze a little, but kept moving. Almost as if he sensed me, he turned around briefly. He looked straight at me, his face expressionless and then turned around, giving me the cold shoulder. I let out a breath of air. Well. That answered my question. We're gonna pretend nothing ever happened then. Fine. Got it.  _Sheesh_. 

What does a person do after finding out that they're not entirely like other people? Do I go on living with this as if it's nothing? I mean, there are a million and one questions floating around in my head right now and it's making me dizzy. Literally. Maybe it had something to do with the aftermath of having transformed into a freaking wolf and back, but man, I was seriously all over the place. Apparently, last night was just a favor done by the Majestic Twelve, but it looks like all of that is over now. I don't think I can depend on them for moral support...  _Or can I?_  

I picked up a familiar scent of hortensia flowers followed by a steady flow of warm air and startled lightly when I saw that Chanyeol was walking casually next to me. He met my confused gaze with a brilliant smile. 

"Good morning, noona," he greeted cheerfully, making me feel just a little bit suspicious.

"Eh, g-good morning, Chanyeol," I looked around to see if anyone was paying attention to us and wondered whether he was here with a purpose. Did Suho sent him to warn me or threaten me all over again? 

He only smiled and walked next to me, looking a little bit nervous, though I don't know why. "Yah," he suddenly started, rubbing the back of his neck. "That looks heavy, noona. Here, I'll carry it," he pointed at my backpack and too stunned to react, I numbly let him take over my backpack while he carried it, a big smile on his face. He walked towards our lockers in a confident stride and I watched him for a moment. 

When it just clicked what happened, I went after him. "Ah, Chanyeol, that's really not necessary. I can carry my own stuff," I said a little awkwardly, but he shook his head, easily swinging my bag over his shoulder. 

"It's no problem, noona, our lockers are close anyway and you look tired. Did you have a rough night?" he suddenly teased and I flushed red when he winked at me. I approached him and took hold of his sleeve and yanked it, leaving Chanyeol no option but to bend down and stop walking to hear me out. His eyes fluttered when I leaned towards him to make sure no one could be eavesdropping.

"You  _know_  what kind of night I had to go through," I hissed. "Is this some kind of way of messing with me even further? Because, seriously, dude, I am  _not_  in the mood!" I spewed at him, Chanyeol's eyes widening before his expression softened and he tried not to laugh. 

"Wah, noona, you have to learn how to relax. I'm not messing with you, honest. You really do look tired, so I thought I'd lend a help with carrying your bag, that's all," he said and it bugged me that he was absolutely sincere when he said it. "But, if you don't want to draw so much attention to yourself, then maybe you can let go of my hand? Oh, and I know noona has pretty eyes, thank you for giving me a close up of them," he teased. Realizing that we were standing very close to each other, I quickly retreated, making him chuckle and rub the back of his neck shyly as well. I noticed a few bystanders eye us curiously and I tried to recover, walking next to a smirking Chanyeol, making sure there was a healthy distance between us. 

I couldn't help but feel suspicious. He was usually reserved around me, ignoring me politely. Even last night he only seemed to tolerate my presence. Why did it feel like I was going to be set up?

We arrived at our lockers and Chanyeol waited patiently for me to open mine first, still diligently holding my bag, his signature smile plastered on his face. I attempted to smile back, but I wasn't sure what to think of his behavior yet. Was he really just being nice since we share the same secret now? Or was there something else going on?

I moved to my locker and per usual, the door was stuck again. Since I still felt like I used up all my strength, I weakly pulled at the thing, but couldn't get it to budge.

"Ah, noona, here, let me," Chanyeol suddenly moved, placing both my bag and his own gently on the floor as he stood behind me, reached over to the lock of the door while I was still standing in front of it and clicked it open with ease. Unwittingly, he had trapped me between his arms and the locker. I turned around to look up at him and he gazed back, startled at the rather intimate gesture he displayed.

"Oh! S-sorry, noona," he blushed- _Chanyeol blushed!_  - and moved away, handing me my bag.

"That's okay, uh, thanks," I muttered as he went to his own locker a few doors down. I still felt his body heat lingering and quickly focused on the books I had to get. I felt him peeking behind his locker door from time to time, a perpetual smile on his face.

_What's with this kid?_

Did he put something in my bag? I quickly checked, but there was nothing there. Could it be that he was just being nice then? Oh man, I cannot handle all this stress...

"Uh, noona?" Chanyeol suddenly called, closing his locker door and standing next to mine, watching me grab the books I needed.

"You can call me Jae, Chanyeol, no need for formalities," I told him, but for some reason it made him giggly.

"Oh, uh, o-okay," he said. "Say, J-Jae-noona," he bit his lip, unable to let go of the habit, "I could carry your books for you to class, if you want. It's no trouble," he said and I frowned at him, while grabbing the bundle of books in my arms and shutting my locker. 

"Uh, thanks, but it's okay. You should head over to class as well, right?" I said, wondering why he was acting so weird. And why was he all blushy and nervous? 

"I don't mind at all," he offered, following me when I had started walking. I pondered about it for a moment, but it was rather sweet that he'd offer it. Should I?

"Well, I mean, if you won't be late for class..."  _Hey, don't judge me, I had a rough night and everything still hurts! These books are like freaking anvils in my arms, okay?!_

Chanyeol beamed a cheerful grin my way and moved to get the books from my arms. He looked very happy that he could carry them while accompanying me to class. I looked straight ahead, the two of us sharing a surprisingly comfortable silence, when out of the blue, Chanyeol yelped for no reason and I heard a ruckus beside me. When I turned around, Chanyeol had mysteriously disappeared and when I turned around again, I jumped lightly at seeing Chen smiling at me, holding my books for me.

_Huh? What's going on here?_

" _Annyeong_ , Newbie-noona!" he greeted, casually walking close beside me as if nothing was going on. 

"Uh...hi," I muttered, looking around the hallways amongst the students for Chanyeol. I was sure I just heard him growl in the distance, but Chen was unfazed. "Where did Chanyeol go?" I asked, side-eying Chen when he shrugged, sighed lightly and put his arm over my shoulder with ease.

"I don't know, I think he had a sudden emergency. Between you and me, Chanyeol has a bad case of irritable bowel syndrome," he pulled a face. "Yeah, it's not pretty," he grinned at me. "Wah, Newbie-noona looks pretty this morning," he continued smoothly, but something told me that he had a hand in with Chanyeol suddenly disappearing.

The cinnamon-like smell of snapdragons tickled my nose when I was near Chen, but refrained from asking more questions. I was just wondering what was going on right now. I felt lost. Why was Chen being so openly friendly towards me? Wasn't he concerned that Suho might see?  _And why is his arm still around my shoulder?_

I heard him humming happily to himself and I just smiled at him when he beamed at me. Out of nowhere, a plastic tube suddenly hit him on the head and rolled over the floor. 

"Yah, what's this?" he asked, bending down to pick it up. At that moment, the tube suddenly started smoking and it popped in front of Chen, startling everyone in the hallway. Chen coughed as he looked at the busted, smoking tube in his hand.

"Oh my God, are you okay?" I asked, blinking rapidly when a teacher suddenly walked over, yelling at Chen.

"What is the meaning of this, Jongdae?!" she shouted in indignation, the poor guy hardly being able to process what just happened.

"No, wait, I didn't do this, seonsaeng-nim!" he said and I nodded to confirm his plea.

"Well, if you didn't, then who did?" she directed herself towards me all of a sudden, but Chen immediately stood before me.

"I don't know, ma'am, but it really wasn't any of us, I swear!"

"Hey, Chen-Chen, what's going on?" Baekhyun appeared, the scent of orange blossoms filling the air. He had a look of bewilderment on his face at seeing the tube and Chen's disheveled appearance, then he shook his head, but did so in a dramatic fashion that I found very suspicious. "Wah, pranking people before classes even started already, Jongdae?" he suddenly piped up, which was uncharacteristic of him. Chen's eyes widened at this and he quickly turned to the teacher, who had crossed her arms over her chest. The youth shook his head.

"No, I swear, it wasn't me!" he started protesting before he looked at Baekhyun and I saw a flash of red in his eyes that made me gulp. Wasn't he afraid that anyone could hear him growl? Or was it a wolf-thing that only other wolves could hear? He pointed at Baekhyun accusingly. "You!"

"Ah, seonsaeng-nim, shouldn't Chen be reprimanded for his cheeky behavior?" Baekhyun asked with an angelic face, to which the teacher responded and grabbed Chen with her, the youth still protesting.

"I'll take these," Baekhyun took my books from Chen's arm, waving pleasantly at the boy as he was escorted away. "Bye-bye!"

Meanwhile I was still staring at the scene, utterly lost and confused when Baekhyun took Chen's place, accompanying me. Something definitely was wrong, especially when someone had suddenly opened a window and a blast of wind swept through the corridors, but to such an extent that it knocked Baekhyun off his feet. The moment that happened, the wind stopped. My books were thrown into the air and while I prepared myself to catch them, Sehun was suddenly there and took care of it instead, a sweet smile on his face when he looked at me.

"Noona, you should be careful, it's easy to slip on these marble floors," he told me, but I caught the quick snarl he directed at Baekhyun before he smiled at me again.

"Okay...what's going on?" I asked him when I had arrived in front of the class room and took my books away from him.

Sehun pulled an innocent face and shrugged. "I don't know what you mean, noona," he said.

"You sure about that? Because something was up just now and I'm not sure I get what's going on...Did Suho put you guys up to this? To mess with me, or something?" I confronted him directly, but Sehun only seemed to flush, shaking his head lightly. He blinked at me and supressed a grin. 

I frowned at him. "What?" I asked, startling him lightly.

"Sorry, noona, I'm not laughing at you," he quickly assured, "it's just...eh, here," he reached out to my face and I felt his fingers brush through my hair. "Leaf," he explained, before he dropped it to the floor. The gesture had me flustered for a moment and I carefully tucked the loose strays of hair behind my ear to avoid having to look at him, the scent of fresh freesias making me dizzy.

"O-oh. Thanks."

Sehun was still smiling at me and he opened his mouth to say something, but his eyes darted to someone behind me and he froze a moment. "Lay-hyung," he prompted, looking a little confused and a little sour at the same time. 

Sure enough, the scent of lillies hung in the air and I couldn't help but smile at Lay when he gave a wave, hiding something behind his back. "Hi Sehunnie, good morning, Jae-yah," he greeted amicably. "Ah, Sehunnie, aren't you supposed to go to math class? You'll be late if you stick around."

Sehun looked like a pouty child at that moment and then he jerked his head towards Lay's hidden hands. "What do you have hiding there, hyung?" he provoked in an attempt to make Lay uncomfortable. The older youth simply smiled, unfazed. 

"Oh, this was something I wanted to give to Jae-yah," he said honestly, a dimpled smile on his face as he directed himself to me. "I saw this on the way to school and I thought it would be a nice welcome gift for you," he whispered and gave a quick wink since his 'welcome' had more meaning now. I was taken aback when he handed me a bundle of small jasmine flowers that still had morning dew on them. If my face wasn't as red as a tomato by now, there was something wrong with my bloodflow. 

"Wow, that's very sweet of you, Lay," I murmured, smelling the flowers. 

"Aw, that is to be expected of Lay-hyung, always so sickeningly sweet," Sehun commented, and I heard it again, a deep, low growl. I startled and felt uneasy, since Lay, whom I know to always be wearing a smile, had a similar vibe about him when he looked at Sehun now. His smile was still there, but I heard the purr coming from his chest, the rumbling growl. 

"I have to set an example for the maknae to learn to be sweet as well, Sehunnie, maybe our baby can learn well, yeah?" Lay retaliated, even ruffling up Sehun's hair in the process. Both their eyes flashed red now and I felt like crab-walking away. I flinched when the first bell rang. 

"Ah, class is starting. Come on, Jae-yah, don't want to be late. Bye, Sehunnie, see you at lunch," Lay greeted, guiding me into the class room with his hand on the small of my back. 

"O-oh, yeah..." I stammered, still unsure what was going on. Seriously, I was perpetually lost, what is happening here? "Uh, bye, Sehun, thanks for carrying my books," I quickly said before he was gone. Lay even walked me to my seat before finding his own next to Suho, who looked like his usual sour self when he eyed me and Lay in suspicion. I wasn't sure, but were his eyes flashing red as well when he kept staring at Lay? 

By the time the first class of the day started, I felt tired and hungover. The day hadn't even properly begun or I was already done with it. And judging by the way things were going, it was  _looong_  from over. 

_Awooo...ugh._

***

Suho glared at Lay, cursing inwardly at how relaxed and happy-go-lucky he was at his interaction with Jae. He knew that things were different now. He was very much aware at the change it brought between them, now that it was obvious that Jae was a wolf as well. He knew how to handle male wolves, but a female? He didn't even think that would exist. He gnawed on his bottom lip again, as he usually would do when he was agitated or nervous. He couldn't even properly focus on the lesson at hand. 

His eyes kept moving towards Jae, who was sitting a row beside him, two seats behind. And if he couldn't see her, he'd glare at Lay, who looked to be about the happiest person on the world right now. 

_Hey, can you hear me?_  he thought, sending the thought over to his younger brother. It was true that Luhan was usually the only one that could read minds and communicate telepathically with others. Without him, they didn't stand much of a chance in communicating this way, but with full moon around, they were naturally more in tune with each other so communicating mentally wouldn't be too much trouble.  _Then again, with Lay, one could never know._

_I heard that._

Lay turned his head lazily, smirking at an embarrassed Suho. 

_You might want to be careful, hyung. Jae-yah might be able to hear as well._

Suho grunted quietly at hearing this and he resisted the urge to glance back at the girl.  _About that,_ he started,  _what do you think you're doing?_

_What do you mean?_ Lay even looked confused. 

_You know what I mean. I saw you being all friendly with her,_ Suho accused. 

_Ah, I was just being kind, hyung. She's one of us now, after all._

Suho shook his head. How could Lay be so naive? 

_She's like us, but that doesn't make her one of us._

It was quiet for a while and Suho thought that maybe Lay didn't hear him. After the silence dragged on too long, he eventually looked at him, jolting in his seat slightly when he saw that Lay was looking directly at him, his eyes narrowing a little in suspicion, a playful smile on his lips. 

_What?_ he inquired.

_Are you jealous, hyung?_

Suho didn't know why he felt warm, nor why he had the urge to hide his face at that moment. He didn't look at Lay until he thought he heard his other brother's voices as well. They both simultaneously checked whether Jae could hear it as well, but she was listening to the teacher, looking exhausted. Suho felt uneasy at hearing his brothers' voices, but at the same time, he wanted to accept their challenge. He could tell that Lay thought the whole ordeal amusing, but Suho was less inclined to think so. He knew this girl was going to be trouble from the start and for once in his life he'd wish that he was wrong. 

_A dark shadow has woken up inside me._

_Sparks fly in my eyes as I look at you._

_Everyone step away from her, step away!_

_It's going to get fierce from now on._

_I'm growling, growling, growling..._

Suho felt the restlessness when he caught Minho teasing Jae by tugging gently on her hair and he felt the corner of his mouth pull up into a snarl when he saw that the boy had made her laugh. His eyes shimmered red at the sight of it. 

_If you don't back away then I don't care if you get hurt._


	36. ~ Memories ~

***

  _"What if I said that I didn't want any of this? That you can take my gift back and I can go home and just play?" he had asked the first day he had arrived._

_"I'm afraid it's not that simple. You were chosen and you responded," the voice laughed. He didn't know who put that voice in charge to begin with. By the sound of things, the voice was just about as young as he was, if not younger._

_"Well, what if I take it back?" he retaliated, his hands on his hips to show that he was serious._

_He didn't like how his heart fluttered upon hearing the voice laughing again. "You can't take back an oath, silly. It's a promise you've made with your heart and soul, a pledge that I have made to you as well. We are forever connected this way."_

_"So you're forcing me to stay?" he then prompted, feeling angry at such an injustice._

_"I'm not forcing you to do anything, I'm explaining how this works. You may leave, but only if you really want to. If you don't really want to leave, than you won't be able to."_

_He scoffed at this and crossed his arms over his chest. "Yeah, well, I really, really, **really**  want to leave!" he said solemnly. "So can I go now? I don't want any of this!" he yelled, completely depleted of his patience. The mere thought of what it meant for him if he wanted to stay was making his skin crawl. Responsibilities? What sane child would want to have that?_

_"Then I am sorry and sad to see you go. I know your brothers will be very sad as well."_

_The furrow in his brow deepened upon hearing this and he stomped his feet. "They're not my brothers! We've only met each other today! They wouldn't care if I stay or go!" he argued, hearing the voice sigh softly. He couldn't see it, but something told him that the voice was smiling at him._

_"Yes, they would. I am not the only one you are connected to now. Your brothers will feel your absence and they'll miss you, and so will I," the voice said. He didn't want to show that the words affected him. He just wanted to go home._

_"Well. Sorry to hear that. I'm leaving now. Bye!" he said and disappeared into swirls of black mist. It took him exactly three minutes to return again, pouting and sulking._

_"Back so soon?" the voice asked in mirth. This made him pout even more._

_"I don't like you," he stated bluntly, his arms firmly crossed across his chest._

_"That's okay. When you're ready, maybe we can learn to be friends."_

_He seriously doubted whether that would be possible, but despite of this belief, he stayed and found, to his own surprise, that he was happy to do so._

That was a new memory. In his moment of weakness, Kai allowed himself to be caught off guard and that was what he got in return, another vague memory that made absolutely no sense. What startled him was the fact that this new memory had suddenly emerged. It was the first time he'd seen it in his mind, the first one that was solid and clear. What situation was he in that he wanted to leave? What responsibilities had he refused at first?  _Why did this suddenly started to matter to me?_

His eyes wandered over the cafeteria while he was slowly eating his meal and he nearly lost his appetite when he caught sight of  _her_. There was still a part of him that refused to believe and acknowledge that she was a wolf as well. That the reason he felt uneasy when she was near, the reason that he wanted her to stay far away from him was the mere fact that she was a wolf, a _female_ wolf that threw him off his game. Kai didn't understand how it was possible that there was another person like them. It didn't make a lick of sense to him. 

There shouldn't be another. It had always been the twelve of them, thirteen just didn't sit well with him. It was true that amongst his brothers he was most likely the one that still had his doubts, the one who didn't really trust this girl. He didn't doubt her honesty, but he doubted her existence. When he met his brothers, he knew right off the bat that they belonged to each other. He didn't have that feeling with her. Was this his instinct telling him to keep an eye on her? To be wary of her? Or, was this something else? 

Kai had no interest in the trivial matters his brothers were discussing at the table. They were arguing about something stupid again, something about Chen zapping Chanyeol when no one was looking, Baekhyun pulling a prank on Chen and Sehun blowing Baekhyun away. He admitted that the latter was rather funny, but he didn't participate in the conversation. His eyes were fixed on  _her_  and he didn't care if anyone noticed or not. He zoomed in on her, watching how she ended up standing in line at the register next to Suho and he noticed how his hyung stiffened in tension beside her. He smirked to himself because he found the sight rather amusing, but then he wanted to know more and strained himself to listen what they were saying. 

_"...How are the hunger pangs?"_ Suho asked quietly, barely noticeable. Kai watched Jae freeze up as well, trying to shrug casually, but he could tell that Suho interacting with her made her tense up. He couldn't blame her for that. 

_"Uh, I guess they're okay. Why? Do I have suspiciously too much on my plate or something? You want to reprimand me for it?"_ Jae shot back and Kai couldn't help but admire her sarcasm, only just a little. He could nearly tell that Suho was flinching. This hyung always was a bit lost when he had to deal with fiery girls. 

_"That's not it, I'm just saying that the hunger pangs can get really bad. Especially since you've only recently...you know- changed,"_ Suho said, his tone still quiet, but Kai could recognize the embarrassment in it. 

_"Well, thanks for the concern, but I'm fine,"_ she replied steadily. When it was Suho's turn to pay he whipped out his card and Kai squinted his eyes slightly in suspicion upon seeing him gesture at his tray and that of Jae. Was he paying for her?!

_"Whoa, wait! Why are you- I mean, you don't have to! I have money, I can buy this myself,"_ Jae protested, absolutely dumbfounded. 

Suho shrugged like it was no big deal, but Kai knew him well enough to know that Suho was probably glowing with pride right now.  _Nerd,_ Kai thought to himself. 

_"That's not the point,"_ Suho replied steadily. 

_"You put something in my food, didn't you?"_ Jae pointed out, the suspicion obvious. 

_"See it as a tentative peace offering for starting off at the wrong foot,"_ Suho retorted instead.  _"Enjoy the meal, Jae,"_ he greeted and walked over to their table, his cheeks colored pink. Jae herself seemed rather flushed, the way she just stood there, watching Suho leave. Honestly that girl was weird and completely obvious. He could see right through her, but she still made him feel uncomfortable. Suddenly, upon seeing Suho's smug grin, Kai was in the mood for another can of coke and got up from his seat, if only if it was to postpone having to see Suho's smiling face. 

He did his best not to look at Jae who was waiting for one of her friends to join her in looking for a table to sit at. He quickly bought two more cans and walked steadily back to his table when the unexpected happened once more. He had just turned around and bumped against Jae, who startled at the sudden touch. Kai remained calm when the sweet scent of jasmine overwhelmed him and he looked down at an astonished Jae who quickly mumbled a string of apologies at him. He realized then that when they crossed paths they either bump in to each other or one of them gets hurt. He briefly scratched his nose when he remembered how she had accidentally slapped him. He figured it was okay though, considering that mere moments before that he had every intention of disposing of her. But now- that wasn't the case anymore, and it frightened him slightly. 

"It's okay- noona," he said, looking at her worried face. "No need to apologize," he assured her and saw that his polite answer brought a shock on her face. "Here," he handed her one of the two cans. "You have to drink a lot," he said before walking away and leaving her. 

_Stop gawking at me,_ he thought to himself since he felt himself getting warm at sensing her gaze lingering at him. He sighed quietly in relief when he saw that she finally joined her own friends to eat.  _Why did you do that, Kai? Was that really necessary? What is she going to think now? Argh, why do you care?!_  he slapped himself mentally and agitatedly focused his frustration at his food. 

"So. Is anyone going to explain what the hell happened the first period?" Kris suddenly interjected, looking at his brothers. Kai himself followed the gaze since he wasn't sure what he was talking about. 

"What happened the first period?" Tao asked, bewildered. 

"Were you sleeping? Everyone here started to sing a little chant to back away from the new girl," Xiumin clarified, smirking at his embarrassed brothers. Kai froze a moment since he had heard it as well, though he wasn't sure what it was about. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't heard Xiumin's voice, or that of Tao for that matter. He had kept quiet too, but the message made his blood boil for whatever reason. It was obviously a challenge and he didn't like to pass that up. 

"Hey- I was _not_ singing along," Kris argued, pointing at him while lifting his glass. 

"Yeah right, your voice was one of the louder ones, hyung!" Chen immediately accused. 

"What? I didn't even know what was going on!" Kris didn't relent and by the look on his face, Kai was inclined to believe him. 

"Well, then it must've been your subconscious oozing right through," Luhan quipped, unable to prevent from smirking either. 

"Speaking of which, were you the one that channeled that message to everyone?" Suho asked, looking at Luhan. The older student smiled again, his fingers combing through his hair before he took a bite from his sandwhich. 

"Maybe. Honestly I thought it would be funny to push some buttons since I saw what happened in the hallway this morning. Very smooth, by the way, guys," he grinned, Xiumin suppressing his laughter right beside him. 

Kai saw Chanyeol, Chen and Baekhyun blushing furiously all of a sudden, causing him to snort at the sight of it. Sehun looked a little flushed himself and refused to look up from the bubble tea he was sipping. "Whoa, what happened this morning?" he then asked when he saw his younger brother this quiet. Usually, when Chanyeol, Chen and Baekhyun were caught redhanded doing something embarrassing, Sehun would have been one of the first to add oil to the fire and make things worse to tease them, so his suspicious silence piqued Kai's interest. 

"Let's just say that there were a few dongsaengs that tried their very best to catch the new girl's attention," Luhan mused teasingly. "And a few others that got jealous in the process," his eyes suddenly directed themselves to Suho and Kai's eyes widened, his brothers following suit. Lay had started laughing whilst pointing at Suho and their fearsome leader turned a deeper shade of red. 

"W-what? What does that even mean? I mean, pff, n-no, I don't know what you're talking about- did eh...Did anyone finish the science homework?" Suho stammered, trying a bit too desperately to change the subject. 

" _Whaaat_?! Suho-hyung?!" Tao's shrill laughter blasted through the air, his brothers bellowing along with him. Kai clapped his hands laughing seeing the tortured expression on their leader's face. 

"Shh!" he hissed. "Don't be stupid, I'm not jealous, I don't even care, just- just stop!" he spewed, completely flustered. 

"Ah, be honest, Suho! You like the girl, don't you?" Luhan coaxed mercilessly. "All this tough talk and saying you don't like her is all just an act, admit it. Speak honestly, you're amongst your brothers," he said, a devilish grin appearing on his angelic face. Suho groaned and planted his face against the table, which only made matters worse for him. Kai was laughing just as hard, but he couldn't help but notice the light tension amidst the elated atmosphere. It was hilarious to torture Suho with this, but then the thought of his hyung actually showing an interest in the new girl made him feel a little uneasy. Another thing that Kai noticed that the others did not, was a very silent D.O., quietly eating his meal with barely a smile on his lips.  _Yikes, what's with him?_

"Suho-hyung is right. What reason would he have to like Jae when he was the one that wanted everyone to stay away from her?" D.O. interjected in that quiet but strong way of his. "If anything, he's the one that still would want to stay away from her, right? And he'd be right to do so." The table became quiet at this, but D.O. didn't look up at anyone. Could it be...? Kai cautiously glanced at D.O. before exchanging a look with Sehun, who shrugged. He looked up at his other brothers and he winced a little when he saw the look of mischief in Baekhyun's eyes. 

"What's this?" Bacon-hyung started in a singsongy voice. "Is our Kyungsoo-sshi afraid that he might have a little competition from now on?" he purposely cracked his knuckles to push D.O.'s buttons more, but since Kai was rather close with D.O. he could immediately tell that his brother was not kidding around. Baekhyun was hopelessly useless at reading the mood. Waiting for the inevitable bomb to explode, Kai played with his soda can, hoping that D.O. wouldn't have an outburst here. He knew how this hyung would keep everything bottled up until he couldn't take it anymore. And when that happened-  _poof!_  Goodbye Baekhyun, hello bacon!

"Why would I be afraid?" D.O. asked in a calm voice, slowly directing himself to Baekhyun, looking straight at him, even making their hyung look a bit uncomfortable. Then D.O. scanned all of his brothers before boldly saying, "I see no competition."

The table was quiet amongst the rowdy cafeteria noise, all eleven brothers stupefied at D.O.'s confident statement. But what shocked Kai the most, was the fact that D.O. didn't look angry at all.  _He's smirking?!_  

Seeing the lopsided grin on his face, Baekhyun laughed, more out of relief, Kai believed, and clapped his hands. "Well, well, well, look who's still more wolf than boy?" he quipped, but D.O. remained unfazed. There was a challenge in his eyes and it seemed that his brothers were appreciative of that, but Kai was just wondering what the heck everyone thought they were doing. It was one thing to joke around regarding the new girl, but if they were serious... 

"Do all of you really believe that she's one of us?" his thoughts had apparently removed the filter from his mouth and he'd blurted out the question before he gave it a second thought. "I mean, sure, she's a wolf," Kai spoke more quietly, "but I can't recall there being thirteen of us. Doesn't that feel weird to anyone?" There. He'd said it. 

"Well to be fair, none of us can recall that much to begin with, right? Maybe she's the last one and now our pack is complete?" Baekhyun answered easily, not seeing what the potential problem could be. 

"Maybe we're thrown off so much because she's a girl. I've never met a she-wolf before, and up until last night I didn't think they existed," Chen shrugged. 

"I think it's nice that we have another member, I always wanted a sister to look out for," Tao murmured, smiling. 

"Whoa, wait. She is  _not_  our sister, hyung. She's only been here for a week and we basically know nothing about her, other than the fact that she's apparently like us," Kai prompted. 

Sehun nodded fiercely beside him. "I agree. I don't see her as a sister at all," he prompted, but Kai rolled his eyes. That was  _totally not_  his point. 

"Will all of you think with your heads for one moment? When we all found each other it felt right, it was comfortable and it was easy. I remember that I always felt like something was missing, until we all got together. Everything was fine then," he tried to explain. 

"What are you saying, Kai?" Kris inquired. 

"I'm saying that thirteen is not right. Do you have any recollections of a thirteenth member? Dig into your memories, use your instincts. If she's really one of us, shouldn't she have memories as well? Shouldn't she have been searching for us? Shouldn't any of us have felt that there was still something missing? She didn't even know what she could do until last night," he continued arguing to plead his case and saw that his brothers were listening this time. 

"Still, it wouldn't do any harm to have another member, though? I mean, Jae-noona must be confused as well. Maybe we can find the answers together," Chen then suggested, but Kai suspected that he just wanted to be around her. He despised it of himself that he still felt suspicion when she was around, but at the same time, he felt like he was being pulled towards her. It was a very unpleasant situation to be in. 

"I just want to know who she is," he finally relented. "If she ends up being one of us after all, then fine, who am I to argue? But if she's not one of us, then I want to know who she is and why she's here. We can't be too careful," he said, looking at Suho, who nodded. These were rare moments, when the two of them agreed with one another without actually having to say the words out loud. "Do any of you recall there being a thirteenth member?" he then asked his hyungs, looking intently at Sehun. 

"I only have the one memory," Suho said softly, and a sad smile played on his lips. 

"I think all of our memories are too vague to be sure," Kris interposed, a comforting hand on Suho's shoulder. "But I suppose you have a point," he told Kai. "We could spend some more time with her to see what she knows. Maybe she has more answers to all our loose puzzle pieces," he suggested.

"Or add more pieces that we'll never be able to solve," Kai replied. 

"Hm," Kris mused, looking over to Jae, a thoughtful look graced over his face. They soon all turned to glance her way and startled when Kris suddenly got to his feet without a word. 

"What are you doing?" Suho asked, watching the blonde adjust his clothes a moment and smoothing over his hair. 

"I'm going to talk to her. Ask if she's willing to meet up again tonight, I'm sure she has questions, too, right? Be right back," he rolled his shoulders but was suddenly stopped by Suho grabbing his wrist. 

"Wait. Why should you be the one to go? I'm in her class, I'll ask her," he said instead, ready to get up. 

"By that definition, we should ask together, hyung," Lay prompted, but that was obviously not what Suho had in mind. 

"Why should any of you ask? You'll just scare her off. I'll ask her," Chen stated, but was stopped by Chanyeol and Baekhyun, and in the end they ended up arguing. Kai heaved a deep sigh whilst rolling his eyes. He turned to look at Sehun so he could mock their brothers, but he was having a discussion with Tao, Xiumin and Luhan, arguing how the maknaes should ask since they had a higher chance of succeeding because of their "aegyo". Kai slumped in his seat, covering his eyes whilst groaning inwardly. Why were his brothers so humiliating?

"Can you believe this, D.O.?" he then commented, but when he looked up, he saw that he was talking to an empty chair. Bewildered, he looked behind him and couldn't help but laugh when he saw that D.O. had snuck off to approach Jae while the others were too busy arguing. He laughed even louder when his brothers caught on and struggled to run after him, pushing and pulling at each other. The girl had no idea what was coming at her. 

As Kai watched in sadistic pleasure at seeing his brothers make a fool out of themselves, he caught sight of Jae, naive and bewildered Jae, whose eyes sparkled when she made eye contact with others and who gave off the annoying impression that she needed to be protected or embraced.  _When did suspicion turn into fascination?_  He narrowed his eyes at her, resisting the urge to walk over his brothers to get to her first and just watched her. Was her naiveness an act, or was this her ability, clouding the minds and judgements of others so that they had no choice but be attracted to her? He sighed. 

_Who are you, really?_


	37. ~ Dream or Nightmare? ~

***

_What the ever loving...?!_

All I heard was the squeaking of shoe soles over marble floors, followed by stumbling and then, girly squealing. Lots of it. Even though I wasn't the one that just embarrassed myself in front of the  _entire_   _freaking_  cafeteria, my face was glowing red at seeing eleven guys storm - out of nowhere - at the table I was sitting at with Lili and a bunch of the other girls I'd been talking to.

"Ah, Luhan-oppa!" Lili shrieked in a high-pitch tone at seeing the soccer captain so close by and I nearly choked when the other girls started squeaking the names of their crushes. As it finally seemed to register what they were doing, a few of them had the decency to look embarrassed, whilst others, like Chen, kept smiling sheepishly. I decided to wisely shut my mouth, look away and pretend to not have noticed anything. What the heck were they doing? All of them have been behaving weirdly today. _Was it because of the wolf thing?_  

When I turned away as they muttered shy apologies and adjusting their clothing and hair (because the princes of the school have to safe face- _obviously_ ), I caught sight of Kai, sitting rather lonely at their usual table, though he was laughing at the sight of his so-called brothers making a fool of themselves. It actually surprised me that he looked different when he was laughing, much warmer and child-like. I think I know what these girls mean when they fangirl over Kai when he smiles or laughs; it's a pretty special sight.

I blinked in confusion when the girls had started asking what the Majestic Eleven were doing. I stared at Lili for a moment because she had stars in her eyes, a look of utter admiration gracing her face as she looked at Luhan. I've honestly never seen someone glow like that before and I was honestly a little worried when I felt a slight, teeny pang of jealousy. Clearing my throat and pushing that nasty feeling away, blaming it on possible 'wolfiness', I focused on my food without actually eating. _Why were they here?_

"Pardon the intrusion, ladies, we eh- we had a- a..." Kris' cool guy image was about to shatter into a million pieces, had Luhan not swooped in to save the day.

"A bet," he prompted, smiling so brightly I was sure that Lili had turned into wax and was melting at the sight of it.

_The stares that are seeking you who's vividly shining in the blurry space, the sound of the alarm is ringing in me. I'm growling, growling, growling!_

...What the hell was that?! Was that- was that _me_? That was my voice, wasn't it? Holy crap! What's going on? I shot Luhan a glare for good measure, suspecting that he had something to do with it since he's all about the mind-control-thingy and tried to send him a signal. _Shoo! Be gone! Why are you here?! Go away!_

I didn't know if it worked or if any of them could hear me, but Luhan's expression remained the same while he was speaking to the girls. 

"A bet, oppa?" Lili asked, her tone of voice a pitch higher than usual, absolutely interested in anything he'd have to say.

"Yes, we were wondering if it was possible to reach the table simultaneously after leaving at different times, whilst accelerating only once. A play at Newton's law, if you will," he said smoothly, but I frowned at hearing the excuse, the furrow deepening even more when I saw that all these girls ate his words like cupcakes.

"Wow, oppa is so smart! Always busy with school," one of them piped up, but I scoffed. _Really?_

"But, Newton's law applies to gravity, it has nothing to do with running-,"

"Ah, Jae-sshi! Didn't see you there," Luhan spoke over me, signaling something with his eyes. Was he using some kind of mind manipulation to convince the girls that everything he says makes sense?  _Sneaky..._

"Are you still thinking about joining the soccer team?" he teased, causing the girls to giggle while I gawked at him, wide-eyed. 

"I-eh, just- uh...what?" I stammered, flustered, nearly pouting angrily at him when he beamed mischievously at me. He was toying with me and enjoying it. I found out about his more playful side last night where he incessantly tried to get me to grant him access to my mind. At least I could use that against him. It bothered him that he couldn't read my mind as he could with others which suited me perfectly fine. 

" _Wae_ , Luhan-oppa shouldn't tease Jae-yah like that, it's not proper," Lili scolded him playfully, unable to prevent from giggling in between her words. Honestly, this girl is a sweetheart, but she has got to try to contain her hormones, it's starting to feel a little bit embarrassing.  _Why are you thinking like that, Jae?_

I purposely made sure not to look up at them, or any of the girls for that matter. I didn't like how I suddenly felt annoyed, the way they all fawned over them. Why would I even feel like this when there was no reason for me to do so? _Gurae wolf, naega wolf!_

"Uhu..." I breathed quietly in exasperation, wishing more than anything to be able to crawl back to bed and pretend that the outside world and everyone in it didn't exist. 

_"..._ for the Homecoming dance!" one of the girls suddenly blurted out, Lili clapping like an overly enthused seal next to me. The sudden sound made me jump in my seat. 

"Huh?" I looked at the girls at my table when they suddenly got all excited again after speaking to the boys and I prevented from snorting out loud when I saw them a bit flustered.

"Ah! Is that the reason you came over to the table, Luhan-oppa?" To Lili, Luhan was the only person around. As Luhan was muttering a reply, she became all giggly again. "You know you can't ask any of us until a week before Homecoming-, in fact, you're not allowed to ask us at all! We're supposed to ask you, remember? Those are the rules!"

Even though it amused me greatly to see all the guys so caught off guard, I had to admit that I wasn't entirely updated myself. _Homecoming? Rules? ...What?_

"Could it be that Kris-oppa wants to talk to Jae-yah in private again?" Lili suddenly prompted, startling me as she elbowed me teasingly. I was about to deny it when Kris suddenly snapped his fingers as though he thought of something brilliant and the other guys started pushing each other around a bit. Seriously, what was going on?

"Actually, that is exactly-," 

"Ignore him, noona, Kris-hyung talks too much," Chen had suddenly covered the taller student's mouth. "But I wouldn't mind talking to-  _yah!"_ Baekhyun had shoved him to stop him from talking, pushing both Chen and Kris to the side in the process. 

"Jae-noona, didn't you say you were interested in joining the science club? If you come with me I can help sign you up," he grinned, but his eyes signaled that it was just a ruse to get me to come with him. I was about to ask what they were all talking about when they simultaneously started talking to each other, under cooing of the girls that watched them bicker, noting how cute they were. Something told me that they wanted to talk to me in private, but that just made me more wary. 

"Jae-sshi, I wasn't joking about the soccer club, come with me and we'll talk about it!|"

"No, no, no, Jae-noona doesn't want to join the soccer club, hyung, get serious!"

"Jae-yah if you really want to join a club, maybe you could try the dance club instead!"

_"Lay, we're not actually trying to convince her to join a club,"_ I heard Suho whisper at the dumbfounded youth. The look of confusion on Lay's face was rather endearing, especially when he rubbed the side of his head. 

_"Oh, then what are we doing again?"_ he whispered back. I was rather amazed that I picked up on their private conversation amongst the ruckus, but I guess that was what wolf ears were for?  _Right, a wolf. That's what are you apparently are, Jae..._

"Wah, Jae-yah, I don't know what you did to get their attention, but..." Lili started saying quietly in my ear, and I thought that she'd respond with irritation and jealousy for sure. I prepared for a venemous comment when all of a sudden she grabbed me enthusiastically by the arm and shook me a bit. "Please teach me, seonsaeng-nim!" she asked instead, stars in her eyes. Okay, so not precisely the reaction I thought a teenage girl with a major crush would have at seeing the guy she fawns over give attention to another girl. I wasn't sure whether I should praise her loyalty or tap her on the head to make sure it wasn't hollow. 

"Um..." I trailed off, distracted by the boys' discussion and the girls watching them with glee. I then noticed a quiet and hesitant D.O. lifting his hand now and then as though he wanted to interject in the conversation, but couldn't find a way to do so. Then, out of the blue, he coughed and stomped one foot firmly on the ground. The moment he did so, it seemed that the entire school building shook momentarily, creating a wave of panic in the cafeteria. The boys were thrown off balance, but still managed to hold on to some girls that nearly fell out of the seats to prevent them from falling.

As I did my best to stay in my seat, a pair of hands grasped me by the shoulders. When I looked up, D.O. glanced back, his finger placed in front of his mouth, his eyes beckoning me to follow him. Amidst the chaos and confusion I got up to my feet, but the tremors made me lose my balance and I grabbed D.O.'s outstretched hand as he easily maneuvered away from the cafeteria and we ran outside. The moment we stepped foot out of the building, the tremors had stopped and I looked up, bewildered.

"What..."

"Don't worry about it, just a light shockwave," D.O. immediately answered without me having to finish the sentence. He was panting slightly and was looking down, gulping a little nervously. It was almost as though he was having a mental discussion with himself about something. 

"Wait a second," I breathed, gathering my wits about me. "Were you the one who...I mean, that can't be, right? Or," I tried putting the pieces together. "I didn't ask you what you could do last night, did I?" I pointed accusingly at him and D.O. winced at my words, but he couldn't properly respond. He kept looking down at something. 

"D.O., did you just do that back there?" I was a little out of breath and still tried to process everything. I guess this is what it felt like to have your world turned upside down and inside out. Did I miss something and fell through a rabbit hole? I couldn't come up with another explanation. 

"D.O.?" I called since he still hadn't responded. "What are you looking at?" I then asked and this made him look up to me, shyly and slowly directing his gaze back down. When I followed it, I understood why he seemed so out of sorts and I swallowed myself. "O-oh..." I hummed, feeling warm at seeing my hand clasped unto his. Apparently we both sensed the growing awkwardness so we let go almost simultaneously, retracting our hands as if they would combust into flames if we held on longer.

I scratched my cheek and D.O. smiled shyly, looking around at the surroundings with his big eyes, hoping that it would relieve some of the awkwardness. 

"So, uh," I started, trying to quickly think of a topic for conversation, "what happened back there? I mean, not the mini earthquake, but all of you- What was the whole running towards the table thing about?" I asked, to which D.O. blushed and he smirked. 

"Sorry about that, I did tell you that they were idiots," he replied, chuckling to break the ice. Last night I got the chance to see a different side to D.O. as well. He seemed a lot more confident and outgoing than he was now. He was back to being shy and awkward, though he did manage to speak more freely to me now, which was nice. It then dawned to me that I hadn't properly thanked him yet for protecting me last night.  _Why did he choose to protect me though?_

"Actually," he then said, "there was something we wanted to ask you-, well, I guess there's a lot we want to ask you regarding...well, you know," he said softly, lifting both his eyebrows as his eyes shone red at me. 

"Ah, oh," I nodded, biting my lip. " _That_ ," I said. "Well, I guess there's things that I'd like to know too..." I shrugged. 

"Guess?" D.O. questioned hearing my hesitation. Standing so close to him I suddenly realized how he smelled of wild flowers in a spring rain. The smell of wet earth lingered in the air and it made me want to take a stroll through the forest. 

"Yeah, I'm still having issues dealing with the fact that whatever happened last night was real. I guess I'm still hoping that I'm going to wake up from this dream- or nightmare, I'm not sure yet," I admitted openly, to which D.O. nodded in understanding. 

"Between you and me, you're handling it surprisingly well, though. If it weren't for my brothers, I would've flipped a long time ago," he assured me, a sincere little smile playing on his heart-shaped lips. 

"I find that very hard to believe," I told him, returning the smile. D.O. always seemed so controlled and self-disciplined, calm and quiet, but strong. "Now, Suho, okay, I can see him flipping his lid, but you? No way," I told him and the little smile from earlier on widened bit by bit. 

"So, you'd be up for it to meet again tonight?" he asked quietly, avoiding my gaze. 

"I guess I could sneak out of the house," I pondered. "Will I have to become a you-know-what again?" I asked, not particularly looking forward to that. 

D.O. smiled in amusement before he leaned forward slightly and whispered, "It's called a wolf, and yes, chances are high that might happen," he jested. "Don't worry though, the second night will feel less strange than the first, and you'll get used to the fleas." 

He burst into laughter when he caught the expression of shock on my face. "Just joking," he said, chuckling again when he saw me sigh in relief. "Meet us tonight around ten, okay?" he then asked and I nodded. Perhaps this was good. Maybe we could get answers from each other, though I doubted how much I could tell them. I didn't even believe in werewolves until recently and suddenly I was one. How twisted was that?

I must've worn my worries on my face when D.O. attempted to make eye contact with me, inspecting me with his shrewd gaze. "Hey, uh, I know this is a lot to handle and digest on your own, but, um..." he trailed off, scratching the back of his head before running his fingers through his hair. "You're not alone," he finished in a mumble, unable to look at me again. Despite of this, I could still tell that he was sincere. 

I smiled. "Thank you, D.O.," I said in the same quiet tone of voice. "You've always been nice to me- even when you thought I was a boy," I grinned, making him chuckle as well. 

"Well, I suppose I'll see you at ten tonight, yeah?" he asked, just to be sure. 

"Yep. I'll be there," I promised and D.O. seemed pleased. 

"Good. Then, I guess we should head back. Classes will be starting soon once they figure out that there was only a slight, harmless shift in the earth," he said nearly playfully. 

I nodded and we started walking back to the main building in a comfortable silence. 

"Oh, now that I think of it- what were those girls talking about just now? Homecoming? There's a homecoming dance?" I asked my former guide to which D.O. slumped his shoulders a bit. 

"Yeah, it's a formal dance here at the school. It's supposedly a big deal and all that, but I never went," he shrugged, sighing a little when we entered the building again. 

"Oh, how come?" I asked, since I'm nosy that way. 

"It's a bit lame, I suppose, but it's somewhat of a tradition or rule, really, for girls to ask the guys to the dance," he explained, his voice flat. I blinked at him and I simply refused to believe that the reason he never went to the dance was because no one asked him to go. I've talked to the girls in Lili's group of friends and there are at least five of them that would kill to have D.O. notice them. There was no way that no one asked him. 

"Why didn't you go?" I asked instead, startling him a bit. "Come on, you can't honestly tell me that no one asked you," I instantly called him out, which probably startled him more. We stood by the entrance of the still rather chaotic cafeteria, with people chattering loudly about the small earthquake they had experienced, people clutching to each other, girls squealing out of joy because certain princes had "saved" them. Right now, with girls clamping themselves onto their knights in shining armor, it appeared as though these valiant princes needed saving themselves. I snorted. 

"I was asked," D.O. admitted quietly, his ears a little red. "But I just never felt like going..." 

He was looking at the situation in the cafeteria while I was focused on him. There was a seriousness in his tone, almost even something sad. While reading his face, he turned to face me, and I was caught by his stare.  _Until now?_ I heard it in my head and blinked. Was it an addition to what D.O. had said about never feeling like going to the dance? Or was that just me being paranoid and delusional? I couldn't help but notice the change in his posture and the way how he steadily met my gaze. 

Did he send that thought to me on purpose? 

He smirked coyly before turning back to the scenery inside of the cafeteria and it was at this point that I noticed his brothers looking over as well. D.O. had something confident in his step when he walked back in, and as I caught the angry glares they shot their way, I heard that strange sentence again.  _I'm growling, growling, growling!_  But this time I wasn't the one that said it. It was  _them_ , the pack of wolves. I flushed red all over again just at the mere thought that maybe, just maybe, they reacted that way because they were somehow...jealous?

I groaned inwardly and rolled my eyes whilst facepalming myself out of embarrassment. This definitely had to be a nightmare...


	38. ~ Frozen Heart ~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy that word count is really looking daunting OTL I'm sorry guys, I'm a writer of many words...kkaebsong...

***

Everyone is always talking about their memories of a past life they once had, once upon a time. They'd talk about things that seemed very familiar to him, but were too far away for him to reach. There were distinct things they'd remember, emotions, feelings, thoughts, so different from one another, and yet, similar. There was a connection between them, individual memories that they shared together.

There was one thing that seemed consistent in all of their memories, which was a voice. A soothing, gentle voice that spoke to them. They didn't know who this voice was or why they were close, the voice was always there, and Xiumin cherished that voice.

For him, there was always only the cold. He never knew anything else. He'd always been quiet and reserved, up to the point that people avoided him because they thought he gave off a distant and mean aura. That was never his intention of course, he was shy and cold in nature. He never really understood why people associated bad things with the cold. He liked the cold, he liked the frost, he enjoyed winters, seeing the snow fall and create a white, peaceful world that made everything look so quiet and so big.

It didn't mean that he didn't like the warmth, it was just that he couldn't understand the warmth. In his memories, the only downside of being a child of winter was the fact that with cold sometimes came loneliness. He didn't mind at first, standing atop snowy mountains while the flurries of crystalized ice spun around him with the entire world at his feet. He liked being alone, in the precious cold. But then, he had to hear the voice.

Amongst the raging storm, past his blasts of ice and snow, sounded a voice of summer. It was out of place in his frosty kingdom and unfamiliar. He had no desire to listen to the voice, but he soon found himself enchanted by it. The voice filled his heart with a strange sensation that he had never experienced before. His heart was frozen and couldn't be thawed, but this voice managed to reach it.

_Frozen hearts like yours are the warmest, did you know that? Covered in a frozen shell of ice to keep its bright, warm flame glowing strong._

_"I don't know anything of warmth."_

_Except that you do. You know, more than anyone, the warmth you create by covering the world in ice. You bring people together._

_"Don't be ridiculous. My cold chases people away."_

_Into each others' arms. They seek warmth with one another when it's too cold to walk alone in a world of winter. They share their warmth and company while marveling over the way how snow falls and how they laugh when they make snowangels or slide through powdery hills of white on sleds. You bring people together, so why should you only watch from a distance?_

_"What else is there for me to do?"_

_Follow me._

Xiumin had often wondered whether that voice had somehow belonged to Luhan since he felt that Luhan was somehow like spring, while he was winter. But the voice couldn't have been Luhan, because Luhan himself said that he remembered a gentle voice as well, and at that time, they reasoned, they couldn't have known each other- provided that their memories were real. 

_Warmth, huh?_ he thought to himself as he looked up at the full moon above him, waiting with his brothers for Jae to arrive. He made himself comfortable on a fallen tree trunk, secluding himself from the others a bit so he could be alone with his thoughts. Xiumin felt his fingertips become pleasantly cold under his command, crystalized snowflakes twirling up slowly and gently into the sky. Was that what he felt when he saw Jae? When he found out that she was a wolf? 

He turned to look at his brothers, fooling around, making him feel embarrassed. He watched at the rowdy pack, grinning silently whilst looking at cold breeze that swirled around his hands. Stealthily, he blew the frosty air towards them, watching as they shivered and startled at the sudden cold, rubbing their arms and quickly grabbed a flustered Chanyeol, whose naturally warm body heat served as a gigantic hot pack. Xiumin laughed quietly to himself at seeing them attempting to shield away from the cold. He liked the weather better when it was cooler anyway. 

Xiumin blinked when from next to him a stray dog had appeared, whimpering a little as it approached. Tilting his head to the side he scanned the dog and looked around if maybe it happened to have an owner. It was a rottweiler, which he found peculiar since these dogs don't usually walk around freely without the dog catcher getting to them eventually. He looked over at his brothers, but they were too busy talking and fooling around, as usual. 

"Where did you come from?" he asked the dog, after sensing no harm from it. The dog whimpered a little when Xiumin outstretched his hand and the youth immediately retracted it. "Oh, right, sorry. Everyone always complains that my hands are cold," he felt a little silly conversing to a dog, but then again, they were kind of like cousins, weren't they? He shoved his hands in the pockets of his hoodie, glancing to the side when the rottweiler approached him with more confidence now and started sniffing at him. 

"What do you want, boy?" he asked, leaning back when the dog growled at him. "Oh, excuse me,  _girl_ ," he apologized, chuckling a little when he looked at the dog. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you kind of remind me of someone I know. I thought she was a boy too, at first," he spoke quietly. "I don't have any food with me, if that's what you're looking for," he continued, not even shivering when the cold wind blew past, but the dog whimpered and instinctively moved to Xiumin's feet. There, she sat down and comfortably wriggled her head underneath his arm to settle on his lap. She knocked his hand out of his pocket in the process, causing Xiumin to hover his hand awkwardly over her head. 

"You're not going to get warmer there," he said, the dog only looking up at him with dark eyes. As if sensing his discomfort, she lifted her snout and licked his hand, as if she was saying that it was okay for him to pet her. "You're only going to get colder," he mused, gently petting her head, but the dog seemed perfectly content. He was a bit surprised when the dog didn't flinch at his touch. Maybe animals were different in their senses than humans? He smiled as he scratched the dog behind the ear, his brothers still unaware of the new guest. They'd started playing some kind of game to kill the time, but Xiumin was fine sitting where he was with his new and pleasantly silent companion. He looked up at the moon again, not caring if his eyes shone red. He closed them to enjoy the light of the moon, the cool air, and the refreshing scent of jasmine- _wait_. 

Xiumin blinked his eyes open when he felt the dog moving and saw her looking behind her, getting to her feet. "Oh, Jae-sshi," he saw the girl running towards him and she greeted him with a shy wave. The others hadn't seen her yet, but Xiumin didn't turn to call them. Not yet. In the moonlight, he could still see the light blushes on her face due to running. 

"Hello, Xiumin-oppa," she said politely, her eyes glancing over to his brothers who were busy with their childish game and Xiumin was thankful that he didn't participate when he caught the look of confusion on Jae's face. She shook her head and walked over to him instead, causing him to freeze up a moment - no pun intended. 

"Sorry, I'm a little late, I had to wait until my mom went to her room-, oh. Who's this?" she asked, kneeling down when the stray rottweiler walked towards her meekly, waggling her tail in enthusiasm as Jae petted her. 

"Actually, I'm not quite sure. I think she's a stray," he answered while he watched the interaction. The dog greeted her as though she was an old friend and she was so calm and meek under Jae's touch. He noted how she appeared to have that same kind of effect on his brothers. For him, it was a little different. While usually he was uncomfortable around people he didn't know very well, he somehow didn't have that feeling around her. 

"A stray? Aw, I thought that maybe she was your dog," she commented, a smile on her lips as the dog licked her hands. "She's very friendly. And she seems to like you a lot, oppa," she said, right as the dog walked over towards him again. 

"Oh, yeah, I don't know why, though," he cleared his throat, petting the dog carefully and swallowing when Jae sat beside him on the fallen tree trunk. 

"Maybe she wants you to adopt her," she mused, petting the dog as well. Their hands touched by accident and Xiumin quickly retracted his hand. 

"S-sorry," he muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets automatically. The rottweiler whimpered, as though she didn't approve of him hiding his hands. 

"It's okay, oppa," she said, looking guilty as though she had just done something to offend him, which wasn't the case at all of course. 

"My hands are cold," he tried to elaborate, but couldn't find the words. He wasn't one for speaking much to begin with. He'd rather have his actions do the talking instead. 

"Really? Well, it is rather chilly tonight..." she trailed off, lost in thought. "Oh! I think one of the convenience stores might still be open. If you don't mind waiting, I could get you a hot pack, oppa?" she said in her naiveness and it actually made Xiumin chuckle. 

"No, there's no need, thanks. I always have cold hands. Comes with a frozen heart," he attempted to joke, taken aback when he saw the look of surprise and concern on Jae's face. 

"Frozen heart?" she asked, looking at his hands that were hidden in the pockets of his hoodie. 

Xiumin smiled, looked around a moment and slowly removed his hands from his clothing and pressed them together. Jae gasped in awe when a cloud of white snow surrounded his hands and when he separated them, a perfect heart floated on the palm of his hand, made out of crystalized ice. "Frozen heart," he said, showing it to a stunned Jae. 

"Wow, you have the ability to freeze things?" she whispered, her voice a mix of fascination and utter bewilderment. It looked like she had paled a little, but then gathered her wits about her when he nodded in response to her question. 

"Well, that's- uh- cool," she chuckled a little shyly at the pun. "Sorry, that was lame," she shook her head out of embarrassment and focused on petting the happy-go-lucky dog that sat in between them instead. Xiumin found himself smiling. 

"You know, they say that people with cold hands have warm hearts," she suddenly commented. 

Xiumin chuckled and shook his head. "Not me. Trust me. My heart is as cold as the ice I make," he didn't look at her, but he caught the dog looking nearly accusingly at him. 

"No, it's not," Jae snorted. "If that was really true this dog wouldn't have taken a liking to you. Dogs have good instincts, they can tell good people from the bad, those with warmth in their hearts and those without," she nodded in confidence, the dog sticking out her tongue on cue, panting as she enjoyed being petted so much. When Jae looked at him, she smiled and in a flash he saw the brief image of something new. _A new memory?_  

Eleven faces were smiling at him, all of them bathing in the orange glow of the setting sun. It was the first time that he didn't have to be lonely and it was the first time that his smile beamed the brightest. 

"Xiumin-oppa, are you alright?" Jae asked and he blinked at her. 

"Yeah, I'm okay," he assured, though a heavy stone seemed to have settled in his stomach. "Hey, it's alright if you just call me Xiumin, by the way. You don't call Luhan and Kris oppa either, do you?" he said instead, wanting to change the topic. 

Jae blushed a little again and she nodded. "Yeah, I probably should, but- I don't want to with the two of them," she admitted sheepishly. "If you really don't mind though, I'd be comfortable calling you Xiumin, provided you just call me Jae," she compromised and agreed readily to that. 

The dog seemed to have caught on that they've reached some form of understanding and barked in response. This caught the attention of his brothers and Xiumin calmly turned towards them, saluting them. 

"Yah! Xiumin-hyung, why didn't you tell us Jae-noona already arrived?" Chen complained as they walked towards them. 

"You seemed to have so much fun playing tag that I didn't want to disturb you," Xiumin replied easily, knowing it would make them feel embarrassed in front of Jae, who smirked at seeing their reddening faces. 

"Hmhm,  _sure_  that was the reason," Luhan quipped and then jerked his head towards the dog. "You found yourself a girlfriend, Baozi-ge?" he teased. 

"What if I did? Are you jealous?" Xiumin prompted not wanting to lose face in front of Jae who had been smiling all this time. 

"Glad you could make it, noona, we thought you wouldn't show up," Tao then interjected, smiling pleasantly at her. 

"Oh, yeah, sorry to have kept you waiting," she apologized. 

"That's okay, we weren't worried or anything," D.O. stated coolly, though Xiumin suspected that D.O. had actually been worrying all along. "Are you cold? The air is chilly tonight," he then remarked after seeing her shiver slightly. Xiumin had automatically shuffled slightly away from her, feeling responsible if she did feel cold. 

"No, I'm good, thanks," she stated simply, and it looked like she was telling the truth.  _But how? She must be feeling a little bit cold for hanging around me..._

"Are you sure, noona? I could warm you up if you want," Chanyeol offered, snapping his fingers as though he was holding a cigarette lighter and a small flame was born on his fingertips. 

"Yeah, definitely sure," she quickly answered. "I'm good, really," she assured. "So, can we get started or are we waiting for something specific?" 

"Not here. We'll talk where it's more quiet," Suho instructed. He started talking and Xiumin watched as Jae did her best to follow everything Suho was saying, but then Xiumin's eyes traveled from her to each of his brothers' faces. Those eleven smiles he had seen, had belonged to them. Eleven plus himself made a grand total of twelve people. He couldn't help but think about what Kai had said this afternoon, about how thirteen of them didn't make any sense. 

Jae was supposed to be one of them, wasn't she? So how come she wasn't there in his memory? His eyes trailed down to the rottweiler, who simultaneously looked back up to him, as if she could sense his restlessness as well. 

"Xiumin, are you coming?" Luhan called, bringing him back to earth. "Come on, let's go. Leave your girlfriend for now, you can look her up later," he teased before darting off into the woods with everyone else. 

"Oh...ah!" Xiumin got to his feet when he realized that during his daydreaming, the others had gone off ahead of him. The rottweiler was inclined to follow him, but Xiumin couldn't take the dog with him for obvious reasons. "Sorry, girl, but you'll have to stay here. You can't come along," he ordered, petting her one more time for good measure before running off. 

He briefly turned to look over his shoulder and saw the rottweiler still watching him leave. She then laid down near the tree trunk, giving the impression that she'd wait for him. 

_The cold you create spreads warmth in the hearts of all others. This way, you won't have to be lonely anymore. There are eleven others like you. They're your brothers and they're waiting for you._

Eleven brothers. So, then, what happened to the thirteenth sister? 

Xiumin felt the fire that was burning in his heart as he sped up to keep track with the others. A fire he knew was awakened by the warmth he felt coming from Jae. He didn't know who she was or how she was connected to him and his brothers. But he knew that he wanted to find out. Who was she, the one that was responsible for thawing his frozen heart? 


	39. ~ Green ~

***

A pair of hazel green eyes watched along with the confounded CEO at the security footage, showing nothing but static or still images of the fences. 

"I don't understand, I thought you said that there was something on here for me to see?" Ryo questioned, checking the main board. 

"I'm sorry, sir, but I wasn't the one on duty last night," the employee said, letting the CEO take control over the recorder. 

Ryo wore a thoughtful expression on his face before placing his hands on his hips and looked over to Miss Kumiho, who gave him a pleasant smile. 

"Was my report not sufficient enough, sir?" she asked innocently, but Ryo narrowed his eyes at her a moment. He had read the report she wrote him. All fences supposedly worked efficiently and there were no bugs detected in the system. Ryo knew that this was an outright lie. Maybe the footage didn't show anything remotely interesting, but he knew that there were kinks in the system. What bothered him the most now was why a confidant of the founder of E.T. Corp would lie to him. What was she hiding? What was it that he didn't know? Was she operating under Mr. Yok's orders or was she sabotaging the company independently? 

"Hm," he mused to hide his agitation. "It's a little strange," he started, moving away from the monitors. "I could have sworn that the call I received last night sounded important. Why would the security guard ask me to come down to see some footage of nothing?" he questioned out loud, looking at Miss Kumiho. 

"Perhaps he wanted to tell you that everything was working accordingly, sir. I truly wouldn't know," she answered steadily, her face a perfect smiling mask. 

"And you didn't see anything out of the ordinary?" Ryo drilled.  _Maybe accidentally on purpose hit the erase button while you were at it?_

Miss Kumiho hummed while she smiled. "If I had, sir, I would have of course immediately told you." 

_Yeah, right_ , Ryo thought to himself before he nodded amicably at her. "Yes, thank you," he looked at the screens one more time before nodding to himself. "Well, I suppose I should head back to other matters then." 

"Very good, sir. Should I okay the fences to be distributed to parts of the island? I'm quite sure that the farmers of Hanwol would be more than happy to receive them. The morning newspaper has reported another case of senseless butchering of poor chickens, and, perhaps more important than that is the fact that people are starting to wonder when E.T. Corp will offer their help. We wouldn't want negative publicity, would we?" 

Ryo controlled his expression when he heard Miss Kumiho speak like that and he turned to face her. "I assure you that when the time is ready, I'll fulfill the promise that was made to the people of Hanwol, but only when I think the systems are ready. And, don't think me rude, Miss Kumiho, but did I not tell you that if you have any other interests than the Yggdrasil project, to ask me and I'll give you a report? You seem very invested in the other projects we have running here, while I do believe that it isn't really your place to meddle with it," he said straightforwardly, his hands folded calmly behind his back. He didn't like how she was an emotionless mask. Nothing seemed to throw her off balance. Ryo briefly thought how it was a very inhuman characteristic of her.

"Forgive me, sir. Old habits and all that. I used to take care of all proceedings in the head branch of the company. I'm not very used to focusing on just one project," she explained, but Ryo was wary of everything that came out of her mouth now. "Is there a reason why finalization of the security systems are being held back, sir?" she then asked, and Ryo resented it that she had every right to do so, considering that she would be able to immediately update Mr. Yok.

"I don't believe the system is ready for use just yet," Ryo didn't elaborate any further. He was surprised that when they walked towards the elevators, Miss Kumiho recovered another thin glass tablet and handed it to him.

"Mr. Yok asked me to give you this. I believe it's further instructions that ties in with the Yggdrasil project," she told him right off the bat. "It is a shame that I will have to report to him that the new security system won't be ready for it," she mused, to which Ryo lifted an eyebrow at her.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think that was a threat, Miss Kumiho," Ryo said, pressing the button of the elevator to the common offices before punching the level to his office.

"It's good you know better then, sir," she answered sweetly. "Are we not going to the research facility, sir?"

"No. There's some paperwork I'd like to finish first so I can focus on the Yggdrasil project. You're free to make use of one of the offices to report to Mr. Yok. There's really no need for you to follow me around everywhere, Miss Kumiho. I'll give you a sign when I get started." The elevator doors opened and Ryo waited for her to get off on this floor. She smiled again at him, Ryo blinking briefly when he thought there was a strange sheen in her eyes that glimmered at him, before she got off. 

"Very well, sir. I'll be waiting for your call." 

"Anticipate it," Ryo greeted. As soon as the doors closed he heaved a sigh, relieved to be alone. That woman seemed to be following him every step of the way and he didn't like it. He understood that she might feel a bit pressured for being the sole mediator between him and Mr. Yok, but hovering around him all this time? _Unnecessary_ , he thought, _suspicious_.  

While he was riding the elevator to his office, Ryo stopped it and entered a code to reboot it. Instead, he pressed the floor to the biotech department. His head started aching when he stepped out of the elevator and headed towards Dee. The young scientist was surprised to see him and quickly got to his feet. There was another researcher there this time, who quickly followed Dee's example, but Ryo only graced him with a nod. 

"Dee, can I talk to you a moment?" he asked. 

"Oh? Yes, of course, sir," the younger man said, the two of them walking off to a secluded room. "If this is about the security system, I haven't been able to work out the kinks just yet, but I have been able to take the nets off," he blurted and Ryo nodded to his words. 

"Good to hear, son, but there's actually another thing I wanted to ask you," he spoke in a hurry and it must've been his nerves, but Ryo was whispering. Dee, immediately understanding the situation, nodded and checked around the room to make sure it was private. 

"Anything, sir," he whispered back in a very serious manner, which Ryo couldn't help but appreciate. 

"Were you aware that the security systems had cameras installed on them?" 

Dee blinked his eyes a moment. "Cameras, sir?" 

"They're apparently live-feeds that are recorded along with the security footage down in the basement," Ryo briefly explained. "My question to you is whether it's possible for someone to tamper with that footage. Have you any knowledge on this?" 

"Ah, well, depending on the level of security and encryption on the data itself, I suppose it would be rather difficult for anyone to just tamper with such footage, sir. Unless you've clearance or know what you're doing. Might I ask why you're asking me this?" Dee asked, unable to hide his curiosity. 

"Just wondering whether it's possible for someone to delete footage without leaving a trace, that's all." 

"Would someone tamper with E.T. data, sir?" Dee asked, apparently quite shocked at the thought alone. 

"There's always that possibility... I know I ask a lot from you, Dee, but you seem like a good man to me," Ryo continued speaking in a hushed voice. "Do you think that you could check the security database to see if there's anything odd? See if it's been tampered with somehow?"

"Ah, yes, I could always check, sir. But the fastest way would be for me to use the main computer for that." 

"No, I need you to do it with the computers you have available here. You think you can manage that?" Ryo looked at the younger man and saw the hesitation. "You won't get into trouble," he assured. 

"It's not that, sir, it's just-, well, you're asking me to hack company property," he winced a little when he said it. Ryo chuckled and gave the youth a good-natured smack on the shoulder. 

"You're not going to stand there and tell me that you don't know how to hack a computer, do you? Come on, I wasn't born yesterday," he jested and Dee chuckled. 

"Actually, I know precisely how to hack computers, sir, the problem is, is that I'm prohibited to do so according to the state of law," he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "If anyone finds out, I'll be in real trouble." 

"Ah..." Ryo bore a smile on his face, but the look of disappointment was obvious. He couldn't ask the kid to risk federal punishment just because he was having a suspicious hunch. There had to be another way. 

"But, I do know someone who's good with computers as well. He's a friend of mine, works at the local high school as a part-time teacher, and he's active in the flora and fauna center upstairs. We could ask him, I'm sure he'll want to help," Dee beamed a radiant smile at him and Ryo grinned back. 

"Great, let's go find him then," he told him. Dee shook his head. 

"No need, sir, he's already here. The guy I was with when you came in, that's him. I'm sure he's still there," Dee walked towards the door and they moved to Dee's lab. Sure enough, the tall, good-looking researcher was still sitting there, meekly looking through a microscope through black-framed glasses. 

"Even though he works at the flora and fauna center upstairs, I asked if he could come and look at the composition of the scent that is sprayed from the security system. He knows more about that stuff than I do. I hope that's okay, sir?" Dee asked. 

"That's perfectly fine, provided you didn't tell him anything else?" 

"Of course, sir, he doesn't know about anything else. I just asked him to check out the solution," Dee swore. "Want to meet him?" 

"Lead the way," Ryo gestured and Dee took the lead. 

"Yah, Seungie-hyung, there's someone here to meet you," Dee called out, the man behind the microscope reacting with a bewildered expression on his face. He pushed his glasses back up and looked up his friend, suddenly jolting in his seat when he caught sight of a saluting Ryo. 

"Whoa! Boss man!" he promptly fell off his seat when he slid it back too powerfully and quickly jumped to his feet, adjusting his lab coat and hair as if it was no big deal. Ryo chuckled heartily at the sight of it and could tell why he was friends with Dee. 

"Hello, I'm Ryo," he introduced casually, giving a bow which the taller man in front of him returned. 

"Y-yes, sir, I know who you are," the scientist chuckled nervously, glancing over an amused Dee. 

"Good to know. Dee tells me that you've a knack with computers, is this true?" Ryo asked. 

The tall man looked at him with big eyes before checking over at Dee who gave him a gesture that everything was alright. "I suppose you could say so, sir."

"Wonderful. What's your name?" Ryo asked. The tall scientist beamed a smile his way. 

"Seunghyun Tabi, sir." 

Ryo spent about fifteen minutes talking to Dee and Seunghyun about why he wanted to hack into E.T. property, but he firmly believed it was for a good cause. Should Miss Kumiho truly be trying to sabotage E.T. Corp for whatever reason, then he felt it was his responsibility and duty as the acting CEO of the company to oust her. He'd asked Seunghyun to check the footage and the data of the security footage, hoping that the young man would be able to determine what he suspected. 

Upon going back to his office, he heaved a deep sigh and rolled his hand over his face. "Why would I think that being a CEO would somehow make my life easier?" he murmured to himself, closing the blinds to his office and grabbing the strange dagger he's supposed to investigate. He reached into his pocket then and startled at the cool touch of a small glass tablet. 

_Oh, right, this thing..._  he tapped it to activate it and saw a recorded message of Mr. Yok himself. 

_"Ryo, my boy, how are you faring? Miss Kumiho tells me that you're making small progressive steps, which I am very excited for. Have you found the special properties that make up the genetic code of the dagger? Unlock that code and we'll have created something no man has ever created before. In addition to this project, I'd like for you to of course, focus on the other projects running in E.T. Corp Hanwol. I hear the security fences are close to being activated. Next to protecting the property of the farmers on the island, I'm hoping you could find a way to enhance its ecological efficiency by tagging any animal it comes up against."_

Ryo frowned and blinked at this. Was Mr. Yok talking about the nets? Animal tagging? Dee mentioned something like that, but he also said that this wasn't the way to tag wildlife. 

_"...I'm particularly interested in the indigenous wolves of the island and wish to preserve them in their natural habitat as best as possible. I was informed that there are still a few people that visit Hanwol, solely to hunt these poor creatures. If we manage to tag them, we can help them persevere and protect them this way. I hope you'll find it in your busy schedule to create a platform for this. Naturally, I shall be awaiting your report on the Yggdrasil project with much anticipation. Good luck, my boy."_

The video stopped and Ryo was staring at a glass tablet. He set it down with care on his table, the dagger beside it. An uneasy feeling crept over him as he thought things through. And if there's one thing that Ryo knew about himself, was the fact that his instincts were never wrong. 

_Why wolves specifically? Why this dagger? What even **is**_ _this dagger?_ Ryo grasped it again with utmost care, the green heart-shaped seed pulsating under his touch as though it was an actual heart. He should be utterly horrified by it, but always being a scientist at heart himself, he couldn't help but be utterly fascinated by it. Deciding that he should just get to work, Ryo's body took over, but his mind and conscience was elsewhere. Why did he have the feeling that a pair of eyes were watching him? 

_...Because they are._ Miss Kumiho's eyes shimmered in the light before turning away, leaving the CEO to uncover the secrets of the dagger. 


	40. ~ Scattered Past ~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long chapter, ye be warned! ^^;

***

I still can't get used to this. 

Maybe that's not entirely surprising since I've only found out yesterday that I've the ability to change into a wolf, but still! It felt like I was a newborn, having to learn how to walk and talk all over again, except, you know, animal style. And let me tell you, it's not as easy as the Majestic Twelve make it look. They were all rather obnoxious about boasting how easy it was to transform from wolf and back with a blink of an eye. For me, however, it either took a hell lot of concentration to change, or it just happened by accident. Guess which was more likely? 

The boys got a good laugh at seeing me sneeze and change into a wolf without me wanting to and it took a while to sort of get me back to human form - _sort of_. Right now, I mostly felt like jumping into the lake I was staring at out of utter embarrassment. A pair of white wolf ears peeked out from my cyan green hair, the tips of the ears dipped in silver. To make matters worse, there was a fluffy white tail coming from my backside which swayed from side to side, mocking me. 

I was sitting by the side of the lake, perched on a boulder, with my knees pulled up so that I could hug them and bury my face against them. The fact that I could feel the tail brushing from side to side just made this whole ordeal very surreal. I shivered when the tail dropped and the tip of it landed in the water. It was cold. Grabbing the thing with my hand, I flung it out of the water, whining inwardly to myself. It so didn't help that the wolf ears were twitching in response and I buried my face in my knees again, hugging them tightly.  _Dear lord, I'm a walking talking furry! Someone shoot me now, please..._

I literally growled when I heard Kris chuckle, but this just turned his amused chuckle into a hearty laugh. The twelve of them had gone hunting and asked me whether I could wait by the lake (aka left me here to sulk and be dramatic by myself in my furry-form, because if they'd taken me with them in this state, they'd only end up rolling over the floor laughing). They were standing a bit further away, preparing the meal they caught, because yes, they- _we_ \- were wolves, but we weren't savages. The glow of red eyes moved around, flashes of brightly colored hair moving along with them. I watched how they interacted with each other, so easily and carefree. Like actual brothers.

Then, I caught sight of the spoils of the hunt and my treacherous stomach started grumbling. The smell of fresh meat made my mouth water and this made me groan more. Why did the sight of slaughtered chickens and a wild boar increase my appetite instead of diminish it? _Oh this was so not okay..._  I already ate a ton of porkchops for dinner up to the point that my parents thought I was possessed by a demon since I never ate that much before, and still it wasn't enough. 

_Oh, screw this!_  I am  _not_  going to eat raw meat like an animal, whether I was one or not! Last night had been totally different since I was in complete wolf form and unable to control myself. Today was different. It was bad enough that I had to sit here looking like I escaped from an anime cosplay convention (not that there's anything wrong with that, I mean, hey, all hail ComicCon! But _come on!_ ), but I simply refuse to stuff my face into a dead boar- _yuck!_  

I let out a sigh and planted my face into my knees again when the sigh had sounded like a pathetic little whimper.

"Hyung, she sounds really upset," I heard Tao whisper, but refused to look up from my knees.

"She looks upset, too," Kai added, sounding somewhere in between cautious and suspicious.

"Quick, Sehun, do aegyo to make her feel better," Baekhyun suddenly suggested, the brothers whispering and humming in consent. I still refused to look up. _Wolves or not, boys remain stupid in any form..._  I thought a little bitterly. 

"I'm not going to do aegyo, hyung! Read the situation," Sehun protested. "You call yourself the mood-maker, make her laugh!"

"M-me? But, uh...Chen, go cheer her up!" Baekhyun delegated quickly.

"No way, girl-wolves are different. I'm not going to risk her getting mad at me, did you hear her growl at Kris-hyung just now?" Chen whispered in alarm.

"I'm sure that was nothing," Kris himself answered in a soft voice.

"Oh yeah? Then why don't you go over there and cheer her up, _duizhang_?" Suho prompted, causing Kris to stammer.

"Well, I mean, I would, except, you know- hey, isn't it the job of the _umma_  to console a female cub?" he replied instead. 

"Why would it be the mother's job to do so? A father should be just as capable," Suho replied in all seriousness.

"Well, I'm not her father," Kris responded in a whisper.

"And what, I'm her mother? Is that what you mean to say?" Suho replied, agitatedly. Kris huffed out of frustration. I could nearly hear him roll his eyes. 

"Lay! Lay, you go," Kris pointed out while I envisioned a blonde Lay staring blankly at his older brother. 

"Why me, gege? I don't want Jae-yah growling like she did to you either," he said frankly. "How about D.O.?"

"Hey, I got her here, my job is done," D.O. said calmly, but judging by the sound of his voice, he seemed to be aware just how agitated I was feeling and wisely chose to keep his distance. "Chanyeol seems to be up for it, though." 

"Ehh?! Uh, n-no, thanks. She reminds me of my older sister when she's having one of her emotional days- scary," he whispered ever so softly in that deep voice of his.  _Scary, huh?_  These guys really didn't know what to do with me, did they? Honestly, for being known as the princes of the school, they themselves seemed to know very little about how to handle girls when they're upset. _Amateurs..._  

"Let Luhan give it a shot then. He always seems to have a way around girls anyway," Xiumin then suggested, but this brought a stream of hushed protests from the brothers, Luhan included. 

"How about rock, paper, scissors instead?" Luhan opted and this childish method seemed to raise favor amongst the group. Are they seriously going to play rock, paper, scissors, _only_  to see who was the poor shmuck that had to come and talk to me?

"All of you realize that I can hear everything you're saying, right?" I finally spoke, pushing away from my knees so that I could glare at them. This startled the heck out of them, the looks of feigned innocence dripping from their faces. They shuffled with their feet, unknowing what to do, looking more like lost sheep than fearsome wolves. They quickly muttered apologies, chuckling nervously. Honestly, what was I going to do with these guys? I was supposed to depend on them to show me the ropes on how this wolf thing works?  _I'm doomed..._

"Y-yah, Jae-noona, it's really not such a bad look on you, you know," Chen tried, having gathered the courage to be the first to try to console me. "It's really cute, actually," he said with such a bright grin that it made me groan again. 

"I don't want to be cute! I want to be normal- why does this godforsaken tail keep on waggling?!" I exclaimed out of frustration, grabbing on to the tail and settling it on my lap. I glared at them for good measure when they started laughing again. 

"Oh, come on, Jae, it's not that bad, really. It'll change back eventually," Suho said, and I still wasn't used to him being friendly with me. I pouted like a petulant child because I simply didn't care anymore and sighed deeply. 

"Really?" I asked softly and the twelve guys nodded, though I could tell they were trying to suppress their laughter. I stomped my foot. "Liars!" I accused them, turning away. 

"No, no, no, that's not it, noona!"

"We're not laughing at you, really!"

"It's just-," 

"Just what?" I demanded to know, getting to my feet and crossing my arms across my chest, trying to ignore my swaying tail and wolf ears. I kept my eyes on Sehun who made the last comment and saw the boy freeze up a moment. He ruffled up his rainbow colored hair, looking down out of embarrassment at all the attention he was getting. 

He shrugged and pretended like it was no big deal when he said, "It's just that noona's ears and tail are so fluffy, it's ridiculous to be this cute," he murmured, the lisp making it sound like more like a childlike mumble. His comment elicited protests from the others while the maknae was being pushed around, the smile on his face unable to leave. 

"Maybe when you sneeze you'll turn back completely again," Kris commented and then gestured me to come join them. "Come and eat, who knows that'll change something." He extended his hand towards me in a suave movement, a soft smile playing on his lips. I hesitated for a second before I moved my hand up to meet his, at which point Chanyeol, Chen and Baekhyun shot forward simultaneously, pushing a bewildered Kris aside, while they came to escort me to the make-shift picnic area that they managed to set up in record time. 

Chanyeol had started a modest fire, with logs surrounding it. There were boulders set up for people to be able to sit on, which I assume either D.O. or Luhan had moved for the occasion. Chanyeol, Chen and Baekhyun lead me to a particular flat surface not too far away from the warm campfire, where Baekhyun and Chen moved towards first. 

"Noona, come sit here," Chen spoke in an upbeat fashion, sprawling out a plaid blanket with Baekhyun's help. Chanyeol carefully lead me towards it, a big smile on his face as he helped me get up on the flat surface and in that instance, the other brothers moved around to my perplexion. 

The moment I sat down, Chen and Baekhyun started struggling with each other to be able to sit beside me, while Chanyeol made himself comfortable on the other side. D.O. came by to break the two of them apart, subtly conquering the seat beside me and handing me a tiny forget-me-not flower that he'd found. I was unable to prevent from smiling shyly when I took the flower and saw the others scurrying about to make me feel at ease. I guess there was a sweet side to them as well...

"Jae-yah, would you like to drink something?" Lay asked. 

"Water is fine, thanks," I answered, as Lay nodded, ready to get me a drink. It was then that Suho shot up, uncharacteristically enthusiastic. 

"Oh, I'll take care of it!" he moved his hands towards the clear lake and out swirled glistening water, moving elegantly under his command. It poured into the cup of water that Lay was holding and Suho smiled proudly. So, water. That's his thing. 

"Thanks," I said to him, and accepted the cup from Lay.

"Can we eat now? I'm starving," Kai had been eyeing the chickens for some time now and was rubbing his stomach.

"Yeah, dig in," Kris said, to which Kai changed into a wolf and pounced on the nearest chicken he could grasp. "Hey, hey, hey, not like that!" he warned, and under protest of his brothers, Kai changed back, holding the chicken in his hands whilst plucks of feathers stuck to his face.

"What? We always eat like this!" Kai huffed out of agitation.

"We should eat with more sophistication. Jae-noona isn't used to all of this yet," Tao stated seriously, but Kai growled.

"Why should everything change just because noona is here now? She's a wolf, too, isn't she? Teach her how to eat like one," was his reply and in that moment I actually felt a little guilty. These guys have been doing things their way for all these years and I hadn't realized yet that me suddenly being here would change all of that. I didn't want that to happen.

"You can eat however you want, I'm not hungry anyway," I said. I was lying, of course, because the particular chicken Kai was holding onto was ridiculously plump and juicy, but I was indeed not used to all of this and my mind still refused to eat raw meat. _No matter how delicious they look, and smell..._

"Not hungry? You have to eat, noona," Chanyeol stated firmly.

"You have to feed the wolf," Suho said dramatically. "Or your hunger will be insatiable, and when that happens-,"

"Let me guess, apocalypse?" I prompted, making Chen chuckle, but Suho was serious when he nodded.

"It's not going to be pretty. You'll want to crave for more than animal meat," he said and he didn't have to elaborate further.

"Oh..." I mused, my stomach grumbling softly. "Does it have to be raw, though?" I asked.

"Not at all, noona," Chanyeol piped up quickly and motioned at Kai. "Give me one, Kai," he asked for a chicken and Kai threw it with ease, whilst turning into a wolf so he could eat the one he already claimed as his own.

"Yah, Kai, don't eat by yourself," Sehun protested, swiftly turning into a wolf as well to eat. Even though Tao had protested before, he caved in when he saw his two brothers and apologetically moved towards them in his wolf-form.

"Bon appetit," I mused, deciding that I really shouldn't watch them unless I actually did want to lose my appetite. Chanyeol, meanwhile, had plucked the chicken clean from its feathers like a pro and sizzled it in the flames that engulfed his hands. The heat was intense, but I couldn't help but marvel at the sight of it. I leaned back somewhat, coming into contact with D.O., who didn't seem to mind that I was leaning against him and saw that Chanyeol easily grilled the chicken to perfection.

"Here you go, noona! Enjoy, careful, it's hot though," he warned and I smelled it carefully, the chicken still steaming in his hands. One whiff of it however, and my cautious demeanor changed.

"Whoa!" Chanyeol let out a startled yelp before he laughed, readily extending the chicken towards me as I bit into it, full wolf-form this time.

_Alright! That's the spirit, noona!_ Kai sounded appreciatively in my head. I was smiling, but it probably didn't show as I was stuffing my face with perfectly grilled chicken. Upon seeing me, the others chuckled and turned to wolves themselves, eating the chickens first. I licked my lips when I had finished mine, but I couldn't get near the stack of chickens with the other wolves around. I paced about, still feeling hungry, torn between digging in and eating raw chicken or just wait patiently until they were finished. 

D.O. then came up with a chicken and rolled it over to me. _Eat._

I sniffed it, but I didn't want to eat it. Not while it was raw, I just couldn't. D.O. then turned his head to a bigger wolf and Chanyeol walked towards us, his tongue sticking out happily. He hunched down, his tail raised up and as he growled, his red eyes glowed and flames licked the inside of his mouth. When he opened it, a stream of fire shot out, burning the chicken barbeque style for me to enjoy. 

_Thank you,_ I said happily and Chanyeol sat down proudly, nudging the chicken towards me to eat. When it was time to eat the wild boar, Kai had jumped on top of it, growling. Apparently the boy was rather territorial when it came to food and having to share, but after some persuasion it was agreed that the boar would be eaten in a Korean style barbeque, which meant that we could enjoy it in human form. While the others changed with ease, I was hesitant to do so, not wanting to look like a furry again. 

"Just think 'food' and change back," Sehun tried. 

"Try envisioning yourself as a human and focus on that," Luhan corrected. "Or, if that doesn't work just imagine that you'll be petted for the entire duration that you're a wolf until you're able to change back to a human," he then teased and that prospect startled me at such an extent that I felt my limbs shifting back, sans tail and ears, thank goodness. 

"Aw, too bad," Luhan grinned and I prodded him against the shoulder. I sat next to Tao and Kris in front of the warm fire where we'd gathered, seeing Chanyeol play around with the flames like a happy child. 

"How do you do that?" I then asked the surprised youth. 

"What? This, noona?" he juggled with a set of fireballs, a big smile on his face. I nodded. 

"I mean, changing into wolves, okay, sure, why not? But the magic thing...How?" 

"Like we said before, we don't know the how of all this," Kris said quietly next to me. "But it comes naturally, like breathing," as he spoke I saw him getting taller and it took a second for me to realize that he was levitating. 

"Whoa...so, all of you can do something?" I verified, to which they nodded. "So, let me get this straight. Next to being wolves, there are certain things that each of you can do. Like, you can fly?" I pointed at Kris and he nodded. "Chanyeol controls fire and can produce it," I pointed out. "Suho controls water, D.O., earth," I summed up, pointing at each of them as I spoke. "Xiumin, frost, Sehun controls the wind, Luhan- mind control," I pointed accusingly at him. He smirked. 

"Telepathy, but close enough," he corrected. 

"Hmhm," I mused and then pointed at Lay who was next to him. Why was it that that boy always managed to make me smile? He gave a small wave and seemed to anticipate what I could say about him. "Healing," I said and this prompted his smile to widen and he clapped his hands before sticking up his thumbs at me. 

"Chiu, chiu, chiu," he said, wriggling his fingers. 

I chuckled. "Kai... grumpiness," I jested to which the youth immediately protested. 

" _Wae_ , noona?!" he proclaimed, standing up whilst immersed in black smoke and suddenly appearing behind me. "Teleportation," he whispered in my ear. I turned around to meet him, but he was already gone, sitting in between Sehun and Baekhyun.

"Teleportation. Got it," I nodded. "Hm. Actually, now that I think about it, I don't think I know what the three of you can do," I said softly, gesturing towards Baekhyun, Chen and Tao, the latter looking a bit disappointed. 

"Observe, milady," Baekhyun jumped to his feet, rolling his shoulders and neck. He cracked his knuckles and pointed at the moon. 

"Ehh?!" I exclaimed upon seeing him move the beams of the moon around, even being able to flick them on and off with a snap of his fingers. "You...you control the light?" 

Baekhyun nodded, puffing up his chest in pride. "Yep!" 

"That's nothing. Noona, check this out," Chen blew on his fingers and I could feel the static electricity in the air. "Bam!" he exclaimed, a purple bolt of lightning coming out of his finger tips and going into the flame of the campfire, briefly changing its color. 

"Wow, lightning! That's amazing," I breathed, temporarily forgetting that all of this should technically not be possible and just marveling at the magic they could do. "And what about you, Tao?"

"I can't really show you, noona. I could, but then it would take too much energy. My power is really awesome, though," he boasted in a childlike manner, though I was inclined to believe him. 

"Can you tell me then?" I asked. Tao swirled his finger over the ground, thinking about it. 

"It's a secret," he mused playfully. 

"Ah, don't mind him, Jae. He's always like that," Luhan stated, making a dismissive gesture at the boy. 

"And they are always like that because my power is the best one and they're jealous," Tao immediately defended and I smiled. "What about noona? Are you keeping your power a secret as well?" 

"No, I don't think I have a power, other than changing into a wolf," I said.

"You mentioned that before. You really didn't have a clue about any of this? Never felt that you were different from others, somehow?" Suho asked, and with that, I could tell that it was time for business. They'd asked me to come meet them because they had questions. I agreed because I wanted to know more as well. I thought about his question, but shook my head.

"I'm a blender," I said quietly. "Average. My life was pretty normal until now."

"Things changed the moment you moved here?" Kris asked.

"More specifically, things changed when I met all of you," I then realized, eyeing them in suspicion.

"Hold on now, we didn't do this to you. Like we said before, we don't even know why or how we can change," Kris clarified. 

"You guys weren't bitten, or something like that?" I asked, eliciting chuckles from the brothers. 

"That's just a myth. It's dangerous to be bitten by an actual wolf, you could die by contracting rabies or something. A wolf's bite can't change you into a werewolf," Suho stated matter-of-factly. 

"Then what can?" I looked around at their faces. 

"We've been wondering the same thing for quite some time now as well," Suho said, rubbing the back of his neck. He looked at his brothers a moment before he continued. "All of us have these vague memories that seem to tie us together, memories that may hold the answers to why and how we're able to do what we can do," he then explained.  

I felt the goosebumps on my skin when Suho spoke about memories. I never thought of the dreams I had as being memories, but they were vague, and they did always give me a sense of feeling misplaced in this world. I bit my lip. "You mean like dreams?"

"No, actual memories. For instance, the twelve of us were brought together somehow, through fate or whatever you want to call it, but also because of our memories. Kai, for example, he remembers being a child and racing people through golden fields. He later said that in that memory, he remembered Kris being there because he was able to fly and beat him during races. But, they never met each other when they were children. Or, not in this life, at least," Suho regaled while I looked at Kai for a moment. He didn't look back, he just stared at his feet. I was feeling uneasy. 

"This life? So, are you saying that the memories you supposedly have are from a previous life?" I was utterly confused and slightly creeped out. 

"Not precisely. None of us seem to be able to remember what it was like being children in this life either. Instead we have memories of another childhood," Luhan added in a soothing voice, as though he could tell that I was on the brink of freaking out. "Do you remember what it was like when you were younger, Jae?" he then asked and I panicked a little. 

"O-of course. Everyone remembers something about their childhood. For instance, I remember clearly being- uh...small," I scratched my cheek and looked at the ground. 

"Oh, you don't have memories from being a child either, noona?" Tao asked, sounding excited.

"Hey, maybe you can remember us instead? Are there things that you can remember about the past, noona?" Baekhyun quickly asked, twelve faces looking at me with much anticipation.

"I- I don't have any memories about you," I started slowly, sensing Tao's immediate disappointment. "I mean, how can I when I'm new to this?"

"Is there anything that you can remember then? Anything at all that maybe you shouldn't be able to?" D.O. wondered. I didn't know what they wanted to hear from me, but I considered the question. When I didn't answer for a long time, the quiet Xiumin suddenly spoke.

"Even though our memories are different, there's two things that are consistent," he started, looking a bit shy when he saw that all eyes were on him. Regardless, he continued. "The first, is that the memories seem to involve twelve people," he said quietly, gesturing at himself and his brothers. "The second, is that there's always a voice that's speaking to us individually. Does any of this seem somewhat familiar to you?"

Did I have vague childhood memories that weren't my own? Were my dreams about distant fantasy lands and wolves memories in disguise? _Wolves...Twelve..._  

I looked up at the sky, the gentle night air playing with my long unnaturally cyan green hair. And then it dawned on me.

"Stars," I breathed.

"Come again?" Suho asked attentively.

"Stars," I repeated in a stronger voice, though it was trembling slightly. "I always thought it was just a silly dream and a weird attachment, but maybe it wasn't a dream," I muttered out loud, mostly to myself before I focused on the others. "I remember stars. Twelve of them and when I dream about them they always make me happy, but I'd always end up watching them fall from the sky. And when they do, I feel helpless and sad..." I trailed off, thinking about the emotions they evoked. I shook my head and tried to shake it off. This was getting too crazy.

"It could mean nothing, though. Back in my old home there was this meadow I'd like to stay in where there's a clear view of the sky when you'd lied down. There were always twelve stars there that I liked to watch, so maybe that incorporated itself into my subconscious somehow," I shrugged, trying to play it off like it was no big deal. Suho took everything I said with utmost seriousness though.

"Twelve? Not thirteen?"

"Twelve," I confirmed, "but it's probably nothing right?"

"Well, it is rather odd that the number is right...Other than that, you've no memories at all?" he asked again, as though he expected me to have the answers. I shook my head, feeling frustrated myself.

"I don't know. I just have weird dreams, especially recently," I admitted. "But everyone has dreams," I tried again. 

"Sure they do, noona," Chen said trying to take my emotions into consideration, his brothers nodding in an attempt to comfort me. 

"Are the dreams vivid?" Luhan inquired, his doe-like eyes emitting nothing wolf-like about him at all. Perhaps it was the way he looked at me, cautiously and gently, as a friend, not a foe. 

His question caused a stone to settle in the pit of my stomach though. "Yes, they're very vivid," I answered, remembering how intense they were up to the point that I actually felt frightened, and in pain. 

"What are they about?" Luhan continued, but his voice sounded like it was echoing in the distance. I shook my head and growled warningly at him. 

"You're not getting in my head unless I give you permission, buddy," I told him and this surprised him. Then, he chuckled, knowing that he was busted. 

"Then grant me this permission once. Let me see what you've dreamed about, maybe it's relevant," he opted. "And it'd be easier to show the others than you telling us about it." When he saw the look of suspicion I shot at him, he smiled. "It's harmless, I promise. I'll only see you dream," he swore. 

"It's okay, Jae-yah. Lu-ge won't invade your privacy unless you allow him to," Lay encouraged. 

I sighed deeply before turning to Luhan. "What do I do?" 

The older boy smiled and walked towards me. He knelt down in front of me, ever so gently cupped my face that it had me flustered and stared directly into my eyes. "Relax," he whispered.  _How can I with him so close by?!_  I don't know if he heard me, or what that little smirk was supposed to mean, but I relaxed the moment he closed his eyes. Then, it felt as though the world around me had stopped existing for a moment and I was reliving my dream all over again. 

I was standing in front of a giant tree again, except this time, Luhan was standing next to me. He didn't say anything and he didn't seem to acknowledge me. All he did was stare in awe at the tree. Could he see the symbols that floated around it? The next scene was me standing on a platform, two moons alighting above me, two suns that haven't met below me. Then came the dream of a world in disorder and I knelt down out of fear. Luhan was here as well, holding my hand. The last thing we saw together was the tree, pulsating with unknown force. 

I gasped a little when I opened my eyes again. Visitng your head with someone with you was a little more than trippy and I felt extremely disoriented. It didn't help that Luhan's face was inches away from mine, his look serious, his red eyes searching for my amber ones. 

"Luhan, what is it?" Suho asked, alerted. Luhan had not taken his eyes off me and his hands were placed on my shoulders. Even when he answered Suho he didn't look away from me. 

"I think I know what the source is," he exclaimed, though I had no clue what he was talking about. 

"What source?" Kris asked instead, the brothers all curious now. 

"The pulse of energy that we're always looking for," Luhan said, still looking at me. Suho had jolted from his seat, the other brothers stunned as well. 

"You know what it is?!" Suho prompted, looking at me. 

"Know what what is?" I asked, since they appear to know something that I don't. 

Luhan finally pulled away after smirking at me and he got to his feet. He turned to his brothers and nodded. "She's one of us," he suddenly stated with determination. "I don't know how she fits in, but she belongs amongst us." 

"Are you sure, hyung?" Kai asked, a little astonished. I stared up at Luhan, lost and confounded. What exactly did he see in the memories of my dreams that suddenly made him so certain about the fact that I apparently truly was one of them? 

He nodded before turning towards me again. "Jae, how would you like to find the answers to all of this? Do you want to know more?" 

"What kind of question is that? Of course I want to know!" I huffed in indignation. 

"Good," Luhan said, looking at Suho as if he was asking him a question the rest of us couldn't hear. Suho's eyes widened a little and then he nodded at Luhan. "Then join us. Make it official." 

The sudden invitation had me rattled and I wasn't sure what he meant, or what it would mean to accept or reject the offer. What was I supposed to say?

"Whoa, we're making her a part of the pack, hyung?" Chen asked cheerfully, the other younger brothers matching his enthusiasm.

"Only if she wants to," Luhan said, directing himself to me. "What say you, Jae?"

Twelve pairs of red eyes and smiling faces looked at me, the moonlight casting a heavenly glow around them. They were waiting for my answer, this band of brothers, this pack of wolves. They could hold the answer to all the questions I had, but to accept...what kind of consequences would that bring? What would it mean to me, to them? What was this pulse they spoke about?

What else was there for me to say?

"...Okay." 


	41. ~ Rest(?) ~

***

Okay, so this is what it felt like to have joined a gang. What was I thinking? I should have thought about it longer. Honestly, there were twelve of them and just one of me, in what universe was joining an all-male wolf pack a good idea? 

I had so looked forward to getting some rest in the weekend, but after last night, they asked me if I could meet up again at night. Their excuse being that they wanted to make sure that as a newbie wolf I wouldn't create havoc by myself so they wanted to play it safe and keep an eye on me. Not that I would know whatever for since I couldn't even manage transforming at will between wolf-form and human-form. Anyway, I wanted to refuse because I needed some well-deserved rest, but after saying that I wanted to be a part of the pack, I had no other choice. 

Not that it was all that bad. I mean, if it would help me get the answers I needed, then so be it...and...I suppose it wasn't all that annoying to hang out with those guys. After spending two nights with them, I found out that they were all kind of sweet and fun to hang around with, even Suho, who put more effort in trying to interact with me. Kai was still a little distant, but I think that's just his personality. I couldn't help but appreciate that they really did try their best to make me feel more at ease and made sure to look out for me. It was still a little hard to believe that I was part of them right now. Then again, there were still a lot of things that were hard to believe for me right now. 

"Ah, finally awake, sleeping beauty?" Mom asked the moment I came down to get some breakfast. 

"It's weekend, Mom, I'm allowed to sleep in," I grumbled, still feeling a little tired. Apparently being a wolf also meant missing out on some precious hours of sleep. How do those guys do it? Do they sleep in class or something?

"Hmhm," she mused and looked at me as I poured myself a bowl of cereal. To be perfectly honest I could totally go for a hamburger or a juicy piece of steak right now, but this will just have to do. 

"Hey, do we have some bacon?" I then asked since that was probably the only breakfast meat I could eat in the morning. 

"Yeah, in the fridge, why- oh," Mom watched me scoot over to the fridge, grabbing the bacon and heating up the pan. "Amazing. You know, I thought you were over the teenage phase of wanting to eat everything and anything you came across," she commented, watching me closely. 

"Guess I'm not over it yet," I said, shrugging my shoulders as nonchalantly as I could. I really didn't want my mom to find out about my more animalistic side. Unless... _Would being a wolf be hereditary?_ The thought alone nearly made me snort. My parents, wolves? Sure, Dad had an appetite that could put a T-Rex to shame and Mom could get very ferocious when she was really angry, but those were hardly wolf-qualities. Not to mention that running through the dirt and drinking lake water was either of their styles. In addition, Suho had specifically said that up until recently they had always thought that there were only twelve of them on the island. If their families were somehow wolves as well, then they would've known. 

My mouth was watering when the scent of bacon filled the air, the crackling of it making my ears twitch. My senses were heightened when Mom started to move next to me, watching closely as I prepared the bacon. 

"Are you going to eat all of it?" she asked, seeing me put another thick slice on the pan. 

I shrugged. "Maybe. Why? You want some?" 

Mom shook her head and looked closely at me, up to the point that it was making me uncomfortable. Just when I was about to open my mouth to ask what was wrong, her hand was placed on my forehead and she prodded me with her other hand. 

"Mom, what are you doing?" I asked, while simultaneously making sure that my bacon didn't get burned. 

"You don't feel hot," she mused and I frowned. 

"Of course not. I'm not sick," I said, moving away so she'd let go. 

"You were last night, though," she suddenly said and I froze. 

"Last night? What are you talking about?" I purposely didn't look at her, afraid that she could see that I was totally lying. 

"It was you, wasn't it? You went to the bathroom in the middle of the night and I heard you retching, sweetie," she patted my stomach and checked my temperature again. My eyes widened, my mouth formed into an 'o'. 

"Ah, that. Eh, yeah, I guess I ate one porkchop too many," I tried to chuckle it off. In truth, it was the wild boar that did me in. I got sick when I came home around four in the morning, but I couldn't tell her that, now could I?

"How much sleep did you get last night?" Mom continued drilling and it was making me nervous. Was she a wolf after all? Could she sense my anxiety or could she smell it? 

"What's with the sudden third degree?" I asked instead.  _Mom, you're not a wolf, are you?_

"You were in the bathroom for some time, I figured you lost sleep over it, but you don't look tired at all," she remarked. "Actually, you seem to be glowing," she breathed, but she suddenly looked horrified. 

_Oh God, oh God, oh God, oh God._ How could she know? Did she know? What should I do?  _Keep calm, keep calm, don't freak out so easily!_

"Glowing?" I managed to utter, quickly grabbing the bacon and walking to the dining room. Of course she followed me like a hawk. 

"Are you craving bacon or are you just hungry?" she then asked and I didn't know what to say. My nerves were all over the place, especially when I remembered that the guys told me explicitly not to let anyone else know about our existence. But, what if my mother already knew of the existence of people being able to change into wolves if she was one as well?

"Uh, can't it be both?" I asked innocently, though I was pretty sure I was sweating now. When I gave her a fake smile, she grunted in annoyance.  _Too much, Jae, you shouldn't have smiled!_

"You've been acting strangely the last couple of days. Sneaking around, eating all these things, mood swings, dressing yourself up and even putting on makeup. I thought it was funny to tease you about you possibly being interested in someone, but now I need you to tell me the truth," she drilled not a hint of playfulness in her voice and I just felt like running away. Mom got scary when she was like this and I really couldn't tell her anything-  _or could I?_ No, I shouldn't.  _But what if she already knows?_ Not possible, Mom couldn't know...  _Argh!_ This is driving me crazy!

"Tell you what?" I still tried, stalling just so that I could think a little more about everything. Should I try to escape? How? 

"Jae-In," she warned and grabbed my shoulders. "You can tell me anything, you know this. I'm your mother, whatever it is, I'm here for you," she said in all sincerity, but it just made me gulp. I really wanted to spill the beans, but I couldn't. 

"There's nothing for you to worry about, Mom," I started. "I'm just going through some stuff at school, that's all. I've a lot of catching up to do and all of that, but no biggie," I stammered but the look of disappointment on my mom's face was gut-wrenching. 

"Alright. If you don't want to tell me, then I'll just have to ask, and I want you to be honest with me," she said. 

_Crap, crap, crap, crap!_ There's no way she could know. I was at the point of sweating bullets when she sighed, looked me straight in the eyes, and asked, 

"Jae, are you pregnant?" 

The burden of guilt and anxiety washed away in that instance and I let out a deep breath of pure relief before laughing out loud.  _Thank God, she has no clue._ Her Mom-instincts were strong, but not on point. Oh, I feel like I'm about to get an aneurysm. 

"It's not funny, Jae, I need to know! I wasn't born yesterday, young lady, I know teens are sexually active and I-,"

" _Oh my God_ , Mom! Seriously, you have to stop," I laughed again because this accusation I could handle, but ask me if I was a freak of nature that could change into a wolf? Nope, I'll crash and burn. Suspected of being pregnant? No problemo, I can deal with that. Oh, what a life I lead today, ladies and gentlemen...

"I'm not pregnant and please, I never want to hear the word 'sexually' or anything remotely related to that come out of your mouth again, okay?" I shook my head, still happy and relieved while eating the strips of bacon. 

"Well, we still need to talk about this. If you're not pregnant then what is going on in your life right now? It's okay, honey, you can talk to me, I'm worried," she slapped my arm though she seemed genuinely relieved to hear my answer. Still, she checked my stomach and scrunged up her face in worry each time I took a bite from the juicy bacon. 

"Mom, we've been living here for barely a week and you think I'm the kind of girl that immediately picks up the first dude I come across to have babies with him? Come on," I commented skeptically. 

"Well, it could happen! There are a lot of cute boys on this island that could be interested in an exotic, new city girl like you! You don't tell me about your love life then this is the only way I have to ask about it," she protested, pouting in a way only mothers could. 

"Mom, are you hearing yourself? Dear lord," I chuckled and knew that this was the moment to both reassure her and get her to stop being suspicious of me at the same time. "Mom, I don't talk about my so-called love life because I don't have one. Your daughter is bland, boring and dating her homework, sorry to disappoint. Secondly, there's nothing for you to worry about. If I'm in trouble, then you're the first person I go to." 

Okay, so that last part made my stomach twist into a knot of simmering guilt, but take away the wolf-thing and it was the truth. It did bring some relief that my mother just wanted to look out for me, though. It was nice knowing that she'd back me up and that she'd be here if I needed her. But I couldn't tell her about the secret I suddenly had to keep. I barely had an explanation for myself, so how could I possibly make her understand? 

"You're sure?" she asked me again, her hand caressing my face. 

I can't lie to her again. "Do you trust me?" I asked instead so that I don't have to answer her question. 

"You know I do, baby," she smiled. 

"Then there's nothing for you to worry about," I pecked her on the cheek and let her hug me as long as she wanted. In my heart I told her everything I couldn't say out loud and promised that I'd keep smiling, just so that she wouldn't worry. Maybe I should try and control my more wolf-like behavior as well, such as eating a lot. I have got to be more discrete from now on. I'll ask the boys if they have some tips on how to still the ravenous hunger. 

"So, where's Dad? I haven't seen or heard him at all," I asked, changing the subject. 

"Dad is right over here, having a heart attack. What is all this talk about you being pregnant? Who's the guy I have to shoot?" On cue, he appeared in the doorway, still a sleepy look on his face as he stole a bacon strip from my plate. 

"Whoa, don't you look rough? Work giving you grief, Dad?" I couldn't help but tease, seeing the dark circles under his eyes and the messy hair. 

"Not as much as my darling wife and teenage daughter. Again, what is this about me becoming a grandfather? Your baby will understand that I have to kill its father first, right?" he grumbled, lazily chewing on the bacon. 

"Will you get real? I'm not pregnant. I just drink a lot of alcohol, smoke cigarettes and occasionally do some drugs, but I'm still totally a virgin," I told him, trying not to burst out in laughter at seeing his sleepy expression. He blinked a few times, taking my words into consideration, up to the brink that he was going to worry and make a fuss, but then he shrugged and kept on eating. 

"Okay, cool," he stuck up his thumb, grinning sheepishly at my mother who rolled her eyes at him. "So, what are the plans for today, sweethearts?" he asked, stretching himself. 

"Well, that depends. Are you working today?" Mom asked him and he sighed deeply. 

"Sorry, but I'm going to have to, I'm afraid. There's a bunch of stuff I have to take care of, so I'll be staying at home, working," he said. 

"Are you still working on those security systems?" I blurted out since I've bad memories concerning those things. 

"Amongst others," he replied, vaguely, as usual. "Look, about those fences, I want you to stay away from them, okay? If you see them in the forest, let me know and I'll have them removed. They're not as safe as we thought they were and adjustments have to be made for future developments," he murmured. 

"No problem," I said easily since there was no way I was going to go near those things again. "That electric shock is no joke, dude," I spoke before I realized what I just said. _Uh-oh..._

"How did you know about that?" Dad asked, snapping awake. I swallowed. 

"I, uh, saw an animal get shocked by it before it ran off. It looked really painful, though," I quickly lied. 

"Ah. Sorry you had to see that, Jade. We're working on the kinks. The electricity will have to be removed, especially if we want to start tagging the wildlife here," he said, gesturing at my bacon. "Are you going to finish that?"

"Wait, what? Tagging wildlife? Since when is E.T. Corp interested in preserving wildlife?" I asked. Why did that sound suspicious?

"Apparently the wolves on the island still get hunted on now and then and E.T. wants to protect these creatures so that they can safely live in their natural habitat, that's all," he said, but he didn't sound convincing. Dad looked to be a bit worried about it as well, but I didn't like it. What kind of company tags wildlife by capturing them with an electrically charged net? That thing would have probably killed me if the Majestic Twelve hadn't been there with me. Hm. Maybe it really was just a bug in the system, but having experienced it firsthand, I felt like I should warn the others about it. Should one of us get caught by accident, then the jig was up. 

"Either way, just stay clear away from them, okay?" Dad warned and made me swear it. 

"Well then, you stay at home and work and Jae and I will get out of your hair. What's your plan for today, sweetie?" Mom looked at me with a smile on her face. 

"Actually, I just thought I'd go and explore the town a bit. See what people do around here on free days," I said. Plus, I would totally appreciate some alone time to clear my head. 

"That's a good idea! Maybe you'll meet more friends, get the hang of the local teenage life," she stated cheerfully. "As for me, I'm going to have some tea with a bunch of ladies I met at the market the other day. Everyone here has been so welcoming. It'd be nice to make connections," she decided. "Do you need a ride into town?" she inquired. 

"Nah, that's okay. I'm gonna walk, weather is nice today," I told her. 

"Alright, be careful and let me know if I need to pick you up or something. Dad is home as well," Mom instructed automatically and grabbed for her bag. "I'll be off then, my darlings," she greeted happily. "Don't work too hard, you," she told Dad before kissing him quickly and then turned to me. "As for you, have fun, but not too much fun, okay?" she prodded my side before leaving and I grinned at Dad when he squinted his eyes at me. 

"Tell your boyfriend I've a gun and won't be afraid to use him as target practice," he joked and I gave him a kiss on the cheek. 

"Love you, too, old man," I greeted. "See you later!" 

"Yeah, yeah, and stay away from those fences, Jade, I mean it!" he shouted after me, but I was just happy to be outside. I could let go of my worries here, just for the moment. It was a close call with my mom, and hearing Dad talk about the fences and what they're planning to do with the animals here, was a bit worrying, but nothing that the twelve couldn't handle. They just had to avoid the fences from now on, and I had to take extra care when running with them, being the clumsy newbie and all. 

While walking in the sunlight and breathing in the fresh air, I looked up at the sky, my hands comfortably folded on the back of my head. Since Hanwol was a tiny town, there wasn't a lot of traffic here, and only a few people walked out and about. I couldn't get used to the peace and quiet here, but it was nice for clearing the mind. 

Memories. Different memories that were somehow tied together, assembling a group of unrelated people with each other. How was that possible? Where did I fit in, in all of that? Luhan was so confident when he suddenly exclaimed that I was one of them, that I belonged in their group, but how could he have been so sure? Was it because of my dreams he saw? What was the decisive turning point for him?

Their memories had been short, but vivid, scenes that they actually remembered. I didn't have those kinds of memories. What's more, was that they may have had memories of each other, but they didn't remember me. So, what did that say? What did that mean? They also thought that me dreaming about twelve stars meant something, but I wasn't sure. Looking up at the clear blue sky like this, I imagined that those twelve stars were there again, except here there were thirteen of them.

"What does all of it mean?" I murmured to myself, trying to make sense of it all. Still looking up at the sky, instead of the road where I should've been looking, I suddenly clashed into someone before I knew what was going on.

" _Aiyah_ ," the person exclaimed, startled by the sudden impact whilst I promptly staggered back and landed on the ground with my bum. 

"Ow," I groaned, rubbing my backside. "Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't see where I was- huh, Lay?"

The boy responded immediately with a brilliant smile, his hand still rubbing the back of his head. He blinked when he saw me and then he met me with a cheerful grin. "Jae-yah? Where did you come from? Are you okay?" he asked, casually extending his hands to help me up. I noted his collarbones from the low-neck black tanktop he was wearing and my treacherous mind flashed back to that one time I was trapped in the boys' locker room with the bunch of them. I flushed red at the memory and quickly tried to think of something else.

Lay's gentle smile seemed to match well with the sunshine and pleasant weather and I wondered whether there were times when he didn't smile.

"Sorry," I apologized again. "I was just headed into town, I didn't see where I was going," I told him, feeling a pleasant tingle pulsating from his fingertips into my own. "But I'm okay." Right. Lay's power was healing. Apparently that meant that no matter what, his touch would be healing as well. I cleared my throat softly and gently pulled away from his hands, though the effects of his ability were noticable. I didn't feel a hint of pain anymore. 

"Thank you," I whispered, pursing my lips together shyly when he winked conspiringly at me. "So, uh, where are you going?" I asked a little awkwardly, since there was a part of me that still felt it was too soon to call any one of the Majestic Twelve my friend yet. I guess I just didn't feel all that comfortable yet. Lay seemed to sense that, but he didn't show it. 

"I'm going to the animal shelter. I work as a volunteer there," he told me. "Wanna come and walk with me? It's in town," he then offered, picking up a box he dropped when I bumped into him. 

"I, uh, I guess so," I shrugged since it would be super awkward if I declined the offer and walked the same direction anyway. Plus, I didn't mind Lay's company. Had it been Suho or Kai, it would have been a different matter. "What's in the box?" I then asked to break the ice. 

"Oh, these are just some old stuff that I collected from people that they didn't use anymore. The local charity organizations are always asking for stuff like these, so I thought I'd go bring them what I have so far. It's just a bunch of old toys and clothes, but it makes other people happy, so that's nice," he explained, looking as though he was a little lost in his own world when he summed up the items in the box he was carrying. I smiled at him because I honestly can say that I've never met a person like him before. He spoke so sincerely and nearly innocently, as if the kind things he was doing in his free time were the most normal things to do in the world. 

"Aha, so your using your wolf-powers to play hero, I get it," I teased, but Lay looked genuinely confused. 

"No, Jae-yah, you know that no can ever find out about what we can do," he whispered, taking my words seriously. "It's a secret between all of us," he said with another wink and I chuckled. 

"Alright, fair enough. But still, I mean you guys are capable to do things that others can only dream of. You can't tell me that all you do is run around in the woods at night, hunt for food and just hang out in wolf-form, do you?" I was actually curious about this. It was cool and all being a wolf, but they were wolves with actual powers. That had to count for something? They couldn't only have been chilling in the woods all this time, could they? 

"Actually," Lay started and my eyes widened. 

"No way," I interrupted. "You really haven't done anything with the things you can do?" I asked in disbelief. 

Lay chuckled heartily at this. "Well, what is there for us to do, Jae-yah? We can't expose ourselves, after all." 

"What? Come on, you seriously cannot tell me that you weren't tempted to play superhero," I exclaimed, not caring that he was utterly amused at my astonishment. "I mean, if it were me and I could heal like you could, I would be visiting hospitals and sick people and work my magic, you know?" 

"I wanted to do that," he confessed a little sheepishly, "but then I also found out that things don't work that way. You have to understand, Jae-yah, just because we're able to do something that others can't, it doesn't mean that we suddenly have to change the natural flow of things. There are rules and limitations to what we can do. The most important one being that we can never, under any circumstance, disrupt the natural balance of things." 

"So, instead, you hang out in the forest running wild and playing around?" I hadn't questioned this before, but now that I thought of it, it seemed rather ridiculous. Why would a dozen guys be able to do amazing feats, but not do anything with them? I bit my lip when I looked at Lay, resisting the urge to poke his cheek where the dimple deepened. 

"Why are you laughing?" I asked, chuckling myself, because damn it, there is something about this boy that just makes you smile. Maybe it was his dazed and carefree aura, or the fact that he was so... pure? I guess that was the word for it. At the same time I couldn't help but wonder whether there was another side of Lay that the outside world didn't get to see. 

"I think you've watched too many movies, Jae-yah. We're not super heroes, even though some of us claim to be," he said, thinking about his brothers. "We're just regular guys who happen to be able to do extraordinary things, like moving water and teleporting, playing with fire, ice and wind." 

"And donating stuff to charity and volunteering at animal shelters," I added, smiling at the humble guy. Lay seemed surprised a moment, but then he actually blushed and scratched his cheek. We smiled at each other for a moment when I looked around and saw that we chatted our way into town. This place really is small. 

"You're coming tonight again, aren't you, Jae-yah?" Lay asked, leaning in a bit to keep the conversation private. We were standing near a bookshop and a small cafe, where people could hear us if we weren't careful. 

"Yeah. Suho said that he planned on hunting that pulse he had mentioned before. Whatever that means," I shrugged. 

"He seems to believe that the source holds the answers for all of us," Lay disclosed in a quiet tone, the two of us standing close. "And that's probably thanks to you," he added. 

"Luhan said the same thing, though I'm still not sure how that works out," I smiled like a criminal trying to hide something, when an elderly couple walked past us. 

"Good morning, Lay-sshi. Who is your lovely lady friend?" the old man asked. 

"Good morning, Mr. Song, Mrs. Song. This is Jae-In Miyano, she's new in town," he introduced and I bowed in response. 

"Nice to meet you, ma'am, sir," I greeted. 

"Oh, so polite. Nice to meet you, Jae-sshi," the woman replied, her wrinkly face all smiley as she looked at us. "So cute," she hummed. "Take good care of him, Jae-sshi, it'd be nice for this one to have someone look out for him for a change," she winked, patting my hand amicably while the two of them passed by. 

The two of us started stammering since the old lady obviously drew conclusions that weren't necessarily right, but the couple laughed heartily and went on their way. 

"They're, uh, sweet," I commented, glancing away. 

"Y-yeah, sweet," Lay repeated, clearing his throat and rubbing the back of his head again whilst holding onto the box with the other. 

"Um, so, anyway," I quickly continued. "Hunting tonight. I'll be there," I confirmed and Lay nodded. "Great. Well, then I guess I'm going to do some exploring now, and you can go drop that heavy box off at the charity organization," I started. 

"Yes, um, Jae-yah?" Lay called before I'd walk away. 

"Hm?" 

"Did you, by any chance get some more memories since last night? Anything new that came up?" 

I shook my head. "No, sorry. Why do you ask?" 

Lay pursed his lips together while he pondered on it and then gave a tiny smile. "No particular reason. Just curious. Maybe you'd remember more after talking to us."

"Who knows? Maybe," I nodded. "It'd be nice to find the answers." I looked at Lay, trying to read his expression, because I could've sworn I saw just a flash of concern in his eyes. "Right?" I tried and at this, he quickly nodded. 

"Right," he confirmed. "Well, I guess I'll see you tonight then, Jae-yah," he gave another wink and stuck up his thumb. 

"See you tonight," I winked back, playing along with him. He waved as he went his way and I walked to the opposite direction. I'd only just parted ways with Lay and had only taken a few steps when a group of women had come out of a lunchroom chattering happily with each other, but one of them was standing still and looked at me in utter amusement. 

Her eyes followed Lay who was walking away and she lifted an eyebrow at me, still smirking. I rolled my eyes when I approached her and while her new friends had started walking, she took the opportunity to lean towards me. 

"Bland, boring and dating your homework, huh?" Mom grinned, looking over at Lay again. "That homework must be a fascinating subject, sweetie," she teased, when she was called over by one of her new gal pals. "He's cute, but remember; not too much fun!" she said in a hurried whisper, quickly waving at me before she joined her tea buddies. 

I shook my head in utter defeat. Of course she had to see that. You know, I'm really starting to think that fate has it in for me... 


	42. ~ Puppy Love ~

***

Crimson eyes stared from afar at the interaction between a shy and beautiful young girl, and only a so-so-looking young man. Sehun grunted a bit bitterly when he saw Lay-hyung winking at Jae, the girl responding with a cute little wink that was only directed to his older brother. Lay was all sunshine and daisies when he walked away, biting his bottom lip, looking ridiculously cheerful. 

Sehun wasn't jealous. He really wasn't. It was just that it irked him how natural and sincere this particular hyung could interact with Jae, being able to speak to her without hidden intentions. Lay wasn't the type for that, and if he was, he was really good at hiding them. Either that, or he was too oblivious of them himself. Sehun wished he could be jealous, just pure and simply jealous, so he wouldn't feel so guilty when he thought insulting things about Lay. The worse part of it all, was that Lay-hyung was one of his favorite hyungs, making him feel even more agitated. Lay wasn't even consciously flirting or anything, but he couldn't help the way he felt. 

This sucked. Sehun had crushes before, but they often passed when he realized that the girls were just not quite right for him, when he knew that they couldn't keep up with his spirit. He was accused of being too fickle once. Of course that flame of love doused quickly, but he'd never forgotten what she said. One day he would have the personality of a gentle puppy dog, but the next he'd have the temper of a storm, accompanied by a mountain of sass up to the point that no one could tell whether his insults were just jokingly sarcastic or painfully cynical. Sehun couldn't help it. That was just the way he was. Just like a gentle breeze had the ability to turn into a raging tornado, so too was his personality. People who didn't understand that left him quickly and he had no need for them either, but it didn't mean that it never hurt.

He moved his eyes towards Jae, and Jae alone, seeing her walk around, looking with mild interest at the shops and establishments, fanning herself with her hands. Sehun gently blew a pleasantly refreshing draft her way, her dark, shining hair spreading out and flowing as his wind played with her locks. She blinked her almond-shaped eyes at the wind, her full lips formed into a perfect little smile at the cooling touch of the gust of air. It made Sehun smile as well, imagining that that smile was directed only to him.

All too fast was this moment over, when he felt someone smack him on the back of the head and the wind laid down.

"Yah, your eyes are showing," Kai warned with a smirk, handing him a cup of ice cream.

"What were you looking at, Sehunnie?" Tao joined, sipping his iced frappuccino, wanting to peek around the corner, had Sehun not stood in front of him.

"Nothing, I- uh, just saw Lay-hyung walking to the animal shelter, that's all. He didn't see me," he quickly waved off.

"Oh, really? I wonder if that stray poodle finally got her puppies. I want one," Kai mumbled, eating his snow cone.

"Just one?" Tao asked skeptically, knowing how the too-cool-for-school Kai had a certain weakness for dogs.

"Or five," Kai shrugged, smiling. "What I want to know now though is why Sehunnie looks as though he was caught staring at 19+ magazines."

Sehun blinked rapidly giving his hyungs a bewildered look. He must've flushed red since Tao started laughing while pointing at him. "What? What are you talking about? It's hot out, I'm warm," he protested, eating his ice cream as casually as he could.      

"You're warm or in heat?" Kai further teased, laughing when Sehun slapped him on the arm. 

"Shut up," he mumbled, looking at his ice cream. His brothers laughed at him. 

"Oh Sehun saw something he liked huh?" Tao said, quickly getting to his feet to look at the direction Sehun had been looking mere moments ago. 

"I didn't see anything of interest," he persisted, hoping that Jae would've gone into a store by now. 

"Really now?" Kai grinned, his eye smile making Sehun cringe. Even when he wasn't teleporting, Kai was fast. He looked around the corner, where Sehun had been staring at Jae and the youth bit his cheeks. Was she still there? 

"There's nobody here," Tao said, his disappointment evident. 

"Told you," Sehun replied coolly, though he was washed by a wave of relief on the inside. He winced again when he heard Kai sniffing the air. 

"Do you guys smell that?" he rubbed his nose and Sehun pretended like he didn't hear him. Tao, on the other hand, started sniffing around as well. There was a look of excitement on Tao's face when he recognized the scent of jasmine. 

"Jae-noona!" he exclaimed, suddenly cheerful. Sehun frowned at the lanky teen for it, unwittingly exchanging a look with Kai, who had a similar frown on his face. 

"Well, look who's excited now," Sehun commented to take the attention off him, but he didn't particularly liked seeing Tao so excited, only because Jae suddenly got involved. Did he really need more competition here? 

"What? I happen to like Jae-noona. Besides, it's okay to be friends with her now, right? Lu-ge himself said that she's one of us."

"Luhan-hyung says a lot of stuff, and meanwhile he hasn't shown us what he saw in her mind," Kai said a little grumpily. Sehun blinked at this as he was surprised to see Kai so sulky all of a sudden. His mood was the opposite of Tao when Jae was mentioned and he wondered why. 

"You don't like her, do you?" he asked, watching Kai for a reaction. 

"Huh? Why wouldn't you like her?" Tao quickly chimed in, looking at Kai, waiting for an explanation. 

"It's not that I don't like her, I'm just cautious. Everyone seems to be welcoming her with open arms, while a few days ago everyone was told to beware of her. Plus, isn't it strange that she doesn't seem to have a power? What if her power is making everyone like her so she could do whatever she wants without anyone being suspicious of her?" Kai argued and for a moment Sehun considered it. He had noticed the obvious effect she had on him and his other brothers, but it wasn't with them alone. He saw how she had interacted with that stray rottweiler last night as well. The dog was so meek. Was she a manipulator? But Jae is too kind and oblivious for that, he was sure of it. 

"That's ridiculous, what reason would Jae-noona have to do something like that?" Tao dismissed. 

"Well tell me this, do you like her because you know you do, or is it because she somehow made you like her?" Kai stated, crossing his arms across his chest in a smug way. 

"How could she have forced me to like her? That makes no sense. When would she have been able to do it?" Tao shot back, in disbelief that Jae would be capable of something so low. Sehun was inclined to side with Tao, of course, but he couldn't help but feel just a bit uneasy over what Kai had said. He never thought about what kind of power Jae could have. Was his infatuation a spell? Was it fake? 

"I don't know, maybe when you sat next to her last night," Kai replied easily, shrugging his shoulders. 

"Well, if she put a spell on us, knowingly or unknowingly, how come it's not affecting you?" Tao then asked, Sehun bobbing his head along the words. 

"Guess that just makes me smarter than all of you," Kai prompted, sneezing when the smell of jasmine became stronger. Sehun sat up straight, feeling his heart skip a beat. She was coming closer. 

"Hmph, stop talking smart. Jae-noona said that she didn't know what her power was and she said herself that she didn't think that she had one. I believe her. She's completely new at this," Tao then decided, Sehun quietly agreeing to the statement. 

"Spoken like someone under a love spell. I tell you, that girl is not to be trusted," Kai commented, pointing at the both of them. 

"Ha! And there is where your theory is wrong! I like Jae-noona because this will mean that we'll have a sister. I've no intention of falling in love with her," Tao pointed back at Kai. 

"Well what you intend to do or not do isn't always up to you, is it?" Kai had meant it to sound as a joke, Sehun could tell, but the look of utter confusion that graced Tao's face told him that his brother hadn't caught up on that. He wondered though, why Tao would so blatantly mention the term 'falling in love'. Sure, his brothers all acted like bigger dorks when Jae was around, but they couldn't all feel the same way he did towards her, could they? Were they real brothers after all, to have the same tastes in girls?

He shook his head. Why was he thinking about this? A small smile trailed on his lips when he thought back to her, moments ago. She was smiling when she felt the wind-  _his_  wind. That smile was for him. 

Feeling embarrassed at his own thoughts, Sehun buried his face in his hands, ignoring Kai and Tao when they noticed his sudden, strange movement. 

"What's wrong, Sehunnie? You're not crying, are you? You know that Tao and I are just joking around, we're not actually fighting," Kai said, his hand pressed against his shoulder. 

"That's right, because Kai knows that I'd kick his ass, Wushu style in 0.6 seconds flat," Tao added to jab at his younger brother. 

"Hmph, you'll have to be able to catch me first," Kai reminded him, eyes shining playfully red for a second. 

" _Puhlease_ , one flick of my wrist and you won't even be able to move," Tao reminded him, pointing at his wrist as though he was asking for the time. 

"One flick of mine and you'll all be blown away," Sehun commented, a smug smirk on his face as he got up from the bench he was sitting on. 

"Yah, what's with you all of a sudden?" Kai asked, recognizing the look of mischief in his younger brother's eyes. 

Sehun took a deep breath of air, the scent of jasmine sparking the nerves of his brain. "Nothing. It's just a nice reminder that I'm able to do that, just in case I get sick of all of you," he stated happily, wrapping his arms around both his brothers' shoulders. "Why don't we forget about all of this for a while and get some bubble tea? We'll worry about this when night comes again, okay?" he compromised though for completely selfish reasons since he didn't want his brothers to talk about Jae. Was it so wrong of him to just want to keep anything related to the girl to himself? Again, he felt like he couldn't help it; wolves were, by nature, territorial creatures after all. 

"Bubble tea? You just had ice cream!" Kai remarked. 

"So? Ice cream isn't the same as bubble tea," Sehun answered while they walked through the streets to head over to the bubble tea shop. While they were walking and talking about normal, mundane things, Sehun caught sight of a poster, hanging on one of the clothing store's windows. It was promoting the upcoming Homecoming Dance, reminding the ladies that they were the ones that had to ask the gentlemen to go to the dance. Sehun always got asked, by a lot of girls. He never showed it, but he loved the attention. This time, however, he only wanted one girl to ask him, but how was he going to make sure she would?

_I wonder if she likes bubble tea..._


	43. ~ The Hunt ~

***

Imagine this; a lonely girl wearing torn jeans and a black hoodie, waiting at the edge of an abandoned forest. Mist slowly starts rolling in, the glow of the pallid full moon casting shadows that moved like wailing spirits, as she looked around, waiting. Her eyes most likely glowing amber. Nothing suspicious about that right? 

"Nope. Just hella awkward," I mused quietly to myself, shoving my hands in the pocket of my hoodie, waiting at the same spot where I sat with Xiumin last night. I was early this time, probably because I miscalculated when I left home, or maybe it was because I was nervous. We were going to go hunting tonight, and it wasn't hunting for chickens. Suho was going to explain everything, but meanwhile, I was anxious and oddly excited. 

I moved my leg up and down while waiting for them to show up, turning my head at every little movement. I somehow managed to convince my parents that since it was a Saturday night, no teen should sit cooped up in their house, so I was going out to see a movie and perhaps meet with some classmates. Dad was cool with it, though I think he was hardly listening since he had his nose stuck in paperwork, while Mom saw through the fib and insisted in accusing me of going out on a date with the, and I quote 'dimpled cutiepie on legs'. Since I was too worked up and too nervous to get out of the house already, I was in no mood to argue with her. In conclusion, I left the house with my mother thinking I was going on a date with Lay, but it's okay, I'll bury my head in the sand later. What mattered was that I didn't have to worry about them for tonight. 

My ears suddenly perked up and my senses sharpened, an admittedly cool feature that came with being a wolf, and I immediately smelled a bouquet of flowers in the air. The scents together were earthy and fresh, like a meadow being showered in spring rain. My eyes widened and I gawked a little when I saw twelve silhouettes walk- no  _swag_  - their way towards me, moving in the mist. For a short moment, I thought that the world moved in slow motion, the way how nature seemed to welcome the brothers' presence by making the light of the moon shine just a bit brighter, just a bit more mysteriously. The mist twirling and dancing as they walked through it, like freaking runway models on an elite catwalk. And then those eyes, gleaming red like silken rubies, giving me no trouble in believing that they were vicious wolves. 

But then, they'd step into the light and they turn back to puppies with sheepish grins on their faces, waving at me or nodding at me when they caught sight of me. I shyly waved back and looked up in surprise when I suddenly heard the barking of a dog. I then noticed that the rottweiler from last night was walking beside Xiumin. She ran up to me to greet me and I was overwhelmed by slobbery kisses from a stray dog. 

"Whoa, hey, hey, nice to see you too, girl," I tried pulling away, but couldn't help but laugh. I petted her back while wiping my face and smiled up at the twelve when they joined. 

"Hey, Jae-noona is popular," Chen remarked, patting the dog gently on the belly. "She likes Jae-noona better than you, Xiumin-hyung," he teased, to which the eldest of the pack only grinned and knelt beside the dog. The moment he did so, she turned her head, glanced quickly over to me as if to apologize and walked to his open arms again. 

"Aha, you adopted her," I noted happily, getting to my feet. 

"Honestly, I think she's the one who adopted me. I saw her waiting in front of my house when I went out just now," Xiumin explained, standing straight again while the rottweiler licked his hand. 

"I can get you a collar from the animal shelter, hyung. At least she won't be caught by the dogcatcher then," Lay offered and Xiumin nodded. The dog, seemingly having understood what was being said, moved to Lay, happily allowing him to gently stroke her head. 

"Have you been waiting long, Jae?" D.O. asked me, smiling when I looked at him. I removed my hoodie and ran my fingers through my long, cyan green hair. I still wasn't used to it. I should wear it in a ponytail from now on. 

"No, just arrived," I lied, since I didn't want to appear lame by having arrived half an hour too soon. "So, what's the plan for tonight?" 

"Not here," Suho interjected, looking around before he suddenly extended his hand towards me. "Come with me," he said with a smirk, his brothers protesting heavily behind him. 

"Ehh, what's with this hyung?!" they protested, causing Suho to be bewildered a moment before blushing. Luhan was clapping his hands as he laughed at the leader, while Kai had buried his face in his hands, unable to look.

"Come with me," Baekhyun imitated with something that sounded like a German accent and shook his head, mocking Suho who got more embarrassed by the second. I chuckled as well now, since Suho's instruction sounded cheesy and cliché beyond compare.

"What? It wasn't _that_  strange," Suho muttered.

"You don't have to hold her hand when we run, hyung," Sehun pointed out, looking a little pouty. "She can run perfectly fine by herself, right, Jae-noona?"

"Right, thank you, Sehun," I said, kind of enjoying seeing this dorky side of Suho. It kind of felt like I was having payback without me even having to do anything. "Why don't you lead the way, leader?" I said to Suho and he chuckled. 

"Hope you can keep up," he said with a jerk of the head and ran, the others quickly behind him. 

"Whoa!" Okay, so he wasn't joking. 

"Come on, noona!"

"Or you'll get left behind!" Tao and Sehun called, running after their older brothers. 

"Wha-, hey! W-wait for me!" I saw that I wasn't the only one that got abandoned as I looked at the rottweiler who made herself comfortable to wait for Xiumin's return. "What a bunch of gentlemen, huh? First letting me wait and then running off without me," I told her while she rolled to her side.  _I know what you mean, girl,_ she seemed to be saying. "Don't wander off into the woods, stay and wait for Xiumin here, okay? There are fences around this place that could hurt you," I said softly, scratching her ear before I prepared myself to run as well. 

That was when a shadow cast over me and I let out a squeak when Kris hovered next to me. "Need a ride, my lady?" he asked in his deep velvet voice. 

"Oh, wow, you just made it possible to sound cheesier and more embarrassing than Suho," I commented dryly, though Kris chuckled. 

"Alright, I was just trying to be a gentleman," he chimed and I bit my lip. Of course he heard that. "But, if you want to run all the way that's fine, but you won't catch up with them," he added, his hands folded behind his head, a smirk on his lips as he started to float away, his feet a subtle few inches off the ground. "Hope you have a good sense of direction," he provoked, starting to hover away. 

"Wait! Okay, okay, lead the way," I gave in, but Kris lifted an eyebrow at me, the smile never leaving his lips when he extended his hand towards me. "Seriously?" I asked. He wiggled his eyebrows, waving his fingers at me. "Ugh, fine," I rolled my eyes and held his hand. 

"Great! Hold on!" he exclaimed and all too sudden he pulled me towards him and swept me off my feet- literally. I blinked in astonishment when I realized that Kris somehow managed to carry me princess style before he flew away. And let me tell you, he's fast! 

"AHHH! KRIS, WAIT, NOT SO FAST!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, holding on for dear life, my face buried in the crook of his neck. I heard his laughter rumble within his chest as he picked up the pace. I didn't even want to open my eyes to see where he was going. The wind was whistling as we flew past, I didn't even care that I was clinging onto him when I felt my stomach tingling. 

"Open your eyes," Kris urged and laughed when I shook my head fiercely. "It's amazing, Jae. Unbelievable sights, a fantastic point of view," he summed up and I continued shaking my head, gripping to him more tightly. 

"I swear to cow, Kris, if you start singing 'A Whole New World', I will bite you!" I growled, my threat dying away as his laughter just grew louder. 

"Will you just open your eyes?"

"No!"

"You're perfectly safe, Jae. I won't let go of you, I got you," he said solemnly, and the gentleness in his voice surprised me so much, I carefully blinked my eyes open. Kris' face was the first thing I saw, his eyes gleaming with mirth as he looked at me, his scarlet hair waving in the wind. "There we go. Check it out," he gestured around us and I carefully followed his gaze, but the first thing I saw was how the forest had disappeared and had magically appeared below us. 

My body jolted out of fear. "Oh my God!" I shrieked, wrapping my arms around his neck. "What do you think you're doing?! We're gonna fall- people will see us!" 

"Calm down, no one ever comes here and I don't fall. Falling is not my style," he stated confidently. "Now will you just look again?Don't be afraid. I told you, I've got you," to emphasize his words, his grip on me tightened and I actually did feel more secure. Taking a deep breath, I carefully took another glance at our surroundings without looking down. To say that the view was spectacular was an understatement. The moon looked fuller, bigger and brighter and I felt that if I had the guts to extend my hand at the stars, I could be able to touch it. They twinkled like diamonds in the sky and the island itself looked stunning. The lights of the town were behind us, a sea of forests outstretching before us, seamlessly flowing into the actual ocean that seemed to mirror the lights of the stars above. 

"Oh, wow..." I gasped, smiling at Kris when he looked at me. 

"Yeah," he nodded, his eyes on me, "wow." 

Suddenly I realized the proximity of our faces and I subtly leaned a bit back without losing my grip. Kris smiled though it looked like he was trying to suppress it and then adjusted his hold on me. 

"Don't let go now," he warned and soared through the sky before taking a slight turn and dipping down. I did all I could to stop myself from screaming at the rushing sensation that tingled from my stomach and fluttered throughout my body and I still refused to let go of Kris, even when he landed near a clearing where the others were waiting. He stood at the edge to avoid any awkwardness. 

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah, I think so...You can land now," I said, still a little dazed. _I just flew with a guy who can fly. That actually happened. What is this life?_

"We've already landed, Jae," Kris chuckled.

"Oh, are you sure? Why does it feel like everything is still moving?" I asked, blowing a stray lock of hair from my face. 

"Yah! What kept you two?! We can smell you, you know!" Chen remarked from a distance. The voices of the others startled the both of us and Kris straightened himself. 

"It's okay to let go now, you know?" he teased, trying to embarrass me. 

I scoffed. "Right back at you, Superman," I gestured at the situation since he was the one that was still carrying me. 

"Ah- right, uh...touché," he stammered, setting me down with utmost care. My legs were still a little wobbly, but they adjusted as soon as they hit solid ground. We walked towards the clearing, all eyes on us as we came into view. I rubbed the back of my head. They didn't see us, did they? I noticed the looks of suspicion on some of their faces, but oddly, they weren't directed at me. Rather, they were glaring at Kris. Why would they do that?

"That took you long enough. Trouble with keeping up?" Suho asked, though he looked at Kris as well. 

"She needed a little help in orienting. Someone needed to make sure she wouldn't get herself lost," Kris explained before I had a chance to open my mouth. Alright, so we don't mention that he just took me out flying. Got it. 

"Ah, next time say something, noona, we'll wait for you," Chanyeol said, adjusting the snapback on his head. 

"Well, you guys left so suddenly I didn't get a chance to," I chuckled and sat down on a boulder next to D.O., who had been watching Kris and me since we arrived together. "So, you were saying?" I looked at Suho since I wanted to get down to business. The leader nodded and looked at Luhan who just appeared to have been having a conversation with Kris that no one else could hear. A tiny smirk appeared on his face before he directed his full attention on Suho. 

"Suho wants me to share with the others what I saw in your dreams, in your mind. Would it be alright if I showed them?" the pallid blonde then asked me and I swallowed. 

"I guess it would be alright, if you think it's that important," I shrugged. 

"I do," Luhan nodded, still waiting for my official okay. 

"Okay, go for it," I said, and without having to say anything, the brothers closed their eyes when Luhan did and I just watched them. There was no need for him to show me my dreams since I was the one that had them in the first place, but it was interesting to see the expressions on the others' faces. I wondered how Luhan was able to show them what he saw. Was he sending the images to their minds? Was that how his power worked?

When I heard Tao gasp and saw him frown, I suspected that Luhan was at the part of showing them the dream of a world in disarray. Beside me, D.O. was swallowing, his face serious and his eyes moving behind closed lids. He was the first to open his eyes, looking at me in concern. 

"How long have you been having those dreams?" he asked me. 

"Recently. I've dreamt about far away, otherworldly places before, though, but these dreams are different. They feel real," I answered, looking at the others who were listening. 

"And that tree? Have you seen that before?" Suho inquired, looking upset somehow, like he was recalling a sad memory. 

"No, only recently. Why? Do you remember a tree like that?" 

Suho looked at Kris first before directing himself to the rest of his brothers. No one spoke for a while. Was the tree in my dreams significant, somehow?

"The energy feels the same, hyung," Baekhyun eventually commented, and I could only assume they were talking about the tree and this pulse of energy they said they were looking for. 

"But it can't be the same, can it?" Suho looked at Luhan and, unsurprisingly, I was confused. 

"Um, does someone care to explain?" I chimed, looking around for the person with the answer. 

"Well, as you know by now, you're not the only one who has questions concerning all of this. We've been trying to figure out what it all means as well. On occasion, there's this pulse of energy that all of us can sense, and for some reason, we're attracted to it. Almost as though that faint pulse of energy is the missing link to all our memories, the answer to why and how we are the way we are," Luhan elaborated. 

"Some of us remember there being such a thing as a Tree of Life," Suho then continued cautiously, watching me for a reaction, but I really didn't have one to give.  _Tree of Life? Really?_

"That Tree is the only memory I have. I don't have more. Kai remembers something like it as well, as does Luhan and Chen. None of quite know why, but this Tree of Life seems to be a big deal. The fact that you've dreamt about it as well, has to count for something, especially since the energy it gives off is similar to the pulse of energy that we've been tracking for some time now," Suho's worry and determination were both evident on his face while I was still processing what he was saying. 

"Except, until recently, we've no idea what the pulse of energy is exactly, but now, we might have a clue," Kris added. 

"Thanks to you, Jae," D.O. remarked quietly beside me. 

"You think that this tree is what you've been hunting for?" I asked, a little confused. What could a Tree of Life even do? What answers could a tree hold?

"We don't know, but it's a bit too much of a coincidence that the energy we've been hunting overlaps with the energy that is emitted from the tree you've seen in your dreams," Suho pointed out and I suppose that that is rather strange. "Perhaps if we find that pulse again we can track it and, who knows, it'll lead us to-," 

"A tree," I finished, unable to mask my skepticism. 

"We know how this sounds, Jae, but what have we to lose? We've been searching the source of that energy ever since we got together, but we never gotten far," Luhan said. 

"More like gotten nowhere," Kai commented suddenly, leaning against the bark of a tree, reminding me a lot of a younger, Asian James Dean.  

"Precisely," Luhan conceded before looking at me-  _attacking_  me was probably the better word since his doe-eyes shone sadly at me. Honestly, who could ever resist that look? "Jae, we don't know how everything fits in, but if you're willing to help us, then we can definitely help you in return." Now he was speaking in a language that I could understand. I wanted answers just as much as they wanted them, and if it's some kind of tree they're looking for, then so be it. 

"You want me to help you hunt for a tree," I summed up for good measure. 

"Basically, yes. Perhaps you'll have better luck than us," Suho answered instead. 

"And you think this tree is important?" I asked again. 

"Yes, if it is the source of the energy we've been tracking," the leader nodded. I bit my lip to think about it and then looked at D.O. who was watching me for an answer. 

"How would I even know what to look for? I only dreamt about that tree, I didn't have a particular feeling connected with it," I told them, doubtful whether I was the right person for them to depend on. 

"The energy would feel like it's pulling at you," D.O. started. 

"Like you've no other choice but to follow it," Baekhyun added.

"The feeling like you'll go mad if you ignore it," Sehun remarked quietly, shaking his rainbow colored hair.

"Annoying, pinching, like it's trapping you and you're allowing it to," Kai also said, his face expressionless when I looked at him. 

"It's like a call you have to answer," Suho elaborated. "It probably won't feel very strong, but it's persistent once you've found it." 

"I guess I could give it a try, though I'm not sure whether you'd get any results from me," I bit my lip. 

"We don't expect it, but we'd appreciate the help," Luhan told me and reminding myself that I came here and even joined their pack was because I wanted to find answers. They were wolves longer than I was. If they think this is important and worth the shot, who was I to argue with it?

"What do I do?" 

A heavy amount of concentration and a few moments later, I was dashing in my wolf-form through the forest, trying to track down this pulse of energy the twelve have been talking about. The group was split into subunits to enhance the chance of finding it. Sehun, Tao and Kai were a group, though Sehun didn't seem particularly happy about that. I think he wanted to come with us instead. I was with Luhan, Kris and Suho, the three of them acting nearly like bodyguards. Suho and Luhan flanked both my sides, Kris making up the rear. Chen, Baekhyun and Chanyeol took off as well, which left Xiumin, Lay and D.O. as a group. 

_Stay away from the fences,_ I warned, whilst passing one of the contraptions. _Those nets are apparently used to capture wolves, so it's best to stay away from them completely._

_Capture wolves? What would a company like E.T. Corp want to do with wolves?_  sounded Suho's overly concerned voice in my head. 

_Supposedly to tag and preserve the wild animals on the island, but the method is questionable,_ I replied. We stopped near a babbling brook and Suho stood before me, his dark fur shining. 

_Luhan, can you warn the others?_ he asked his hyung and the pallid brown wolf bowed his head.  _Ask them as well whether they've picked up on something. It's been a while now and there's no sign of anything interesting on this part of the island._

I looked around and sniffed the air for anything that would strike my interest, but there was nothing. I tilted my head in amusement at seeing Kris panting, lying down on the ground. Guess even wolves with super powers could get worn out too. 

_You should drink something, Jae. You don't want to get dehydrated,_ Suho told me, flicking his tail to make the water move. I drank eagerly from a floating ball of water, licking my snout afterwards. 

_Thanks,_ I said. Suho parted his mouth slightly, giving the impression that he was smiling. It was at this time that I felt my ears twitch and I followed the hunch. I didn't smell anything in particular, but my senses were heightened. I was anxious and alarmed without good reason and that made me feel uncomfortable. I glanced over at the three wolves that were with me, but they appeared to have a discussion about something. When I tried to listen in on the conversation, I heard they were communicating with the other groups. 

I turned around and peered into the thick woods ahead. That's when I saw it. I heard myself whimper to catch the boys' attention, but they weren't looking at me. Afraid that I might lose sight of the target, I tried calling to them without having to turn around again to look at them. 

_Guys, you're seeing this, right?_

No response. Guess I have to do everything myself. The white wolf in the distance hadn't moved from its spot as though it was waiting for me to make the first move and that was exactly what I was doing. I saw this wolf the first day I arrived at the island. Even its green eyes were the same. What surprised me most, however, was the fact that the wolf emitted a kind of aura that made me want to chase it. That must've been the pulse of energy the twelve were talking about, right? Why else would I feel this way towards another wolf? 

When the white wolf saw that I started following it, it quickened its pace. Surprised, I went after it, making sure to tell the others that I was in hot pursuit of something. I'm sure they heard me this time, but I didn't look back to see if they were following me. I had to run, because this wolf was fast. It jolted through the woods, easily jumping over fallen trees and boulders, leading me to- where, exactly? Was the wolf somehow connected to the tree? Was there even a tree? Where was it going and why was it rushing? 

Eventually, it stopped running rather abruptly and I noticed a little too late that it had lead me to an obscure part of the forest where the light of the moonbeams hardly shone. The green eyes of the white wolf looked nearly hellish, the way it glowed and I kept up my defenses when the wolf bared its teeth at me. Okay, maybe this wasn't necessarily the best idea I've ever had, but I could also not deny the fact that this wolf felt very-  _addictive?_ Was this what we were looking for? 

_Who are you?_ I tried talking to it, but the wolf only growled, its back hunched as though it was ready to attack me if necessary.  _You don't have to be afraid. I'm not here to hurt you,_ I tried, but to no effect. 

_...Wake up..._

Huh? That voice... who was that? 

_Was that- was that you, just now?_

The wolf only growled this time and I wished I'd waited a little longer so Kris, Luhan and Suho could've come with me. 

_You're the source, aren't you? It's you!_

It was quiet again, the wolf baring its teeth at me.  _Wake up!_  I heard it snarl, but I didn't understand. 

_Wake up? I'm already awake,_ I said, taking tentative steps backwards when I saw how ferocious its green eyes were gleaming at me. 

_Wake up!_

It sounded once more and I was too late to make a run for it when the white wolf pounced at me and started attacking. Panicked and afraid, I whimpered, whilst screaming internally for someone to come help me. The wolf didn't skip a beat when it attacked my neck, using not only its teeth, but claws as well. I couldn't move underneath its weight, struggling aimlessly to get away. 

_Stop it! Someone, please, help me!_

I tried snapping my jaws at it, but to no avail. I screamed when its claws ripped open my side, scraped over the ribs. All I saw were flurries of white and green- and red. My blood? No. Red eyes. What took them so long?!

_Jae!_

_Wake up!_

My vision was blurred, but I could distinctly see wolves' silhouettes shift shaping into human forms. "Jae, are you okay? Hey, look at me, look at me, you're alright," Luhan's gentle voiced soothed, his hands cupping my face. 

I blinked and found myself in my own human form as well, still jittery over the attack. I pulled away from him in a reflex, but Luhan soothed me again. 

"Shh, shh, it's okay. Calm down, you're safe," he assured me, but I shook my head. 

"No, no! The white wolf- it was just here!" I looked around wildly, the three of them exchanging glances. 

"What white wolf, Jae? You're the only white wolf in the pack," Kris said gently. "How did you even get here?" he looked around in the darkness and I frowned at them. 

"Did you not hear me? There was a white wolf with green eyes! I-I followed it because it felt like the pulse of energy you were talking about- I mean, I think that wolf was the source, not a tree," I rambled, but could you blame me? I was scared shitless right now. 

"White wolf with green eyes?" Luhan repeated as I nodded. 

"It attacked me," I breathed, feeling my heart thunder in my chest. Why were they so quiet? Why didn't they say anything?

"Hey! What happened?! Jae, are you alright?" D.O. came crashing through the bushes, quickly sliding over to my side, inspecting me. Xiumin watched and leaned his hands on his knees to look at me, Lay bending over me as well. 

"I'm-"  _fine?_ Was that what I wanted to say? Why would I if that wasn't the truth? I was still shaking. A moment later, Chanyeol, Chen and Baekhyun appeared, equally worried expressions on their faces. Luhan must've told everyone that I was freaking out. Kris was standing a little further away, sniffing around. 

"There was a white wolf," I called towards the tall young man. "I followed it here and it attacked," I repeated, trying to calm down. 

Kris looked at me before he glanced over at Suho, subtly shaking his head. "Jae...there's nothing here. If there was a white wolf we would've sensed it, smelled it," he explained. 

I shook my head. "It was right here!" I argued, feeling very much like crying. "Why would I lie about that?" 

"We're not saying that you're lying, it's just, that we're saying it's not entirely plausible. If there was another creature here, we would've sensed it. Maybe you suddenly fell asleep and dreamt it?" Suho suggested, but I glared at him. 

"I'm not crazy," I said. 

"We're not saying you are, Jae, but, there's nothing here," Luhan stated quietly, still speaking gently to not upset me more, but it had the opposite effect. Why couldn't they sense it? Did they not see the white wolf? I could still sense its presence, so why couldn't they?

"Alright," I then started, feeling irritated. I pushed away the fussing hands and got to my feet. "How do you explain this then?" I lifted my hoodie where I could feel the trickle of warm blood oozing out from where the white wolf had scratched me. Their eyes went wide out of shock and at that moment Kai, Sehun and Tao teleported to the site. They startled as well at seeing the wound. 

"Jae-noona! What's going on?" Tao exclaimed, shocked as they watched Lay quickly getting to action to heal me. I was grateful for his help, but even his soothing touch couldn't take away the fear I was feeling. 

"Yeah, we'd like to know as well," Luhan murmured, looking in concern at me before gazing at his brothers. I leaned on Lay for support, trying not to see how much blood I had lost. 

Those green eyes...that voice telling me to wake up... Find the source of the energy and we find answers, huh?  _At what price, I wonder?_ I should have stayed home...


	44. ~ Dark Developments ~

***

If Ryo had a clue on what a hectic day it was going to be, he would've stayed home. Who would've thought that after the weekend so many developments have been made at the office? It wasn't because people were working overtime. At least then he would've understood and he would've been kept updated by his employees. No, the chaotic atmosphere had nothing to do with their work per se, rather, it were strange and unusual readings that threw off most of the scientific departments, making people believe that the data and computer systems were corrupted. If such a thing would occur, Ryo would have to put a hold on every single project and department and send people home until things were sorted out, and that did not bode well for the company. 

He knew there was a reason why he hated Mondays when his phone and tablet kept notifying him of messages and alerts from various employees from various departments. It wasn't helping that his wife was sending text messages in between as well, telling him to pick up some groceries on his way home and how his day was going. The last message nearly gave him a heart attack when she asked, "Do you think we should be responsible parents and buy Jae some contraceptives? Just in case? xoxo!" 

Honestly, he loved the woman to death, but it was doing nothing for his blood pressure.

**I'd rather buy a gun and shoot whoever dares come near my daughter. How's that for a contraceptive?**

It was the only message he replied to before turning off his phone and telling his secretary that he was only available through her. Right now he only had enough energy to focus on his job, if he allowed the stress and turmoil of having a teenage daughter and overly excited and concerned wife to cloud his mind, he might as well just admit himself into the hospital. 

Ryo checked all the things he had to go through and sighed deeply, trying to clear his mind and focus. "Where should I start?" he grabbed a file from the flora and fauna center, the furrow on his brow deepening when he read the collected data. For some unknown reason, plants were withering and dying under strange and unnatural circumstances. The insects showed strange behaviors and died soon as well, while there was no reason for them to do so. They'd have to start their research anew. Ryo clacked his tongue when he grabbed another file, this one detailing the sudden change of the purity of the aquarium, causing many of the tropical fish and coral reef life to become polluted. This Ryo could perhaps explain that it was due to the aquarium malfunctioning in itself, but when he read the report of the maintenance staff, they could find nothing wrong with the system. What was going on around here? 

_The autopsy reports indicate that cause of death was not due to pollution or poisoning of any kind. It simply appeared as though the life force was depleted from the creatures._

"How is life force depleted from living organisms? That makes no sense," Ryo muttered to himself, going through more files. Putting them all together, it was like he was gazing at one natural disaster after another, except that they were highly unnatural since there was no explanation.  _Or was there?_  He glanced at the safe in his office, where he had kept the strange dagger for safekeeping. 

"Whoa!" Ryo jolted in his seat when the phone rang and he answered it, his hand on his chest. "Ryo here." 

"Sir, you've a call from the biotech department. Shall I forward it?" his secretary asked. 

"Yeah, connect me. Thank you," Ryo said, waiting. Not a moment later, he heard a familiar voice. 

"Sir, am I interrupting?"

"Not at all, Dee, now is as good as any time," Ryo sighed. "Talk to me." 

"Uh, well, sir... I think you should come over." It only took him now to realize that Dee was whispering. 

"What's going on?" he asked, standing up already. 

"It's about the security systems, sir," the youth whispered. "It's- uh, a certain Miss is here as well. Come quickly," Dee urged and a voice sounded in the background. The line was disconnected then. Ryo sighed, containing his frustration and ran to get to the biotech department. He was seriously getting sick of those security systems now and Miss Kumiho wasn't all that far down on the frustration list either. She didn't stay in the weekend, did she? 

When Ryo arrived at the biotech department, a small crowd had gathered and Ryo had to gently push his way forward. Miss Kumiho was standing there, a group of men in black suits - which Ryo had never met before - lifting something that looked like an upgraded version of the security system they had been working on. Dee caught sight of him and gestured at the CEO to his lab. Ryo quickly moved before Miss Kumiho could notice him. 

"What the hell is going on in this department, Dee?" he lashed out, though his annoyance was actually directed at the young woman who was overseeing the unpacking of the new system, which he, by the way, had not given the okay to do so. 

"I don't know, sir. Miss Kumiho showed up about five minutes ago, giving us her congratulations because we managed to finish the security systems that would help fend the territory of the farmers of Hanwol and help tag the wolves on the island. I was so confused because by my knowledge, we weren't even that far ahead yet," Dee explained, looking a bit distressed himself. 

"What?!" Ryo blurted out, feeling the anger boiling inside of him. "Under whose authority did she do so?"

"I assumed it was under yours, sir, but seeing your reaction, I'm thinking that's not the case," Dee said cautiously, biting his lip. "She said that the new system had new enhancements and such, and I got a bad feeling about it, so I called you," he shrugged.

"This is unbelievable," Ryo shook his head, feeling like he's had enough. "Thanks for the warning, Dee." He patted the young man on the shoulder and headed out of the lab to confront Miss Kumiho. Where did she get the audacity?!

"Miss Kumiho, may I have a word in private with you?" he asked out loud, startling the employees at work, but seeing hardly a reaction from the woman herself. 

"Ah, Mr. Miyano, how good of you to join us. I was just about to unravel the magnificent new security system your employees have developed under your leadership. It is quite a piece of work," she hummed in that exaggerated sweet voice of hers. 

"Well, be that as it may, perhaps it could wait a moment," Ryo stated, his eye twitching since he couldn't believe that this woman could so open lie to his face. Who did she think she was? 

"Ah, but it really shouldn't, sir. I've told everyone here how thrilled Mr. Yok is to finally be able to use the security systems on the island. He's very enthusiastic about this project," she announced loudly, so everyone would have to hear it and he couldn't argue with her to stop the unveiling. "You should see it yourself, sir. You'll be amazed," she then purred and gave the order for the unveiling. 

Dee had come to stand next to him, a look of confusion and concern on his tanned face. Ryo was uneasy when the new security system came into view, looking nothing like the old version. This one, Ryo noted uncomfortably, looked like trees and shrubs themselves. The charged wires were disguised as vines, and it was only a little comfort to see that there was no net anymore. 

"The updated system is more ecological, animal friendly and unnoticeable, so it will not take away the beauty of the natural landscape of the island. Instead of using sprays to fend them off, animals will be warned by a high frequency sound only they can hear, warning them of danger to have them leave. Tagging them will be even easier and highly efficient. Observe," she pressed a few buttons on the glass tablet she always carried around, and Ryo jumped a little at seeing one vine branch out, a long, thin needle protruding from it. One of the men in black suits had placed a plastic wolf in front of the camouflaged fence and the needle aimed itself towards the plastic creature. 

Ryo flinched while Dee jumped on the spot when the needle was shot at the wolf's backside. When the needle was removed, a tiny chip was shown, which then moved under the plastic skin where it stayed. 

"The animal will be safely and unknowingly tagged and protected. We'll be ready to distribute the systems to anyone who wants it," Miss Kumiho smiled at Ryo, but he didn't return it. 

"Miss Kumiho, a word," he demanded. 

Back in his office, Ryo took off his blazer and loosened his tie because he was ready to burst and he needed to calm himself down. 

"Miss Kumiho-,"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Miyano," the woman interrupted all too suddenly, giving a bow. "I know what you're going to say and before you do, allow me to explain. After you were given the additional project of tagging the wildlife on this island, Mr. Yok asked me to relieve you of some of your duties by tending to the security system which were, indeed, rather flawed. So, I took matter into my own hands, only because he ordered me to and to help you in your job, while you could further concentrate on the Yggdrasil project," she explained, but Ryo wasn't satisfied. 

"And you did all of this behind my back? There was no way for you to have informed me about any of it?" he asked, still irked. 

"I didn't want to rob you of your weekend, sir. You've quality time to spend with your beautiful wife and  _lovely_  daughter," she said, looking regretful, but Ryo didn't buy into it. 

"Regardless, I'm still the CEO of this company, Miss Kumiho. I don't appreciate you going behind my back and taking over projects that I'm responsible for. Personal liaison to Mr. Yok or not, I don't want you meddling in my business from now on. Is this clear? You work here from nine to five and not a minute longer. I only want to see you work on the Yggdrasil project and nothing more, unless I explicitly ask you to. Do we have an understanding?" 

"Mr. Miyano, you must understand-,"

"No,  _you_ must understand that everything in this company is my responsibility. Every project in this company must be approved and authorized by me, and no one else. I don't know how you got those systems to work the way they do so fast, but you just swept the rug underneath the feet of hardworking, decent employees and I can't stand for that kind of work ethic. I know Mr. Yok is enthusiastic about the Hanwol branch. I know that he's a man that wishes to see results as soon as possible, but I'll not have you take over in such a way.  _I_ run this company. And if you disagree with the way I run things, feel free to report to Mr. Yok. Until I hear a response from him, we do things my way," Ryo stated definitively. 

Miss Kumiho twitched a smile his way before bowing. "I understand completely, sir," she stood perfectly straight, glancing at him. Ryo looked back at the woman with jet black hair, pale skin and ruby lips, her tiger-like eyes shining emerald in the light. He thought briefly what a shame it was for a woman as beautiful as her to have such an unattractive personality. 

"If I may say one more thing, sir, I couldn't help but notice that things have seem to become rather awry around here. There's talk of corrupted data and non-functional computer systems, poor plants and creatures dying inexplicitly. Whether it is my place or not, I am rather concerned by these dismal developments, sir," she pouted a little to show how concerned she was. 

"It's like the world turned upside down after the weekend," Ryo commented a little coolly. "But nothing that we can't fix," he stated confidently. "Will that be all, Miss Kumiho?"

"Of course, sir. And yes," she bowed and walked towards the door. Abruptly she stopped and turned on her heels. "It's the oddest thing," she uttered ever so softly. Ryo thought he didn't have enough patience for this woman anymore, but he decided to hear her out this time, considering that it was probably the first time that she showed a genuine emotional reaction. 

"What is, Miss Kumiho?" he didn't care that he sounded a bit exasperated.

"These happenings, odd, inexplicable manifestations of flora and fauna withering away, water pollution... they've happened before, at other branches. It's strange that they would occur briefly after Mr. Yok paid them a visit," she mused, lost in thought. She blinked rapidly, looking a little bewildered. "Sorry, I mean, I don't mean to speak ill of my superior, of course, but it just occurred to me what a strange coincidence it is." A silence fell between them while Ryo tried to see whether she was feigning this or whether she was speaking in earnest. It was the first time he recognized something human about her.

"Good luck, sir. I shall be around, should you change your mind and have need of me," she then said with another bow before leaving him alone.

Ryo sank into his seat, his hand covering his mouth and chin, shaking his head. He really hated Mondays.

***

Miss Kumiho walked away through the quiet hallways, heading down to the security room. If she was feeling anxious, she wasn't showing it. When her phone rang, she wasn't the bit surprised. 

"Yes? Hello, sir," she paused, listening to her master's voice before smiling an actual smile, her green eyes gleaming. 

"I'm positive, sir. I'm getting the footage as we speak. You'll find this fascinating," she moved to the security footage after sending the on-duty employee away. She clicked on the new footage and watched as highly organized wolves flashed across the screen. 

"There's thirteen now, sir. Have no worries, the new security systems will be installed soon and when they do, there'll be nowhere our little wolves will be able to run to. They'll be yours," she purred, imagining the smirk on his face. She nodded at hearing her employer's instructions. 

"It's already beginning. All of it depends on the fool CEO to unlock the dagger. Until then, please try to control your ravenous appetite. We wouldn't want the world ending before he's managed to uncover all the secrets, now do we?" she laughed as she ran her fingers over the screen, showing a particularly stunning white wolf with glowing eyes, smiling devilishly.

_I know who you are, little one..._


	45. ~ Connected ~

_Jae-yah! You've been so absent the whole day, are you feeling okay?_

A cheerful voice sounded, while a pair of warm, sparkling eyes watched from a distance at two girls having a conversation. 

_I'm fine, don't worry. I guess I'm just a little tired. I'm not particularly fond of Mondays._

Luhan didn't have to be able to get into her mind to know that she was lying. He smirked as he carefully studied her facial expression. She fluttered her eyelids and blushed ever so slightly when she lied. Jae didn't grant him access to her mind, but that didn't mean that he couldn't happen to sneak into the mind of her friend to eavesdrop on the conversation. He eased his conscience by telling himself that he wouldn't have resorted to doing this if Jae hadn't been avoiding him and his brothers since Saturday night. 

_Aw! Don't feel bad, Jae-yah, at least we get to see Luhan-oppa and all the others again,_ she giggled and Luhan watched to see how Jae would react to this. 

_Oh, uh, yeah, I guess,_ she shrugged and he narrowed his eyes slightly. He couldn't interpret her words, couldn't read her expression. He knew that he shouldn't, but temptation was too great. He focused on Jae's conversational partner, Lili, he found out was her name, and sent her a message. 

_Hey, what do you think about them, anyway?_

He saw the girl's lips move accordingly, but he knew that it were his words she uttered. 

_What? The twelve? Uh, I don't know. Why are you asking?_

Jae retaliated and Luhan pulled a worried face when Lili blinked and frowned. 

_Huh? Oh, uh...I don't know,_ she giggled, a little confused. Time for some damage control. 

_What I meant is that, you know, they're so handsome and...stuff,_ Luhan winced a little. How was he supposed to roleplay a girl?  _And, uh, they seem to be pretty interested in you._

Oops. He hadn't meant to sound jealous. Where did that even come from? Jae watched her friend a moment before she shrugged again. 

_I don't think 'interested' is the right word. But, I guess they're just being nice, or something, you know, since I'm the new girl, and all that._ She ran a hand through her dark hair. Luhan sensed that Lili could continue the conversation and he just listened. Jae was not an open book, and he wasn't sure how to handle people like that since he could usually read them without any effort. With Jae, however, it felt like he had to use a pry bar to get her to open up and he didn't particularly like that. 

_They would totally do that, they're so kind and sweet, and cute...especially Luhan-oppa!_

Luhan cringed again, feeling embarrassed, but he had to act cool. He didn't want to get unwanted attention by behaving strangely. 

_You really like him, don't you?_

Jae then asked, causing his ears to perk up. Did he just noticed the tiniest hint of jealousy in her voice?

_How could you not? Have you taken a good look at him, Jae-yah? He's sooo pretty!_

"What?!" Luhan piped out of the blue, turning a few heads. Startled, he turned around, playing it cool as he looked into his locker, pretending to be searching for something. When no one gave him a second look, he sighed out of relief, but was a little annoyed. Why would she think that he was pretty? 'Pretty' was the term used to describe girls, not men, like him! 

He blinked when he heard Jae's laughter in his mind, and he carefully looked at the girls who were standing further away. Was she laughing at him somehow? 

_I don't think 'pretty' is the right word to describe him, Lili. I think he'd appreciate it more if you called him 'handsome', rather than 'pretty'._

Luhan's eyes widened a little, pleasantly surprised. There was no way that she heard his thoughts, was there? He was always very careful to shield his mind for possible intruders. He smiled along this time when he saw Jae laughing. 

_Yeah, probably, but I can't help it, he's so pretty, his eyes, his face, ugh, I can't!_ her friend stated dramatically, and even though it made him feel a little uncomfortable, he decided to let it slide and focused on Jae instead. 

_There, there,_  Jae patted her encouragingly on the shoulder. Lili sighed and then nodded. 

_Thanks, Jae-yah. He's so pretty it hurts,_ she continued before finally getting a hold of herself.  _Hey, by the way, a bunch of us are going into town right now. Do you want to come along? We could talk about who we're going to ask for the Homecoming Dance!_

_Oh, thanks for the offer, Lili, but I kind of already have some other plans,_ Jae replied, tugging a lock of hair behind her ear. Luhan hummed softly to himself. What other plans? 

_Oh gosh, of course! How could I forget?_

Luhan didn't like how Lili giggled when she playfully nudged Jae, winking at her in a teasing way. 

_Give my regards to Minho, okay? Maybe we'll catch you two kids in town._

Jae chuckled, Luhan frowning discontently at seeing her flush. 

_Yeah, who knows. I'll see you later,_ she greeted amicably. 

_See you, Jae-yah!_

Lili left and Luhan finally closed his locker after only using it as a cover-up to be able to eavesdrop on the conversation. He adjusted the strap of his backpack, feeling a little uneasy. Should he confront her? Why? What right did he have to do so? While he was debating with himself what he should do, he saw that Jae was steadily walking away, out of the school building and unwittingly, his legs started moving, going after her. He only halted when Jae waited at the bottom of the steps that lead up to the school, leaning against one of the stone lions that guarded the front gate. 

After another moment of hesitation, he cleared his throat, straightened himself and walked towards her. She was busy with looking down on her phone, unaware that he was approaching her. Seeing her face getting closer, he thought back briefly to the time in the woods when she first granted him access to her mind, so easily and so willingly. He hadn't told anyone, but he was genuinely surprised at how stable she was. It wasn't an easy feat to allow someone access to their dreams and Luhan had held himself back as much as he could, but she didn't think him an intruder. Her mind was strong. 

"I bet I can tell what you're thinking," he said teasingly in her ear, chuckling when she startled and jumped a little. She stared at him, wide-eyed, until she visibly relaxed at seeing that it was him and she clacked her tongue in accusation at him.  

"No, you can't," she replied steadily, her warm eyes beaming confidently, nearly teasingly at him. Luhan licked his lips, the grin evident on his face. 

"Okay, you're right. Guess that means that you should hurry up and grant me access already, make it easier," he replied, seeing Jae cross her arms across her chest, propping up a judging eyebrow his way. 

"Nice try, but I'll pass," she told him, before looking a bit out of place again. 

"You-," Luhan shut his mouth, wondering whether he should go ahead and confront her. He saw that he caught her attention and that she was expecting him to say something. He coughed shortly. "You didn't show up last night," he remarked quietly, leaning his arm against the side of the lion, liking how Jae was much shorter than he was so it appeared like she was somewhat covered by him. 

The playfulness in her eyes shimmered away and she hugged her arms. "Yeah, well, I didn't feel like being ripped open to shreds last night so I stayed home and caught up on some sleep," she replied sarcastically, and Luhan couldn't blame her. Her fear had been real. Her wound was real as well. The white wolf Jae claimed had attacked her- he still wasn't sure. He didn't see it. None of his brothers saw it either. They even went hunting for this mystery wolf last night instead of the pulse of energy, but to no avail. 

"I'd ask you how you're doing, but that seems clarifying enough," Luhan whispered, his look genuinely concerned. He wasn't one that got scared easily, but hearing Jae scream, seeing her fight off something that he couldn't see- it was something he never wanted to experience again. Something he didn't want  _her_  to experience again either. In all honesty, when he held her, he didn't want to let go. He kept it to himself, but he was ready to kill whoever did this to her. 

"I'm sorry," he then said, looking into her eyes. "We shouldn't have asked you to come hunting with us so quickly, but because we did, we should've kept you safe, protected you. If we were more vigilant, this wouldn't have happened." His apology was sincere and he could feel the strong sense of regret and guilt return to him from two nights before. "I know we made a huge mistake, but I promise you that none of us will ever allow something like this to happen again. Just- please, don't ignore us." 

"You don't have to apologize, Luhan," Jae's voice was soft and she looked sad. "It was my own stupid fault for going after it by myself. I got startled. It was just...too much," she explained, letting out a shy chuckle before facing him again. "I'm not ignoring you. I just needed to get my thoughts straight, back away from it for a while." Jae bit her lip and Luhan thought he'd die at seeing her blush, shuffling her feet in the process because, damn it, the girl wasn't cute enough already!

"I really didn't mean to give off the impression that I was neglecting you, or anything. I wanted to tell you that I wouldn't come with last night, but I realized that I don't have any of your phone numbers," she added ever so quietly, unable to properly look at him as she said it. 

Luhan laughed softly at this, smirking. "Well, that's easily solved," he commented, grabbing her phone from her hands before she could protest and entered his personal information. "There," he handed the device back to her and she accepted it, only a little bewildered. "Now you can reach me whenever you want," he said. 

"Uh- y-yeah, guess so...Um, thanks," she replied, staring at his number. 

Luhan's smile faded a little when he caught her touching her side for a moment. He wished that he could see into her mind, watch her memories. It would be easier to see what had happened to her, but he respected her wishes. "Do you remember any specific details about the white wolf?" he asked, a little more seriously now. 

"Not anything that I haven't already told you. It was a white wolf, completely white, with green eyes. I don't know why it suddenly attacked me, I mean it wasn't like I provoked it, or anything, it just kept snapping at me, and lashing out-," Jae abruptly stopped talking and Luhan noticed the look of realization in her eyes. 

"Wake up," she muttered. Luhan guessed that she was speaking to herself. 

"Wake up?" he repeated, their eyes meeting again when Jae looked up at him. 

"I heard a voice," she then told him, looking around to make sure that no one else could hear them. Honestly, Luhan didn't mind that she had to lean closer towards him to do so. 

"I didn't recognize the voice, but it told me to wake up. I can only assume that it was the white wolf that said it to me, but it doesn't make any sense. Why would it tell me to wake up when I was already awake?" she then asked, glancing up at him to see if he knew the answer. Luhan wished he did, but he was none the wiser. He was still trying to figure out how it was possible that Jae claimed to be attacked by a white wolf when he hadn't been able to see one.

"What if it wasn't necessarily talking to you?" he then suggested as he was thinking about it. "Maybe it was calling out to something as well, like the way you called for help. Something that needed to wake up," he mused, his mind racing. 

"If that is the case, then the creepy question that accompanies that theory is, what exactly was it trying to wake up?" Jae's voice was a sweet and gentle whisper, but her words struck him like lightning, almost as though Chen had been around and accidentally zapped him. 

"I don't know," he mumbled, wondering what was going on. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't help but notice that things seemed particularly out of whack since Jae arrived. What did this girl set in motion? 

"You think I set something in motion?" Jae suddenly asked him, frowning a little as she looked up at him. Luhan startled. Did she hear him? Not possible, he didn't let anyone into his mind, he shielded it, always. 

"What?" he asked, dumbfounded. 

"I heard you," she told him, a little smile playing on her lips, thinking that he was fooling her. When she realized that he really wasn't she blinked. "You did just sent that to me, in my head, didn't you? I heard you loud and clear," she whispered. 

For the moment, Luhan could only shake his head, a strange mixture of feelings overwhelming him. Panic, concern, bewilderment, and lastly, warmth. He couldn't explain it, but it felt like a key clicked within a lock that opened something Luhan wasn't even aware of that needed to be opened. All he felt was an electrifying pull, a warmth that filled him with so much energy and joy he thought he would burst. 

His nerves tingled and burst at Jae's touch when her hand was on his shoulder. He nearly gasped for breath. 

"Luhan, are you okay?" her voice, her gentle voice called to him and the rest of the world didn't exist. He saw clearer than he had ever seen before, every scent, every sound did not go passed him unnoticed, but they seemed irrelevant right now. The voices he heard had grown louder as well, but Jae drowned them out. She made him feel-  _stronger_. 

"Hey, do you want me to get someone? Luhan? Luhan, hey, get a grip, your- eh," she leaned forward, the smell of jasmine clouding his mind. "Luhan, your eyes," she whispered warningly. Apparently, he didn't react fast enough since Jae reached for her bag and grabbed a pair of sunglasses which she slipped on him before he realized what she was doing. His reflexes were fast when he took hold of one of her hands, refusing to let go. 

"What's the matter?" Jae asked in concern, looking around, giving nervous smiles at people who happened to see the interaction, but Luhan didn't care. He never felt this way before. Like he could conquer the whole world, all because of her. 

"Hey, snap out of it," she pulled her hand which he was holding. "You're freaking me out. What are you thinking, showing your eyes like that?" 

"You don't feel this?" he asked, not knowing what to do with so much energy. He could hear the countless voices, see images and memories and thoughts all at once. In the past it had made him scream out of agony, but now, he could filter it, he could walk through each voice, through each mind like child's play. He bet that if he wanted to, he could lift and move the school building with a single thought- heck, he could probably lift the entire island! As long as Jae didn't let go of him. 

"Feel what?" she asked, her face concerned. 

"This," he nearly shouted in frustration, lifting his hand that was holding hers. "You're doing this, aren't you?" 

"Doing what? Luhan, you're scaring me," she whispered, alarmed. And this woke him up. He didn't want to let go, but he did. Gently he removed his fingers from hers, and all at once that invincible energy he felt dimmed away. Was this... was this her power? Was she like him? 

"I'm sorry," he spoke softly, taking steady breaths. He was grateful that she put her wayfarer sunglasses on him, so she couldn't see that he was unable to look at her. 

"Did something happen? Did you see or hear something?" 

He swallowed when he realized that Jae's questions were filled with concern- concern towards him. She really didn't know. She didn't realize that they made a connection just now and that made him sad above all else. How could she not know? What was he going to say? What just happened?

"Sorry," he said again, attempting to smile at her. "It's- uh, it's nothing." Even with the sunglasses on, Jae managed to peer at him, making him feel vulnerable. There weren't a lot of people that were capable in making him feel that way. 

"You're a terrible liar," she mused, but her expression was soft. "Are you sure you're okay?"

_No. No, I'm not sure, please stay here with me,_ Luhan thought, purposely making sure that she wouldn't be able to hear it when his mouth said, "Yeah, I'm fine. Maybe it was a heatstroke, or something. It's still pretty warm today," he said, stretching himself. 

"I guess," she nodded, looking up at the sun. "You should take care in this heat. You've soccer practice, right?" 

"Oh, yeah, uh, right," Luhan nodded, mentally slapping himself. He nearly forgot about that and he was the freaking captain of the team!  _Girl, what are you doing to me?_

"But, you know, it's no biggie. I could skip if I want," he shrugged, wondering why he said that so easily. "Hey, you know, maybe I should skip practice for today and maybe the two of us could get something to drink downtown and, you know, talk about the stuff that's been going on. See if we can figure something out," he suggested, shoving his hands in his pockets, something he always did when he was feeling shy or nervous. 

"O-oh, well, that's a pretty good idea, except that I'm kinda meeting someone now," Jae replied gently, wincing a little when Luhan was unable to mask the disappointment on his face. "But, we could meet tonight. Bring everyone else up to date as well and see from there. How does that sound?" she then suggested expectantly. 

"Ah. Everyone else, hm," he nodded. "Yeah, okay," he said a little reluctantly, but at least her wanting to meet again tonight was a good sign. She really wasn't trying to avoid all of them. 

"Great," Jae smiled and he returned the favor. He watched as her eyes darted to someone behind him and he nearly growled when he turned to follow the gaze. 

"Hey, Minho," she greeted sweetly -  _too sweetly,_ Luhan thought to himself and he almost glared at the kid when he approached them. 

"Yo, Jae-yah," he replied cheerfully, and Luhan felt pretty darn good when the kid caught sight of him and was able to put two and two together, realizing that he had been conversing with Jae and that they were standing closer to each other than was necessary. Was it wrong to feel smug and proud at seeing someone get intimidated by you just standing there? Maybe, but damn, it felt good. 

"Ah, Luhan-hyung, were you- uh, I mean... am I interrupting something?" Minho asked, scratching the back of his neck. 

"No."

"Yes."

Came the different answers at the same time. Jae glared up at Luhan now, her eyes asking him what the heck he thought he was doing. Luhan chuckled and turned to Minho. 

"Just kidding," he assured, but he couldn't help his playful, naughtier side to bubble up when he motioned at Jae and glanced suggestively at her. "We just wrapped up our conversation," he said, starting to move away. 

"Oh, okay. Cool," Minho nodded, though Luhan read the kid's defensive body language with ease. He had straightened himself to look taller and pulled his shoulders back a bit to appear broader and stronger as well. Weaker males tended to do that when an alpha was around. 

"Yeah, cool," Luhan repeated, glancing at the both of them. Jae had perked her eyebrow at him again, judging him, which was enough reason for Luhan to tease her further. "So, Jae, I'll see you tonight, okay?" he greeted as casually as possible, giving in to his sadistic side in utter amusement at seeing the stunned look on Jae's face and the sudden worry on Minho's. He walked away, smirking, but he walked slowly, entering the mind of Minho and reading him, listening in on the conversation. 

_Whoa, did Luhan-hyung ask you out on a date or something?_ Minho asked, the confusion evident in his voice. He saw Jae blushing, and quickly shaking her head. 

_N-no, no, don't be silly- he's just- he was joking,_ she stammered, which worked out great because it sounded like she was lying.  _Anyway, forget about him,_ she dismissed and smiled brightly at Minho. _For now it's just you and me._

_You and me?!_ Luhan turned his head slightly, not liking the sound of that at all. Because the phrase startled him, he missed out on what they said afterwards, but he didn't like the way they laughed together and he certainly didn't like the way how Minho extended his arm towards her and Jae accepting it while they walked away.

_What the-? Crap!_ What are those two going to do? He followed them with his eyes as best as he could until they were out of sight and Luhan was left with the frustration and nagging curiosity ( _Yes; nagging curiosity, guys like me don't get jealous that easily!_ ). After thinking things through, he finally made a decision and grabbed his phone. He hit a speed dial number and waited, pushing the sunglasses more firmly on his nose. 

"Baozi, let's skip practice today," he said when Xiumin answered the phone.

" _Why?_ "

"Why? Because I'm the captain and you have to listen to me," Luhan said in a hurry. "Will you just hurry and meet me in front of the school gate? Quickly," he pressed, making sure Xiumin could hear the urgency in his voice. 

" _You're not having a fangirl crisis, are you? I will not be used as bait a fifth time, Luhan,_ " Xiumin stated, sounding bored on the other line. 

"Will you just ditch practice and come with me? It's important," Luhan snapped, and he could almost hear Xiumin rolling his eyes on the other side of the line. 

" _Fine,_ " Xiumin sighed. " _Will you at least tell me what this is about?_ " 

Luhan hesitated a moment, before he gave in. "It's about Jae. She-,"

" _I'll be right there._ "

Luhan stared in disbelief at his phone when Xiumin hung up on him as soon as he mentioned the girl's name. He shook his head but chuckled. Maybe, he thought a little regretfully, he wasn't the only one that felt connected to Jae. Whatever role she played, Luhan realized that she was at the center of it. Or, at least, to him, she was. Something told him that it may be the same case for the rest of his brothers as well. He wondered then, whether they had felt what he felt when he was connected to her. Jae hadn't the foggiest clue on what was going on, but he felt  _all_ of it. 

Luhan stared at the direction where Jae disappeared with Minho and balled his fist in determination. He wanted to feel that way again. And while they were at it, maybe, just maybe, he wanted Jae as well. He smiled. He hated it when Suho was right. Girls were trouble, and this particular one might just be the end of him. But did he mind? 

_Not at all._


	46. ~ Reflection ~

***

_You know, when I called you to come meet me, I hadn't meant that you should call everyone else as well!_

Lu-ge's voice sounded in his mind. Tao smirked to himself at listening in on the conversation that Luhan himself broadcasted to them, since he had no problem in telling them what he thought. 

_How was I supposed to know that? You said that it had something to do with Jae, so I assumed that she got herself in trouble again!_

Xiumin-hyung retaliated, smacking Luhan against the shoulder since they were standing near each other. 

_Well, she could sort of still be in trouble! I don't trust that Minho kid!_

Lu-ge replied fiercely and Tao did all he could to prevent from laughing out loud. He was leaning against Sehun, gently smacking him on the arm to point out how ridiculous their older brothers were behaving, but his younger brother seemed too focused and distracted as well. He peered from behind the bushes at the local coffee shop trying to get a proper look at Jae and this kid she went out with. 

_Luhan is right, I don't trust Minho either,_ said Suho, bending behind a smaller shrub, peeking out of it from time to time.  _He was being too playful and suspiciously charming to her since day two,_ he grumbled. 

_Oh my God, are you even hearing yourselves right now? So, Jae-noona is out with Minho-hyung, who cares?!_ Kai commented from the shades of the trees behind them, but Tao thought it a little strange that Kai seemed to be glaring at the coffee shop window, where Jae was talking to Minho. 

_It's not a matter of caring, Kai, she's part of the pack and it's our duty to look after one of our own,_ Suho replied, and Tao agreed to that statement, though Kai obviously didn't. Perhaps he wasn't wrong to sulk about this, it was rather ridiculous how a bunch of guys were hiding behind shrubbery to keep an eye on one girl. 

_They seem to just be having coffee, Lu, are you sure about that hunch of yours?_ Kris asked, who was secretly hovering amongst the treetops to get a better look from up high. 

_Get down, down, down! She's looking!_ Baekhyun yelled in their minds, the brothers immediately diving down to avoid being seen. 

_Oh this is ridiculous..._ Kai muttered grumpily, his face planted on the ground. 

_Are you sure she can't hear us, hyung?_ Chen asked, crouched down like a turtle behind a shrub.

_Positive._

Hm. Lu-ge didn't sound so sure this time. Tao peeked over at his older brother and saw the brief hesitation in his eyes. Did something happen? He looked so rattled, unlike his usual self. 

_Uh-oh, mayday, mayday!_ Chanyeol suddenly stated. _Lay-hyung!_ He pointed out in a panic. Sure enough, the brothers watched as one of their own was running down the street, windmilling his arms around while he was obviously searching for something. Why was this particular ge-ge always so dazed? 

"Lay! Lay! Get over here!" Luhan hissed from behind the bushes, startling the young man in question. Lay rushed over to them, his eyes wide when he saw that his other brothers were hiding as well. 

"What are you doing? Are we playing hide and seek?" he asked, scratching his head. 

"Oh, Jae-noona, Jae-noona!" Chen alerted. 

"Oh, where-  _Ah!_ " Sehun had grabbed Lay by the shirt and pulled him in before he was able to finish his sentence, looking at his brothers in astonishment when Kris placed a hand over his mouth and kept his head down. 

Tao blinked at the interaction and carefully risked a peek at the coffee shop. Jae was frowning a little while she looked at their direction, but she didn't seem to notice that they were there. For some reason, he was blushing at seeing her like that and wondered what she was talking about with Minho that made her laugh so much. 

"They're leaving," he murmured mostly to himself, since their brothers were updating Lay on the current situation and only Sehun seemed to have heard him. 

"Where is he taking her?" Sehun grumbled, obviously annoyed. "What does that peasant-hyung think he's doing?" 

"Calm down, Sehunnie, I'm sure it's nothing. It's not like they're on a date or something," Tao tried to reason, smiling it off, but the look of seriousness on his younger brother's face made him worry. He glanced back and saw Jae and Minho walking towards the direction of the park. 

"T-they're not on a date, are they?" he then asked, imagining having to use his Kung Fu on Minho-hyung if he tried to do anything fishy. 

"Hurry, we'll lose them!" it was D.O. that growled from behind them, shooting out from behind the bushes to follow Jae. Tao was still a little bewildered, while Sehun didn't skip a beat and quickly followed suit. 

"H-hey, wait for me!"  Tao yelled, going after them. 

_Where do you think you're going?!_ came Luhan's voice in his head. 

_Lu-ge, they're going to the park. D.O. and Sehun are already following them,_ he quickly explained, not having to look behind him to know that his brothers were behind him. They were attempting to go on stealth-mode, but they stood out far too much. Especially Kris-ge, Tao noted, whose impressive height and good looks were a disadvantage in a situation like this one. 

_They really shouldn’t follow so close behind, Jae will notice,_ Xiumin said, the bunch of them taking refuge behind trees and shrubs, as if they were spies shadowing their prized target. 

_D.O., Sehun, not too close!_ Luhan warned, prompting them to reluctantly hold back, Sehun hiding behind a row of trees while D.O. kept low to the ground.

All of them seemed to be holding their breaths as they watched Jae and Minho walk side by side, talking about some kind of scary movie. Tao knew which one they were talking about since he saw the advertisement at the local cinema, and he shuddered a moment. If there was one thing he hated the most, it was anything that could scare him. He didn't like horror and now there was another reason for him to dislike it. It was something he wouldn't be able to talk about with Jae. 

_Look at that smug grin on his face, as if he's plotting something,_ Suho sounded, eyes squinting at Minho. 

_No, it's his beady eyes, hyung. Too sneaky,_ Chanyeol added, nodding his head as he adapted a similar expression of distrust like Suho. 

The brothers all groaned and rolled their eyes when Minho stretched himself and cunningly slithered his arm over Jae's shoulder. 

_Oh, come on!_ Baekhyun shook his head. 

_Oldest trick in the book and he didn't even do it right! So obvious!_ Chen pointed out, looking to be suffering from secondhand embarrassment. 

"I have a question," Lay then chimed, even lifting his hand as though he was in class. "Why are we following Jae-yah like this? Can't we just walk over and say hello?" he asked, blinking at his brothers when this time, he was the one they rolled their eyes at. 

"Wake up, Lay-hyungie! This is a top-secret, super important mission. We have to make sure Jae-noona stays safe when she's out with  _outsiders_. We can't be seen or we'll get caught and then Jae-noona will send us away and who knows what'll happen then!" Chen explained in a dramatic fashion that oddly made a lot of sense to Lay and to Tao, if he had to admit it. He felt compelled to want to protect Jae as well, like a brother should watch over his sister. He didn't like the fact that Jae was hanging out with someone other than them. It wasn't strange to feel that way, was it? 

As Tao thought about it, he realized that all of them only knew Jae for roughly a week, and already they felt so strongly towards her. All in different ways, but still. He knew that there had to be something odd about that, but he didn't feel that way at all. After Lu-ge's confirmation that she was one of them, Tao had felt happy, more than anything. Maybe it was also because he could somehow relate to her situation. There was a time when he had a hard time fitting in and he'd often felt lonely and out of place because of it, and wasn't that the same way for Jae? He'd be the first to admit that he didn't understand much about who they were and what they could do, but he was certain of one thing, and that was the fact that Jae was connected to him. To them. All of them. That had to be the main reason why they acted like idiots this way, right? 

"What are they doing? I can't hear them," Kris murmured and automatically looked at Luhan. 

"I'd rather not," was the surprising answer. "If I get too close, Jae may find out," he quickly added. 

"Ask Sehun then. He seems to be in the position closest to her," Suho urged and Luhan cleared his throat. Since they were all hiding, the only things that were visible were their heads, or parts of it, and since all of their gazes were directed the same way, an old lady that spotted them had started laughing. Embarrassed, the brothers chuckled back.

"Joonmyeon, is that you? What are you doing, silly boy?" she asked and Suho's face was dusted in red, prompting Tao to purse his lips together to keep from laughing.

"Oh, hello Mrs. Jung, I- eh, well, we were just eh, um..." Suho stammered nervously.

"Playing a game," Chen answered instead, a Cheshire cat grin on his face.

"A game? Young men like you? Oh, poor dears," she chuckled and shook her head. "You should be out finding a nice girlfriend, handsome men like you! Playing hide and seek is for little boys. You're not little boys, are you?" she tutted, embarrassing them even further. Before any of them could respond, she walked up to Suho and handed him a card. 

"Why don't you give my granddaughter a call, Joonmyeon? I'm sure she'd like it if you called. It would be nice for the two of you to start courting, don't you think?" Mrs. Jung mused and patted him on the head, while the brothers snickered quietly at seeing Suho's pale complexion turn a fiery shade of red. 

"Give her a call, dear. Make an old lady happy. Ta-ta!" she waved while the boys politely greeted her. Suho, meanwhile was ready to sink into a hole in the ground. Tao snorted and immediately received a ferocious glare from Suho, shooting daggers his way. 

"I didn't even say anything, hyung!" he protested, trying to keep a straight face.

"You were thinking it!" he accused, checking on Luhan to verify and when this devil in angelic disguise confirmed it, Suho flared his eyebrows up, as if saying,  _see?!_

"Oh! Lu-ge is lying, I wasn't thinking anything!" Tao nearly shouted, had Kris not placed his hand over his mouth. 

"Not so loud!" he warned, checking on Jae and Minho who were sitll none the wiser. D.O. looked upset, which meant that he was agitated, and when he was agitated, even Suho's glare of fire doused in comparison to his. 

_What are you idiots doing?_ D.O. sounded calm as usual, but there was a distinct snap in his voice that made Tao's eyes widen at hearing the tone. 

_Don't worry about it, D.O., Suho just met his future grandmother in law, that's all,_ Chanyeol quickly replied, his face twitching as though he wasn't sure whether he wanted to laugh or stay completely serious for his own safety. 

_Jae is getting suspicious. She's been looking over at your direction a couple of times now and started smelling your scent!_ he growled in their minds, whilst checking up on the girl in question. Tao looked around curiously, his eyes wandering around the environment. He heard the distinct growling of their youngest brother somewhere, but the problem was that he couldn't see Sehun anywhere. 

_Yah! Sehunnie, where are you?!_  he searched the area with his eyes, scanning the shrubs, the trees, but where was Sehun? 

"Kris-ge," he called and that was enough for  _duizhang_  to know that there was something wrong. 

"What is it?" Kris appeared next to him, making himself as small as possible. Jae was in the distance, sitting on a bench with Minho cozily next to her. He was talking about something entertaining, moving his hands in an animated fashion before sneakily snaking his arm around her shoulders again. 

"I can't see Sehun anywhere," Tao whispered, still searching for their youngest brother. 

"What's going on?" Baekhyun joined, crouching down next to Tao's other side. Chen and Chanyeol were not far behind while Xiumin, Luhan and Lay stood next to Kris. Kai was still in the background, peering at Jae's direction, though he was searching the area as well, looking for Sehun. 

"Sehun's gone," Kris grumbled, looking at Suho. 

"What? That damn brat," the leader growled, his eyes flaring up red while they darted around, but Tao knew that Suho was worried and scared more than he was angry. He always was over-protective of them. 

_Sehunnie? Sehun!_ Luhan risked being heard by Jae in search of the maknae, when all of a sudden, it became painfully, frustratingly clear where their little brother was. 

"Oh no. He did not...!" Suho hissed seeing movement from behind one of the bushes and an elegant snout emerged from it. The lithe young wolf licked its snout, eyes crimson red as it focused on the teenagers sitting on the bench. The tawny brown wolf slowly approached the teens, as though it was curious- and hungry. 

_Sehun, get back here! Are you insane?!_ Luhan called out, but of course, the young wolf ignored him. 

_Sehun-ah what do you think you're doing?_ Lay tried, but the brothers were helpless to stop him. Tao gawked and gasped softly himself when Jae and Minho finally caught sight of the wolf and jolted back. 

_Sehunnie, you're not going to harm him, are you? Don't do anything stupid,_ he warned, worried for him. He was close with Sehun, so maybe, just maybe, the kid would at least listen to him. He saw how one of Sehun's ears twitched for a moment, but it didn't stop him. 

"Oh my God, it's a wolf!" Minho exclaimed, attempting to shield Jae, though it was obvious that he was scared out of his wits. "Don't make eye contact," he whispered in a panic. 

Jae herself looked spooked, until she got a better look at the wolf. The brothers were sure that they were done for the moment she tilted her head and a flash of recognition gleamed in her eyes. Then, the panic and shock settled in. Before she could utter a word however, Sehun approached them, prompting Minho to jump up from the bench in a start, moving away just in time before Sehun claimed his spot on the bench next to Jae. 

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Jae, get away from there!" the boy warned, and Tao couldn't help but admire the fact that Minho chose to stay in the face of danger instead of bailing on Jae. If that would've happened, he'd give him a piece of his mind and a kick against the butt. 

"Jae, I'll try to distract it and you run the other way, okay? I'll meet you in front of the movie theater," Minho whispered, barely moving. When he made a small step towards the wolf, Sehun snapped his head towards the boy and growled viciously. "Whoa! Okay, okay," Minho backed up while Jae was still frozen with the wolf so close by. She lifted her hands in the air when the wolf meekly graced himself against her, gently nuzzling her lap and resting there. Meanwhile, its cheeky red eyes gleamed provocatively at his awestruck brothers who could not believe what they were seeing. 

"What the...is that normal wolf behavior?" Minho asked, obviously stumped. 

"Uhm..." Jae mused, looking at the wolf that made itself particularly comfortable.  _It may be normal Sehun-behavior,_ she thought and Tao could hear her, loud and clear. He glanced at his brothers and read off their faces that they heard her too. 

_Don't anybody think of anything,_ Luhan said as quietly as possible, but it still made Jae look up, her eyes scanning the area for the briefest of moments. 

Sehun suddenly stretched and yawned, rolling over on his back as though he was demanding that Jae would rub his belly and her eyes widened. 

_That brat! That- that- that audacious brat!_ Suho protested, momentarily forgetting whether Jae could hear him or not. 

_Yah! Sehun, you're pushing it!_ Kris added, holding himself back to emerge from the bushes. 

Meanwhile, Jae's hands were still hovering awkwardly over Sehun and the wolf meekly nudged her hand, pushing her to pet him, his tongue wagging out of his mouth. 

"Eh- Minho, maybe you should go and get some help. I don't think I'll be going anywhere soon anyway," Jae said quietly. 

"What? I can't leave you alone! Sure, it's meek now, but what if I leave and it attacks you? No way, uh-uh, I'm staying," Minho said determinedly, though there was a little tremble in his voice and he gave a little shriek when Sehun growled at him again. 

"It's okay, I don't think it means any harm. Just go and get help, okay?" Jae said, frowning a little at Sehun as the wolf kept knocking her hand, demanding her full attention.

Tao scoffed.  _And they call me childish?!_

"Oh, that is it!" Chen suddenly muttered, sounding very annoyed at seeing Sehun like this and before they realized what had happened, a second wolf bounced towards the bench, making Minho jolt back in terror and Sehun growl in discontentment. Chen easily lifted his front paws against the armrest, looking at Jae with his mouth parted, giving the impression that he was grinning. 

The dumbfounded girl watched the chestnut-colored wolf for a moment and her mouth gaped.  _Chen?!_

_Hi, noona!_ Chen greeted cheerfully, wagging his tail and nudging her cheek with his snout. 

_Oh, that's just great, we're so dead..._

_Kris?!_  Jae's voice sounded in their heads and the brothers flinched, though they stayed hidden. Instead, they glared at their _duizhang_. Kris grimaced. 

_Oops..._ was the only thing he said, rubbing the back of his hair. Tao rolled his eyes and slapped his ge-ge against the arm. 

"Oh God! Jae, are you okay?" Minho called, too scared to approach her, but not scared enough to run away. He looked lost and confused, conflicted, and Tao kind of felt for him. _Kind of_. 

"Y-yeah, I'm f-fine," she stammered, looking flustered and panicked. "You really should go and get some help," she urged, her nervousness seeping through her body language. She closed her eyes a moment when Sehun suddenly shot up and licked her chin. "Before more of them come!" she squealed, trying to back away when Chen growled derisively at Sehun. 

"Ah, oh-uh, y-yeah, I mean, uh- are you, are you sure?! That wolf just freaking licked you!" Minho rambled.

"Just hurry!" Jae pressed, trying her best to stay clear when the two wolves started pushing each other to claim the spot on Jae's lap. 

"O-okay, okay, okay- uh...Yes! Okay, I'll be right back! S-stay put," Minho spoke, but his feet were more reluctant than his words, until- 

"Whoa! Oh shit!" Minho cussed when a third wolf appeared, seemingly out of thin air, growling viciously at him. 

Tao grinded his teeth out of anxiety when he looked at Kai, wincing a little when he heard the boy's voice in his head. 

_Just go away already!_ he snarled. 

_Now!_  D.O. was not left out of the sudden wolf party, standing next to Kai and walking perfectly in sync together, step by step, approaching Minho as the youth backed away. 

"J-Jae, hold on, o-okay? I'll get help!" he promised before finally running off at the speed of lightning. Only when all of them were sure that the coast was clear, they relaxed. That is, until they saw the look on Jae's face. 

"Okay. What. The. Hell?!" she yelled. "Sehun, get off me!" she attempted to push the wolf away, except that now, of all times, Sehun chose to turn back and he grinned a rakish grin at her as his head was comfortably resting on her lap. 

"Ah, noona, why? I was just getting cozy," he said playfully, looking cutely at her. Jae opened her mouth to argue with him when D.O., back in his human form, simply stood behind the bench and pushed Sehun off. 

"Yes! My turn!" Chen exclaimed, but was immediately held back by Kai who had grabbed his shirt so that he couldn't move forward. 

"What even- What is this? What's going on? D.O.? Kai? What are you doing here?!" Jae got to her feet, ready to give the scolding of a lifetime and Tao was relieved that she seemed to have forgotten that the rest of them were still hiding. 

"Wah, noona, it's not just us, you know! Everyone is here," surprisingly, it was Kai that ratted them out, but Tao figured that that probably had something to do with the fact that amongst the confusion, Jae managed to grab a fallen branch and seemed to be ready to give out a beating or two. 

" _What?!"_ she demanded. 

"Yeah, over there," Sehun pointed, still sitting on the ground. Tao watched breathlessly as Jae turned on her heels towards their hiding spot, shaking her head in disbelief. They ducked down when she threw the branch their way and luckily it didn't land a hit. It did, however, cause them to pop out from their hiding places, absolutely caught red-handed. 

"Oh, hey, Jae-noona! Fancy seeing you here, we had no idea that you were here," Baekhyun quickly rambled, attempting to smile, but being too nervous to do so. 

Tao made sure to stand just a bit behind Kris when they muttered their hellos. 

"Oh my God, I cannot believe this. That-that just happened?! What the heck are all of you doing here?!" she demanded to know before gasping. "Were you...Were you just  _following_  me?!" 

The brothers shook their heads in a reflex, except for Lay, who had nodded at first before he caught on that he was supposed to lie and quickly joined the rest in shaking his head, biting his lip. Tao felt the secondhand embarrassment hit him like a smack against the face. 

"Unbelievable," Jae muttered, heaving a sigh. "Do any of you realize how creepy that is? Why were you even following me? And what the heck was all of that back there?" 

"Those are very good questions, and I'm sure that Suho has the perfect answers for them," Luhan pointed out, putting the unsuspected leader in the spotlight and even giving him a little nudge forward. 

"Eh, um...that is, uh- yes. Ah..." Suho stuttered and Tao couldn't bear it any longer. 

"We were worried, noona," he said matter-of-factly since for him, it was true. Something told him that his brothers may have had other intentions, but he was solely here to make sure that nothing bad happened to her. "After what happened the other night, you know, that wolf attacking you, we just wanted to make sure that you'd be safe. That's all." 

Jae blinked at him for a moment and Tao was already flinching when he thought he saw her get angry. The tension in the air almost immediately vanished when she sighed and visibly relaxed. 

"You know, for a pack of ferocious wolves, you're all dorks," she stated, giving a light chuckle. "But be that as it may, it is totally not cool to spy on me, regardless whether you were just looking out for me or not. Plus, it's seriously creepy," she stressed a little more firmly. "And the four of you!" she pointed at the people standing closest to her. "What in the world were you thinking?! What if someone saw you change into a- a- you-know-what?! We'd all be screwed!" she scolded, and the four brothers had the decency to look ashamed. Tao couldn't help but smile since this was exactly how he'd imagine it would be like to have a sister. Someone who would have no problem in showing his brothers who's the boss. Even Kai had lowered his head in mild regret, despite the fact that he was also scowling. 

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Jae continued, and Tao nearly blasted a laugh when the four of them reluctantly muttered and apology. 

"And what about you?" Jae then turned towards them. "Anything to say for yourself?"

"I do," Lay said quietly after a moment of silence. "Minho is back," he pointed easily, but the news brought the brothers into a state of momentary chaos. 

"Oh crap! He can't see us!" Suho said. 

"Quick, hide," Jae added and they didn't need to be told twice. "Oh, wait, hold up! Shouldn't you four be wolves again?" she asked. 

"Guys, he's coming," Xiumin warned.

D.O., Kai and Chen easily transformed, but Sehun, being the youngest and not necessarily stress-proof, was still walking a bit aimlessly around, trying his best to change back. 

"I swear, there were four wolves!" Minho's voice sounded in the distance. 

"Come on, Sehun," Jae told him, watching him pace about nervously. 

"I-I can't, noona," he admitted quietly. "It's not working, I'm too nervous," he admitted. 

"Just calm down and do what you always do when you're about to transform," she tried to encourage him. 

_Sehun, just hide over here before Minho sees,_ Tao tried to communicate with the help of Luhan. But Sehun hesitated. 

"Come on, Sehun, hurry!" Chanyeol was already sweating, seeing Minho getting closer with an officer. 

"No, wait, it's working!" Sehun suddenly stated, but his relief and enthusiasm slowly made way for panic all over again when he saw that the transformation was too slow. The ears were slowly starting to form and a bushy tail started to develop- with Minho in the line of sight. All the boy needed to do was catch sight of Sehun and it was all over. 

"Faster, Sehun," Jae warned, freaking out herself. 

_Faster, Sehunnie, or he's going to see,_ spoke Luhan in the same urgent manner. 

"Oh no, he's going to see," Jae repeated in a whisper, already directing herself towards him in a poor attempt to shield Sehun. 

"What do I? What do I do? Hyung!" Sehun asked desperately. 

"Get over here!" Suho gestured.

"No wait, not like that, he'll see!" Kris warned when Sehun turned his back on the approaching Minho, the tail softly flicking from side to side. 

"They were vicious, you have to- huh?" Minho squinted his eyes and that was enough for Tao. In his own anxiety and nervousness, he flicked his wrist and everything stood still. He sighed in relief and ran a hand through his jet black hair. 

"That was way too close," he whined, feeling like his blood pressure just raised through the roof. "What am I going to do about you, Sehunnie?" he complained, flicking the kid on the nose. He took a deep breath and got to his feet. "Guess it's all up to Tao to save the day, huh?" he clasped his hands together, but froze upon seeing a wide-eyed Jae. Then, he chuckled. 

"Noona has the weirdest shock faces," he giggled to himself and grabbed his phone. It would always come in handy to have a little blackmail material, just in case. After all, they were practically family now, right? 

"Okay noona, hold still," he laughed at his own joke when he took the picture. "Oh that looks great," he chuckled before putting his phone back in his pocket and looked around how he could avoid disaster striking. 

"Um, Tao?" 

A second time he froze, cleaning out his ear with his finger and shaking his head. He imagined that right? He checked on his surroundings for good measure to ensure that he had frozen them in time, but turned around anyway, just to check on Jae. When he did, his eyes widened to the size of satellite dishes, and for all intents and purposes, he let out a shriek. 

"Whoa, hey! If there is anyone around that gets to scream, it's me!" Jae said, talking _and_ moving! "What just happened? Why is everything standing still?" she squeaked. 

"W-wh-why are you moving, noona?" Tao managed to utter, still taken aback and possibly suffering from a heart attack. 

"What is that supposed to mean?" she retaliated, equally shook up. "Am I...am I not supposed to?" 

"No! You're not!" Tao shouted in disbelief and swallowed. "Unless..." his words were cut off by a gasp of realization and it was his turn to be absolutely stumped. 

"Unless what?" Jae pushed, shaking him gently by the shoulders. 

"Unless...you're the same as me, noona!" 

It was still too soon for his shock to have turned into happiness, but Tao knew now that his feelings, his intuition, his gut was right about Jae all along. There was a reason why she had the ability to make all of them act like fools around her, a reason why they were so drawn to her and she was drawn to them.  _It was this_. She was part of them. 

_And even better,_ Tao thought,  _she was part of him._


	47. ~ Reflection Pt II ~

***

"What? But...how?" 

Poor Tao had been asked the same question for about six times, seven now, but he still diligently tried to explain that he didn't know the answer, though he was convinced that he and I had the same power. Like, what even-? 

"But,  _how_?!" I repeated, because try as I may, those were the only words my mouth was able to produce right now. I watched Tao push a frozen Sehun into the bushes, covering him with foliage for good measure and poking Luhan's cheek because he felt like it. 

"Noona, I told you before, I don't know," he replied calmly, though the smile on his face emanated his excitement, a feeling that I wasn't quite feeling myself at this moment. "All I know is that when I work my magic, everything and everyone freezes on the spot, unless I don't want them to. But you're here. You're with me. I always thought it was just me," he stated, his eyes shimmering with mirth as he approached me. 

"But, but- wait," I placed my hand on my forehead, letting the cogwheels spin to process all of this. "You... You can freeze things in place?" 

"I can manipulate time, noona," Tao was more than happy to elaborate and proud to boast about it. "I stopped time, just for a while, though. The others won't know," he stood next to a gaping, shock-faced Suho, leaning casually against him as though he were a mere statue- which, I suppose, he technically was at the moment.

I must've looked like a gaping blowfish myself, opening my mouth and closing it again when words simply refused to leave my lips. I sank unto the bench I'd been sitting on with Minho, still trying to make sense of it all. I was like Tao? Was that my mysterious power of which I had no idea of? Granted, I was somewhat of a scatterbrain when it came to time-related things and I suppose I got déja vu more often than not, but still...

"Time manipulation?" I questioned again, following Tao with my eyes as he came to sit next to me. 

"Time manipulation," Tao confirmed in a soft, but determined voice, as though he was trying to prevent me from freaking out even more. "It's really cool, noona!" he then added quickly, the soft, mature voice instantly breaking away for the childlike enthusiasm that errupted from his vocal chords. "Time stops for as long as I can hold on, but I don't stop it too long because I don't know what the consequences are and Suho-hyung and Kris-ge won't let me find out- but still! It's very useful when I've forgotten to do my homework, or when I need more time or when I just want to mess with people," he confesses with a chuckle.

"Whoa, hold on! Does this mean that you've stopped the earth from turning? Like, how would this even work?" I stared at him in amazement, while being in absolute disbelief that a clumsy blockhead like myself would be able to do something similar. It wasn't possible. I saw a flash of future disaster in my mind's eye, seeing myself sneezing and suddenly break the universe for not knowing how to unfreeze time. It was a not a pretty picture.

"I guess you could say something like that, but maybe if you tried it yourself you would know. It's a matter of choosing the precise time loops and locking it in place," he muttered. "There are billions of different time loops for billions of different people, you see. So, basically it's kind of like grabbing hold of a sequence of time strings and encrypting it just for the moment - hacking into it, if you will-, at the right place, for the right time and the right people that you've locked on," he smiled brightly at me as if his explanation just made perfect sense. Though the only thing it told me was that I was starting to understand how these twelve guys are geniuses where science is concerned. To me, his brilliant words of smart translated into soft crickets chirping.

"Go on, noona, try it!" he then urged, but I quickly shook my head.

"I really shouldn't, I just-," I stopped as I looked past him to Minho and the police officer he had found and dragged along. It was eerie to see everything so still and frozen. Usually I could hear the wind blowing past, a bird whistling in the distance, or a dog barking. But now, there was nothing. The world had stopped moving - literally -, and it seemed that only Tao and I were able to witness it. But why me? What made me so different that I wasn't affected by his powers? The question made me look at my hands in hesitation. I've small hands, far too small in my opinion to be able to carry the weight of the responsibility that a power like this brings along with it.

"You have to look hard at first, but once you focus, you can actually see it. People's time loop," Tao says next to me, watching me as I was looking at my hands.

"This is a little strange..." I started, wondering what else lay in store for me. "Does this mean that you can speed up time or go back in time as well?" I then asked, my curiosity piqued.

Tao smiled shyly before he shook his head. "I don't think so, noona. Though, in all fairness, I've never really tried. I'm pretty sure that I'd be breaking all kinds of laws of nature and everyone else is already telling me to be careful when I use my power... I guess I'm a little nervous to try it, but at the same time I don't really want to. If it works the way I think it works, it would mean that I'd be the only one who would be aware of the world going further into the future or going back into the past," a frown graced his face. He wasn't looking at me anymore. Instead, he was watching his brothers a look of lament masking his face.

"Must be kind of weird, being able to do all of this while others can't see it," I spoke softly, since I could sense the solemn mood he was in and he nodded, quietly humming in assent. I couldn't imagine Tao using his powers often. I felt uncomfortable sitting quietly in a quiet, unmoving world, and something told me that Tao wasn't a person for solitude either. He looked bummed enough knowing that this was something he couldn't always share with his brothers, unless at the expense of his own energy.

"But now it doesn't have to be weird anymore," Tao interjected, the look of contemplation melting away due to the beaming smile that broke through. "Since noona has now witnessed the awesomeness that is my power! Or, I guess it's _our_ power," he winked with a grin. 

I chuckled and prodded my fingers together. "I'm not sure whether that is the case, Tao," I tried carefully. Admittedly, it was a bit too much of a coincidence that I was exempt from the effect of his abilities, but at the same time, I didn't feel any different. Someone who suddenly had the capability to manipulate time surely had to have some kind of change going on, right?

"Oh, but it has to be, noona. Trust me, I can feel it," he argued in all seriousness, grabbing my shoulder gently.

"You can feel it?" I asked a little skeptically, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Really, noona! I've never been so sure in my life before! You can feel it, too, can't you?" he persisted and I had to admit that he was rather cute in trying to persuade me. Maybe it was because of his determined behavior, not a hint of playfulness about him at all.

"I'm sorry, Tao, but I don't feel anything particular," I frowned a little as I caught sight of Luhan and rubbed the hand he had firmly gripped before.

_You can't feel this?_     

_Feel what?_

"Don't play, noona," Tao accused me, looking genuinely peeved. "The energy is pulsating everywhere! Look at me! I haven't been able to hold on this long before and I'm perfectly fine! It has to be because of you," he said and rolled his eyes when I blankly stared at him in response. 

" _Aish,_ noona," he whined, reminding me that he was younger than I was. "Since you have the same power as me, it must mean that you can transfer energy to me to make me this strong. How else could you explain it?" he stated matter-of-factly, and for a moment I felt really dumb. What Tao told me did seem to be right on the money, but why was I so oblivious? It was starting to become very annoying to be the last person to know stuff. 

"Come on, let's get everyone out of this mess and then I get to brag to the others that you and I are the same," he stated, bouncing to his feet and helping me get in position. I was still registering what he said when he stood behind the bushes against, stuck up his thumb at me and pursed his lips, breathing out. He then flicked his wrist like I saw him do earlier and everything came back to life, though to me, it was like I was whiplashed back into movement and I had to steady myself. 

Putting on my best pokerface (which was really my worst because I don't even know how to poker), I pretended that nothing exceptional had occurred. Tao had never pulled his time-magic on the world and defied the laws of the universe. I knew nothing.  _Boy, I wished that really was the case- my life would be so much easier right now..._

"Minho!" I called out instead when I felt the soft brush of Chen's tail against my leg. 

"Jae! Hold on, we're coming!" he jogged towards me, the police officer close behind. The poor man jolted back when he saw the three wolves, still casually lingering around me. 

"Holy cheesecake, wolves!" he exclaimed. 

"I told you! You have to help her!" Minho urged as they approached just close enough so they wouldn't be in danger. I carefully watched the place where the others hid themselves, though I could hear Sehun's confused and bewildered muttering, only to be silenced by whom I perceived to be Tao. 

_Quick thinking, Tao-zi,_ Kris' deep voice echoed in my mind, but I kept up my fake smile when I knew that someone had to make a move here. 

"Thanks for coming back so quickly," I started, swallowing, "but I'm okay, really. These wolves, they're actually pretty meek," I tried, feeling my palms become sweaty because I was pretty sure that it was a crime to lie to a police officer. My words had no meaning to the two men since one of the wolves with dark fur and chocolate accents spiked his hair and growled angrily at them. 

"Meek-ish," I quickly added, though I did glare at Kai for good measure. "One of them already bolted back into the woods, there's really no harm done," I continued, hoping that this would control the situation. 

"That's all fine and dandy, Miss, but I'm going to need you to remain calm and slowly try to come over to this side," the officer said. He was a bit of a pudgy guy, and balding, but he had an open face on which his emotions were easily read. Right now, he looked scared and concerned for my safety.

This time, it was D.O. that growled softly, stepping forward as though he wanted to prevent me from leaving. 

_What do you think you're doing?_ I asked, knowing that the smaller wolf could hear me. 

_Why should we leave?_ D.O. retorted, his eyes flashing towards me briefly before he directed his gaze at the two other humans present, licking his lips in a way that would easily intimidate them. 

"Just come over this way, Miss, slowly and quietly," the police officer instructed again, keeping his eyes on the wolves at all times. Minho had paled and looked on helplessly. I felt _so_ guilty...

_Will you just go before that cop reaches for his radio to call for backup? I got this, okay?_

Granted, I wasn't at all as confident as I hoped I sounded, but getting their cooperation on this was the only way to not raise any suspicion. 

When the officer repeated his instructions to me again, I decided to play dumb and attempted to make a step forward. I looked at Kai.  _Growl,_ I told him, but he didn't seem to understand.  _Just do it,_ I pleaded. 

_Dishing out orders are we, noona?_ he spoke defiantly and I felt the urge to roll my eyes at him while I took another slow step forward. 

_Like this, Kai!_ Chen jumped in front of me, though he directed himself towards Minho and the cop, startling the heck out of them. 

"Ah, it's okay, it's okay!" I immediately said and chuckled. "See? I guess they like me, or something," I shrugged, feeling like an idiot for having to pretend to play the innocent, clueless girl. "I think they'll go away if we don't do anything." 

"Don't be ridiculous, Jae, they're wolves," Minho protested, looking like he's about to get nervous breakdown. "Please, just get over here," he urged. 

"How?" I acted, pointing at Chen, who got the signal and stayed put where he was. 

"Go around it," the officer then suggested, but when I moved to the side, D.O. was there, blocking the way. 

"What in the world...?" the cop scratched the top of his balding head as Kai mirrored D.O.'s movement. Standing in the middle of a wolf-triangle, I shrugged my shoulders. 

"What do I do now?" I asked the man, but he wasn't sure either. After an awkward moment of silence, I then looked at Chen. "You should go now," I told him out loud, making him tilt his head at me, probably wondering what the heck I was doing. 

"Jae, that really doesn't work, they're not pets, they're vicious animals!" Minho exclaimed with all the right intentions, but I chose to ignore him for now. 

"Thank you for greeting me, but home is waiting for you," I spoke to Chen as though he were my personal puppy dog and finally he seemed to get what I was doing. He blinked a few times at me before opening his mouth, his tongue sticking out of the side for a bit and then pretended he heard something coming from the vicinity of the woods and walked away. 

"There you go," I stated, pretending to be happy and endeared by the wolf obeying my command. Minho and the officer were gawking at me when I bent down at the last two wolves. "You should follow your friend," I spoke gently. "It was nice meeting you," I added, again, pretending that they were pets. Kai nearly left immediately, but D.O. lingered a little longer to make it more believable and finally disappeared. 

I let out a sigh of relief before turning to the two men. "There. Harmless," I said with a smile that didn't quite reach my eyes because of the nervousness that was pumping through my body right now. 

"What in the world did I just witness? Can any of you kids tell me that?" the officer questioned, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Young lady, do you realize how dangerous that just was and how unbelievably lucky you are? That could've ended very badly, you know!" he immediately scolded as soon as I was standing close enough in front of him. 

"I know," I winced, not at all hard for me to play guilty. "I'm sorry, but they were actually very playful. I didn't think they meant to hurt me, however strange that may sound," I chuckled anxiously. 

"Whatever the case, I'm happy it's over. You kids should know better than to wonder off in the park so close to the woods like this. We share this island with wolves, you know. Minho, I hold you responsible for this one, since this young lady is obviously a new neighbor, so please, take your safety into consideration next time," he continued his derision and the two of us had the decency to take all of it. 

"And you, Miss-?"

"Miyano, Jae-In Miyano," I introduced, shaking his hand. 

"Miss Miyano, be more careful next time. Wolf whisperer or not, I guarantee you that the next time you might not be so lucky," he said firmly. 

"We'll be more careful, officer Deepak," Minho then promised, looking immensely relieved. "Thank you," he bowed and I followed suit. 

"Yeah, yeah, no problem, kids," he waved. "Just be careful, alright? Miss Miyano, do you need any further assistance? Want me to take you to the doctor, or anything? Are you hurt?"

"Oh, no, thank you, I'm fine, really," I quickly declined and the officer nodded. 

"Good. Well, then since there's nothing left for me to do, I wish you a good day and stay out of the woods, are we clear?"

"Yes, sir," we both chimed and greeted officer Deepak as he left. As soon as he was out of hearing range, Minho grabbed his chest and heaved out a very deep sigh. 

" _Oh my God!_  Jae! Seriously?! You are one crazy girl, do you know that?" he laughed and sighed out of relief. "What just happened?" he asked in disbelief, shaking his head. "What did you do to make those beasts listen to you? That was actually pretty amazing," he complimented. 

_Did this snotty brat just call us 'beasts'?!_ Kai spat, startling me. 

"Whoa, hey there...Are you alright?" Minho caught my little jump and worriedly glanced at me. I blinked and saw his face close to mine. One of his hands supported me around my waist while the other rested on my shoulder. 

_Yah, this peasant-hyung, really!_ Sehun's protests were muffled, though I think that had more to do with the fact that I didn't want to hear any of their voices right now. It was  _way_  to awkward and the fact that they all more or less simultaneously voiced their discontentment made it even more uncomfortable. 

"I'm good, really. Sorry about that," I tried to subtly create a bit more distance between us and Minho eventually let go of my shoulder, but his hand still rested on my waist. I don't quite know why that made me feel a little nervous. Maybe it was because I was painfully aware of the dozen pair of eyes staring at our every move.  _Nah, don't be ridiculous, Jae, that's not it at all! It's completely normal to have twelve guys watch you interact with another guy, totally fine! ... Can you smell the sarcasm?_

"Hey, listen, Minho," I started, biting my lip and wincing a little at him. "I really hate to do this, but, um, do you think it'll be alright if we raincheck on this? I guess I'm still a bit rattled and I'm not really sure if I can focus on the movie and such, since this just happened. I mean, I'm physically fine-"

_Yes, you are. VERY fine..._

I nearly bit my tongue.  _Who was that?!_ I demanded, but it became suspiciously quiet.  _Ugh! Not funny!_

I cleared my throat. "But, eh, I need some-," my stomach twisted itself into a tiny knot, "time," I finished. Controlling myself in order to not look at where I knew Tao was hiding. "So, I think I'm just gonna go home for now. I'm sorry," I apologized since I could see the disappointment on his face, even though he was smiling. 

"No, that's alright, I totally understand. I'm still shaking a bit myself," Minho said sweetly. "We can reschedule though, right?"

"Oh yeah, for sure!" I promised him, nodding my head. 

"Great, that's good," he answered, looking relieved. "Hey, do you want me to walk you home? It's really no trouble," he offered.

"Oh, well, actually," I trailed off, not liking the fact that have to reject him twice in a row. 

_That's right, you tell him, girl. Send him away, shoo! Annyeong, goodbye, adios, buddy!_

_Luhan, really?_ I accused, only quickly looking over to their hiding spot and seeing a pair of doe-eyes peek out from a thicket of bushes. 

_Sorry,_ he apologized, before diving back down, out of sight. 

"Thanks, Minho, but I live nearby and I know you live on the other side of town. Don't worry about me, I'll call my mom and have her pick me up." Geez, it was becoming worrying how easy it was becoming for me to lie to people. I did not like that new ability. 

"Alright, alright. Just promise me to be careful, huh?" he told me with a smile. 

"Definitely, and thanks again for understanding, I really am sorry," I wanted him to see that I was being very serious about that, but Minho seemed to have realized it. 

"Don't worry about it. We'll reschedule," he said easily. "Hey, I'll see you tomorrow right?"

"For sure," I nodded and smiled. 

"Good," Minho let go then and started to walk backwards. "Hug?" he asked playfully, his arms already outstretched, ready to receive me in his embrace. I laughed as I gave him a quick hug, but in my head and from the bushes, I was reminded that we were being watched. 

Minho pulled away in a jolt, looking around. "What was that?" he asked, startled. 

"What was what?" Oh, I should get an Oscar. 

"That growling. You didn't hear it? It was all gutteral and stuff," he explained, looking around. 

"I'm pretty sure that you just heard the wind, Minho, otherwise I'd hear it too, right?" Seriously. Bring me my Oscar. 

"Yeah, I- uh- I guess you're right," he nodded absently, still scanning the area for anything suspicious. My heart thundered in my chest when he glanced over the twelve's hidingspot, but he didn't seem to have found anything that intrigued him. "Okay then. Weirdness," he chuckled. "So, I'll see you at school," he greeted. 

"See you there," I replied, watching him leave, though his footsteps appeared to be heavy. 

"Be careful," he added. "I mean it!"

"I'll be careful, don't worry," I shouted back, waving at him until he was out of sight. At this point, I let out an exasperated groan while sinking on my knees. Was I a horrible person? Someone tell me I'm a horrible person because I need to hear it so that I can stop being a horrible person. 

"Ah, finally!" Chanyeol stretched himself elaborately when he emerged from the bushes. "I thought he was never going to leave." 

"Good riddance," D.O. said quietly, making sure that Minho had left. 

"Good riddance?" I repeated, looking at him in disbelief. "Good riddance? No, that is not good riddance, good riddance would be if you were the ones that left and never followed me around in the first place!" I reminded him and even though D.O. looked to be shrinking away at hearing my words, he only made a dismissive gesture.

"We're much better company than him anyway, Jae. I would've at least offered to wait with you instead of leaving you alone in the park like this- the exact same spot where fearsome 'beasts' approached you, might I add," he retaliated, though he sounded more fierce than he usually did. Must be because of transforming into a wolf. 

"Well, maybe that was Luhan that did the talking," I answered, placing my hands on my hips as I looked at the young man in question. Luhan's doe-eyes widened further, a look of innocence emanating from his face. 

"I didn't do anything. This was all on you and him, Jae," he swore. 

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, be that as it may, I've far more important and fun things to announce. Forget about Minho-hyung for a moment, that's nothing compared to my news," Tao, who had obviously been holding his enthusiasm bottled up, sprang from behind a tree and looked at his curious brothers. 

They followed his every move when he came to stand next to me. "Jae-noona and I are meant to be!" he suddenly announced with an amused smile on his face. 

" _WHAT?!_ " came the unison reply and I'd be lying if I said that the one-worded question hadn't flown from my lips as well. 

Tao's signature shrill laughter rang in the air. "Ha, your faces!" he pointed out before continuing. "I just recently found out that Jae-noona and I have the same power! Just now, when you were in trouble, I froze time, just for a few moments and even though everything else had stopped, Jae-noona hadn't. I didn't even do anything! She was just there, moving along like I could. Isn't this great? She's the same as me!" he broadcasted in a quick string of sentences, prompting the first reply of the others to be, yet, again, 

" _WHAT?!_ " 

"Wha-wha-whoa- what?" Suho stammered, frowning at us. "She's- you, huh? How is that even possible?"

"It's not, because Tao is lying," Luhan suddenly interjected, looking less than amused and very serious. 

"I'm not lying, Lu-ge, why would I? Jae-noona is like me, you can ask her!" he said and expectantly looked at me. "Tell them, noona," he urged. 

"Well, it's true that his power didn't seem to have an effect on me, but I'm not entirely sure whether I can actually do the same things as he does," I told the astonished brothers.

"See? Told you I wasn't lying," Tao said to a disgruntled and confused-looking Luhan. He shook his head. 

"Be that as it may, the two of you couldn't possibly be the same," he persisted and it was starting to become a little suspicious. 

"Why not?" Tao demanded to know, and I was curious to see what kind of answer Luhan had. He approached me, playing with a pair of sunglasses in his hands.  _My_  sunglasses. 

"Because," he said softly, handing me the sunglasses back, our fingers brushing against each other. "Jae is like me," he announced in a gentle voice, his sparkling eyes never looking away from me. Not even when my own eyes widened and I exclaimed out of shock. 

The brothers filled the air with questions and I was none the wiser either. To the side I could see Lay, watching the whole interaction like an observant spectator. "Wah," he said, "it's like a Korean drama," he mused, leaning against a nearby tree before sitting down and leaning against the bark. 

"Alright, everyone be quiet!" Suho ordered before pointing at Tao and Luhan. "You two, start explaining," he demanded. 

"Before I called Xiumin, I'd spoken to Jae," Luhan explained first. "She didn't felt it, probably wasn't even aware that anything was going on, but she heard my thoughts when I always put up my defenses. I'm not sure what happened but I felt like I was connected to her," he said, glancing at me. "The energy was beyond words to describe. I felt like I could conquer the world if I wanted to. I felt strong. Stable. Good," he said, his brothers hanging on his every word. "Because of you," he winked and I felt the flush spread out like a fan over my face. 

"That's what I felt, too!" Tao then interrupted, almost stomping his feet. "When I froze time, I didn't focus on anything else which is why everything had stopped moving. Or I thought it had. Jae-noona hadn't frozen either, even though she was supposed to like the rest of you. Moreover, you know how exhausted I get for stopping the time for just three minutes, right? I didn't feel any kind of exhaustion at all and we were there for about ten, maybe fifteen minutes? I felt nothing but strength and happiness, and that it was only because Jae-noona gave me the energy to do so because she's the same as me," Tao concluded, but everyone else had gone quiet. What were they thinking about?

"So, Jae, you can do both? Read minds and manipulate time?" Suho asked. 

I shook my head. "I don't think I can do any of that. To be honest, I don't even know what I am supposed to be able to do around here in general." 

"Maybe Jae-noona is some kind of power-drug?" Baekhyun suggested with a funny look on his face. "Easy to get addicted to." 

"And overdose on," Chanyeol joked. 

"Reflection," Kai suddenly mumbled begrudgingly. As usual, he was standing farthest away from me, that scowl-y look on his face, arms crossed over his chest. 

"What was that, Kai?" Kris asked and the young man looked up at the sudden attention, clearing his throat. 

"Reflection," he stated in a stronger voice. "It's probably nothing, but, maybe..." Kai tried to explain, but he somehow seemed a bit embarrassed to have to do so. "It's this special ability that is granted to this character in the video game I've been playing."

Video game? I would not necessarily pinned Kai to be the type that played video games.

"Basically, the character, or player, itself is nothing," he continued, but why did he have to glare at me? "However, by using Reflection they not only ward off any magic that is thrown at them, they send the same kind of magic back to the person that attacked them in the first place. That link is important. Maybe that's Jae-noona's power as well," he shrugged. 

"What? Wouldn't that mean that I can do what all of you can do? That's preposterous, I can't do any of that," I said.

"Can't you? Have you tried?" Luhan asked. "You were in my head without you even making an effort and were there without my permission, may I add. Trust me when I say that is not an easy feat."

"B-b-but," I didn't know what to say. Reflection? Really?

"Wow, Jae-noona! We have to try it out together soon! Hey, let's make it tonight! We can go to a super secret, hidden spot where no one can see us and try it out!" Chen suggested cheerfully.

As the brothers started speaking and discussing amongst each other, I felt like the confused little runt of the pack, still trying to make sense of it all, my voice lost in the crowd.

Reflection, huh? I looked at my small hands again, wondering what it meant to have found out what kind of power you possibly could possess. Apparently I made people stronger. Luhan and Tao can attest to that. But could I also do what they do?

_The link is important,_ Kai had said. What link? 

_Can't you feel this?_ Luhan asked me in desperation, tightening the grip he has on my hand. 

_Noona, you can feel it, can't you?_ Tao questioned me. Was that it? Did I have to be connected to another person to be able to do what they can? That's just- just so...  _freaking awesome_... and, of course totally worrying and wrong and illegal somewhere, probably, but still... _so freaking awesome!_

"Ah!" I startled when a bolt of lightning flashed by out of the blue and a steady, fierce cloud covered the blue sky like a blanket. Talk about a sudden weather change. 

"Whoa!" the wind had suddenly picked up and I, caught by surprise, lost my balance and bumped against Baekhyun and Xiumin, who quickly held me to prevent me from falling. 

"Yah, Sehunnie, this isn't funny!" Baekhyun complained, but the maknae looked around in a dazed and confused fashion, though the wind didn't appear to touch him at all. 

"It's not me, hyung," he answered, amazed. "This wind has a mind of its own." 

I flinched upon hearing the loud roar of thunder, almost making it sound as though the sky had split in two. 

"Chen," Kris warned. 

"I'm not doing this, hyung," Chen swore, lifting his hands up defensively to show that he was unarmed. 

"What the hell is going on?" I heard Xiumin utter as he and Baekhyun did their best to shield me from the sudden storm. I kept looking at my small hands. Was it true? Were my powers awakened? 

_But,_ I thought, as we ran through the pouring rain to get some shelter,  _what else woke up with it?_


	48. ~ Shatter the Heart... ~

***

_The feeling of loss, who cares you can only tolerate it?_

_I can no longer accept it, and so, I close my eyes..._

_Did those perfect days that I heard of really exist before?_

_I had already long forgotten that I should work harder to love people._

_I had already long forgotten that my heart should embrace people._

_I don't have the will to live..._

_I don't have feelings._

***

"You're a dagger," the CEO of E.T. Corp murmured to the object whilst studying its properties under a microscope with utmost care and caution. "So, why do you possess the traits of a living organism?" Ryo complained, pushing himself away from the desk, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He glanced over the laboratory, seeing Dee work diligently at his own pace, figuring out formulas, trying to solve what the identity of the material of the dagger was exactly. A little further away, was Seunghyun Tabi, who worked part-time at the company, but was highly qualified and trustworthy enough to be put on the project. Ryo could attest to it, seeing that the man had been able to hack into the security feed as he asked and was able to determine that the main board seemed to have indeed been tampered with. His suspicions were confirmed, however, it didn't bring him any sense of relief at all.  

Ryo wasn't sure what to do with the information, but he had made sure to keep a close watch on Miss Kumiho, just in case. Unfortunately for him, since project Yggdrasil was a personal request of Mr. Yok and he, himself, was determined to lead it, the project took most of his precious time. This caused him to delegate some of the other ongoing projects to other people.  _Not_  Miss Kumiho for obvious reasons, but Ryo had rather hoped he could have stayed on top of everything else. 

It was a shame he couldn't control space and time, he could've used the convenience of such a power. 

"Sir, I think you might want to see this," Seunghyun suddenly called him over, piquing Dee's interest as well. 

"Talk to me," Ryo said when he stood next to the man in question, Dee slowly coming over to join them. Ryo had purposely chosen the two of them first, until he could expand the project further. For now, a biotech genius and a computer-savvy biologist was more than enough. 

"I've taken a sample from that green seed like you've asked me, and well, uh," instead of continuing his explanation, he showed his findings to him. Ryo's eyes widened when Seunghyun showed him the sample plate in which he stored a small amount of the green seed from the dagger. 

"What the-? How did that happen? What did you do, hyung?" Dee asked the questions Ryo failed to ask for the moment and only gently prodded at the roots and moss that protruded from the sample plate, whilst the small bit of the seed was pulsating.  _Infinite energy,_ he thought breathlessly to himself,  _Mr. Yok was not kidding..._

"I didn't do anything," Seunghyun answered, confusion ringing from his deep voice. "I just left it there for a few seconds. I was looking for a band-aid because I'd accidentally cut myself, and it started to sprout, all by itself," he explained. "I've never seen anything like this before, Boss," he looked at Ryo. "And I know all there is to know about plants."

"Yeah, about that," Dee cut in, grabbing his tablet and transferring the data to the large glass board with a flick of the hand. "I'm not really sure whether this entity is one-hundred percent a plant, hyung," he told Seunghyun before directing himself towards Ryo. "I've run the properties of the dagger throughout the whole database to see if I could find a match on the material it's composed of. As you can see here, it's not done yet," Dee pointed out as several images flashed by on the screen, the speed of which nearly dazzling Ryo. "However, the material of the dagger seem to match a variety of wood species, and a few plants," he flicked the results onto the glass board so that Ryo could see it. 

"Like I said; plants!" Seunghyun protested, leaning back into his chair as he watched his friend and colleague present his current findings. 

"And metal, and jade, and calcium," Dee drummed to prove a point. 

"Calcium?" Ryo questioned. 

"Calcium, sir," Dee confirmed, letting out a chuckle because this was not something one should find on a dagger. "High amounts of it as well. I can't quite explain it, but it appears that the dagger might possibly have some kind of bone structure, sir. It might be interesting to get some X-ray photos," the young scientist suggested and Ryo nodded his head absently. He walked towards the glass board, studying the results whilst shaking his head. 

"A dagger...with a bone structure," he mumbled glancing over at the object itself. "What the hell is that thing?" he pondered. The two scientists exchanged looks with one another, before Seunghyun gathered up his courage and cleared his throat. 

"Boss, I know that it's probably not our place to ask, but since we have to study this thing, eh," he scraped his throat again, "Might we know where you got this dagger from, sir? I mean, it looks like something out of a sci-fi movie, and honestly, we kind of want to know what we've gotten ourselves into here," he stated truthfully, wincing a little bit out of fear for possible repercussions on Ryo's part. However, the CEO met the two men with a sympathetic smile before running his fingers through his hair. Was he allowed to tell his employees where he got the dagger from? Would Mr. Yok protest against it? 

"If you're concerned for the method on how E.T. Corp managed to get their hands on this object, rest assured, gentlemen," he spoke instead. "It's been obtained in a fair manner. Our only job is to study it, understand it, and harness it into something that we can use, just like this," he pointed at the sample plate where the roots and moss had grown thicker and longer. "Now, this tells me that perhaps the answer for the source of energy of the dagger might be in that green seed," Ryo continued, grabbing the dagger gently from his desk and bringing it over to the other scientists. "Maybe if there's a way to remove it, we'll have a better chance at studying it properly," he suggested. 

"Are you sure we should do that, sir? What if it hurts the dagger?" Dee was met by two skeptical gazes. The youngest of three shrugged. "Well, we did just conclude that it's a living entity," he argued. "What if we do something that it doesn't like? Or what if we accidentally kill it, or something?" 

"The knucklehead does make a good point, sir," Seunghyun said, gesturing at a disgruntled Dee. "I'm not sure whether we should risk it." 

"Be that as it may, I doubt this thing is conscious. You took a sample from the seed, did you not? Try prying it off the hilt, see if you can do so at the place where you got the sample from," Ryo instructed a mildly reluctant Seunghyun, who grabbed his scalpel, searching for the seed. 

"Huh, this is odd," he mumbled. 

"What is?" Ryo asked. 

"This thing is rather remarkable, Boss," he exclaimed in a quiet voice. "I think it healed itself. There's no mark from where I took the sample from," he looked up at his employer through black-framed glasses. 

"Whoa," Dee mused, the awe evident on his face. "Do you think it has regenerating properties?" Dee bend down to look at the heart-shaped seed, grabbing a magnifying glass. 

"How could something like this have regenerating properties, Dee?" Seunghyun asked, too focus on trying to pry the seed off the hilt. 

"Well, it does apparently have a bone structure..." Ryo mused half-heartedly. "See if you can take a new sample and put it under the microscope, Dee. With all these organic properties, I wouldn't be surprised if the dagger contained cells that could regenerate lost cells and tissues." 

"Like zebrafish!" Dee exclaimed, excitedly. Ryo nodded, though he was less enthused. "Oh, I'll head over to the marine biology department, see if I can compare it with zebrafish cells," he suggested and quickly went on his way, running like a giddy schoolboy. 

"I have to admire his passion for this," Ryo chuckled, seeing the young man sprint off. 

"Dee always had a knack for research and science, ever since we were kids," Seunghyun explained, a concentrated smile on his face. 

"Ah, you grew up together," Ryo stated, rather than asked. Seunghyun shrugged a little, giving a short chuckle. 

"More or less. I've known him for a long, long time, sir," the young man then focused on the seed, gently pushing the scalpel in, holding the dagger with utmost care. However, once he finally managed to put the small blade inside, Seunghyun yelped and dropped the blade. 

"Hey! Are you alright?" Ryo startled grabbing the man by the shoulder, blinking in confusion at seeing his hand. The glove Seunghyun was wearing had melted away, the exposed skin angrily red. 

"Ah- I, I think I burned myself, sir," Seunghyun exclaimed in surprise and pain, looking at his hand. 

"What? But, how?" Ryo grabbed a cloth and held it under the faucet before giving it to the scientist. His gaze lingered on the dagger and he reached out towards it. 

"Boss, don't!" Seunghyun warned, but Ryo ignored it and carefully touched the object. The steel felt cool in his hands, though the seed seemed to be pulsated fiercely. 

"What the heck? That thing just burned me a second ago!" 

The CEO watched the dagger in bewilderment, and, for the first time since he handled the object, in fear, as well. This was something no one on this earth has ever seen before and Ryo had started to wonder whether it was right of him not to call the authorities, or something. There was no protocol for this. Should he contact Mr. Yok? But the founder would most likely only tell him that he shouldn't worry and continue the work. Still, his instincts told him that this dagger was something more than a miraculous gift from the stars. They could do immense good with it, of that he had absolutely no doubt - but, at what price? 

"New rule," Ryo announced, looking at Seunghyun. "From now on, I'll be the only one to handle the dagger. If you need samples or need to research it, you do so with me," he decided and the young scientist only nodded in assent. "I'll give this a shot then." 

Ryo sat down behind the desk, grabbing the fallen scalpel and setting the dagger down gently. 

"I'm not sure whether you should, Boss, I mean, look what it did to my hand," Seunghyun protested mildly, not meaning to overstep his place as an employee. 

"Yeah, I'm sorry that happened, by the way. However, we do know more about this thing. It can apparently emit heat-,"

" _Extreme_  heat," Seunghyun interrupted. 

"Extreme heat," the CEO corrected, "and it appears to have some form of a defense mechanism. It didn't harm you until it appeared to realize that you wanted to take this seed," he muttered, very much aware at how ridiculous it sounded. He was starting to think of the dagger as a real living entity. 

"Okay, here we go," Ryo took a deep breath, exchanging a look with the taller scientist. If he just moved quickly he could tap the seed out by knocking the blade of the scalpel into the side, like a sculpturer using a mallet and chisel on his art of work. 

"One," he counted, "two..." Seunghyun held his breath and took a step back when Ryo said, "three!" 

" _WAH!"_ came Dee's voice from the hallway, the two men in the laboratory stumbling back themselves. Seunghyun fell to the ground while Ryo clutched his chest, his heart drumming as loudly as the crash of thunder and lightning that errupted outside. The sudden storm was powerful enough to knock out the electricity in the facility and Ryo swallowed hard when he looked at the glowing dagger.  _Coincidence? Maybe. It had to be, right? Come on, Ryo, that thing couldn't have possibly- but, what if it could?_

"Hey! Can someone tell me what's going on?! It's dark, I can't see a thing!" Dee's distressed voice sounded and Ryo heard Seunghyun get to his feet. 

"Hold on, Dee, I'm coming!" the young man went on his way while Ryo kept his eyes on the dagger. He only looked up at the lights when they turned back on thanks to the building's reserve generator. There were no windows in the laboratory, but Ryo could hear the raging storm outside and the clatter of rain. They hadn't predict a storm today, so where did this come from? 

He couldn't help but narrow his eyes in suspicion at the dagger, seeing how it glowed green and pulsated angrily around the seed that had cracked. Ryo almost felt guilty until he noticed that the dagger was healing itself, for lack of a better term of phrase. The crack closed in a matter of seconds, the dagger shining as though it was brand new.

"Sir, you made it angry, didn't you?" Dee came in, holding a pair of sample glasses in his shaking hands. Had he thought that it was ridiculous and childish to treat the dagger as something alive, he didn't think so now. Perhaps Dee was right to be careful, to fret over the consequences. They were playing with fire.

"What did you give me, sir?" Ryo whispered to himself thinking about Mr. Yok. His head started to ache and he became nauseous. When he lost his balance, his employees quickly rushed to support him. 

"Whoa, Boss, are you okay?" Seunghyun's low timbre voice sounded miles away. 

"I'll get a medic," Dee echoed. 

The world became hazy in Ryo's eyes while he did his best to stay on his feet. The dagger shone and gleamed that strange green hue. 

_Finally I roar, I wildly abandon..._

_As long as there is the innocence of love, I revive my shattered heart._

_Please help me..._

_...Turn back._

"Boss? Boss!" 

Ryo shook his head wildly, the feeling of nausea and pain quickly ebbing away as swiftly as it had hit him.  He moved away from the dagger in a reflex, the tall scientist still supporting him to keep his balance. The CEO panted, shaking his head to make sure that he was alright, that he was awake. "Tell me that was you just now," he stated in a panic.

"M-me, Boss? Yeah, I called for you," Seunghyun replied, his almond-eyes wide with worry over his employer.

"No, no, the thing about roaring and shattered heart, you said that, right?" cold droplets of sweat formed on his brow.

When the young scientist shook his head in concern, Ryo felt the air leave his lungs and he looked at the dagger. _Not possible_ , he thought.  _It can't be- alive...?!_

Hearing his boss' shaky breathing, Seunghyun grabbed a chair and told him to sit down. "Dee is getting someone to help, just to make sure you're alright, Boss. So hang tight, okay?" 

"The dagger," Ryo pointed out and Seunghyun didn't need further instructions. Ever so carefully he wrapped it in the velvet cloth it came in and put it safely away. "We're not trying that again," the CEO continued, grimacing a little when he heard the rolling thunder outside. "Does it always storm this fiercely on the island?" 

"Not like this, sir," the taller man answered, cleaning his glasses before pushing them back up his nose. "It's a little creepy how it seemed to start when you tried knocking out that seed, huh, Boss?" 

"Coincidence," he replied, though he sounded less than convincing. Slumping in his seat and momentarily closing his eyes, Ryo rolled his hand over his face. "How long have we been at this?" 

"Maybe a bit too long, Boss," Seunghyun replied sheepishly. Ryo agreed. 

"You and Dee should both get home before that storm becomes worse," he suggested, but as soon as he had finished his sentence, the two men jolted once more when an alarm went off in the laboratory. It took a moment for Ryo to realize that it was his tablet that made the strange noise. "What in the world is this?" he nearly growled, glancing up in surprise when Miss Kumiho, of all people, burst through the doors. 

"I see the notification on your tablet is working accordingly, Mr. Miyano," she said, using her own tablet to shut up his one. "I'm a little pressed for time at the moment, sir, but that signal is sent to you when the new security system has tagged new wolves," she explained, not even giving Seunghyun the time of day when she approached a baffled Ryo. "I've sent some men to fetch them, the poor things must be terrified during this dreadful storm," she told him. "Since I know that you wanted to stay on top of things as best as possible, I thought you might want to see the security footage installed at the new fences themselves," she smiled, tapping easily on his tablet to show him the live-feed. She then leaned forward so she could whisper into his ear. "I thought this more convenient than you having to hack into the main board of the security room,  _sir_ ," she smiled coolly before straightening herself. 

"Well then. I shall be on my way. I'll hand you a detailed report on the events, sir," she promised, bowed, and left before Ryo even had a chance to utter a single syllable. He gritted his teeth. 

"I do _not_ like that woman," he voiced out loud, the frustration evident in his tone. "She keeps changing everything, and how is it that she knows about the hacking?" he turned to the equally bewildered Seunghyun, who quickly lifted his shoulders. 

"I left no trace, sir, I swear," he stated. "Unless the computers here are programmed with a tracking software that could detect a possible breach, but even then..." he trailed off, muttering about technological computer gibberish that Ryo had no knowledge of. Instead, he directed his attention at the tablet, seeing the storm rage wildly, a small pack of wolves lingering about near the fences. Why wouldn't they leave? 

He frowned upon seeing men in black uniforms approach the wolves and he got to his feet in protest when he saw that one of them shot one of the unsuspecting creatures. 

"What the hell?!" he bouldered, infuriated. "Tell me that we are not shooting wolves!" he showed the footage to the other scientist, the young biologist flustered and equally shocked at seeing the wolves get shot one by one. He zoomed in on the footage and peered at it to get a better look. 

"We are, Boss, but I think they're stun-guns." 

Ryo's relief was short-lived when Seunghyun clacked his tongue and hummed thoughtfully. "But, it looks like there are a few of them that carry real weapons, sir. Out of precaution, probably. Wolves are still wild animals, after all," he sighed and handed the tablet back to his employer. 

"Does any of this make any sense to you?" Ryo finally blurted. "Why would that woman order those men to stun those poor creatures and haul them back here when she was the one who demonstrated that they could be tagged from the fences themselves, so that we wouldn't have to be bothered with the entire process manually?"

"Maybe Miss Kumiho just wants to make sure that the chips are working accordingly and safely embedded underneath the skin, Boss. What else could she possibly want with wolves?" 

Ryo shook his head, watching the live-feed attentively. He set his jaw when a notification banner appeared on the screen with a message from the liaison herself. 

_**Captured wolves shall be examined. I shall lead the proceedings**_ , it read.  _ **Please, do look forward for the reports**_. 

The young CEO heaved a disgruntled sigh. "What else indeed..." 


	49. ~ ... And the World Will Fall Apart ~

***

"Oh God, this is it! The end of the  _wooorld_!" Chen bouldered over the roaring thunder, yelping even louder when Suho had smacked him on the back of the head. 

"Will you stop it?" the leader sighed, shaking the excess of water from his hair, giving me a tiny smile. "Are you okay, Jae?" he asked quietly, flinching along with me when lightning struck not all too far away. 

"I think so," I answered, hugging my knees tightly while looking outside at the downpour of rain, whipping violently to the whims of the wild winds. The storm had become so brutal that walking back into town was too much of a fuss. Instead, D.O. pointed out that there were caves nearby that we could take refuge in, so we dove into the first one that was big enough for thirteen people and all that was left to do was wait until the storm would lie down. 

"Here, noona, so you won't get cold," Chanyeol placed a flickering flame in front of me and it danced strongly, giving off a pleasant warmth. 

"Thanks, Chanyeol," I said gratefully, since I was shivering like a drowned cat. 

"No problem," he smiled brightly, wet bangs sticking to his forehead. 

I looked up, a little bewildered when I felt something plop over my shoulders and D.O. sat next to me with a lopsided grin. He readjusted his jacket on my shoulders to make sure that I was covered. 

"I dried the jacket first, noona," Sehun said from beside me, a proud look on his face, and I chuckled. 

"Thank you," I murmured a little shyly. It was nice being taken care of like this, a bit awkward, sure, but nice. Back home I had a lot of girl-friends and not that many guy-friends and usually I was the one that would look out for others. To suddenly be the one that everyone takes care of takes a little getting used to. 

"Wow, I hope everyone got out of the storm alright," Lay piped up when he looked outside. his clothes had stuck against his skin and his hair was spikey due to him pushing his bangs out of his eyes. In the light of the fire, they were a warm chocolate brown and they stood genuinely concerned. 

"Is it storm season?" I asked, wrapping D.O.'s jacket a little tighter around me. 

"No, too early," Sehun replied, pursing his lips when he heard the wind howl. He had tried to calm down the gale somewhat, but this wind wouldn't listen. It reminded me that even though these guys are able to do amazing things, even they couldn't tame Mother Nature. Chen had managed to keep the lightning at bay, but he couldn't stop it either. Having him around during a storm was a comfort though. He assured everyone that he wouldn't let the lightning hit anyone. 

I bit my lip when I thought back to what the boys once said to me, when I first found out that I was a wolf like them. They insisted on keeping an eye on me out of fear for possible consequences. Suho mentioned something like a tsunami, D.O. talked about an earthquake... I didn't know what they meant back then, but that was different now. I understood completely, despite not being that sure at all. 

Tao said that I was like him. I didn't freeze when I was supposed to, and then Luhan told me that I was like him, not like Tao, because I heard his thoughts when I shouldn't have and I made him feel strong. I wasn't even aware of any of this. If I had a power, then I should at least notice something, right? I winced again when the thunder crashed outside, the wind whistling loudly through the opening of the cave. 

"Is this-," I hesitated. "Is this because of me, somehow?" I asked softly, looking around. The boys fell silent as a dozen pair of eyes watched me. 

"What are you talking about, Jae?" D.O. asked quietly, a stark contrast to the noise outside.

"The storm," I pointed out, tilting my head to the opening of the cave. "I don't know how this power thing works, but if Tao and Luhan think that I can, uh-," 

"Reflect," Kai commented from the shadows. 

"R-right, reflect," I nodded before continuing, "could it somehow affect the natural order, or something? I mean, I don't even know what I do to turn it on or off, or-whatever... I can't even feel when I'm doing it. What if this storm is on me?"

"It's not, don't worry about it, Jae," Kris said in his deep voice that seemed to calm the anxiety of the storm when he spoke. "Sometimes a storm is just a storm." 

The orange glow of the fire cast a golden aura on the boys. The flames were nice and warm, but the light was dim in the dark cave. Every time lightning flashed, it brightened up the place just for a few seconds, reminding me just how dark it really was. And, every time the thunder roared, like it was ready to rip everything apart, I flinched, hugging my knees tighter, lowering my face into D.O.'s jacket. 

"Are you afraid of thunder, noona?" Sehun asked, obviously having taken note of me twitching as soon as thunder sounded. 

"N-no, I just don't particularly like the sound of it when it's this loud," I explained. "And it's really dark- you know, considering the time of day," I added in a whisper. 

"Dark, huh?" Baekhyun noted and a glint of playfulness shone in his eyes. He scooted towards me until he was sitting close and I wondered what this boy was up to now. 

"Hey, hyung, back up a little," Sehun complained, pushing against Baekhyun's knee. 

"What? I want to try this thing out with Jae-noona," Baekhyun suddenly announced, sitting cross-legged in front of me, his hands casually outstretched towards me. 

"Try what out?" Xiumin asked, peeking from behind Baekhyun. The boy didn't turn away from me, that cheery smile continuously on his face. 

"Well, if Luhan-hyung and Tao got to be connected with Jae-noona, why can't I?" he asked innocently. 

"Yah! Why should you be next, hyung?" Sehun immediately protested. 

"Uh, I really don't have any intentions of trying this reflect-thing anytime soon right now," I interrupted before they started a discussion. "Like I said before, I don't even know how I do it-  _if_ I do it," I said. 

"Well, since we're all stuck in a cave for the time being, no better time than the present,  _ne_? Don't worry about a thing, noona, with all of us here, nothing can go wrong," Baekhyun coaxed, holding out his hands again. 

"Maybe you shouldn't be the one to do this first, Baekhyun. Why not let Luhan do it again, so we can see how this thing works," Suho suggested instead, the smile on Baekhyun's face dropping immediately. Seeing the disappointment on his younger brother's face, Luhan chuckled. 

"It's alright, Suho. Let Bacon-ah give it a shot. We're here to make sure nothing bad happens," he smiled kindly and winked at an elated Baekhyun. 

"Yes! Come on, noona," Baekhyun immediately piped up, wriggling his fingers. 

"Wait, are we really doing this?" I asked, still a bit hesitant. 

"Why Baekhyun-hyung?" Sehun muttered, crossing his arms across his chest. "I could try as well, you know," he said, looking at Suho.

"And cause a tornado in here? I don't think so. If Jae really has the ability to make our powers stronger, or even manage to do what we do when she's connected to us, then Baekhyun is the safest bet at the moment," Suho reasoned. 

"Exactly!" Baekhyun nodded and leaned forward a bit. "Besides, we can do something about the dark, noona," he added conspiringly. 

I looked at his waiting hands, having half a mind to decline the offer, but then I thought about what else we could do while waiting for the storm to lie down. This was better than nothing, at least. 

"I'll do my best," I told him, my hands feeling cold in Baekhyun's warm grip. 

"No worries, noona, I'll do the work," he assured me in a whisper, and I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do next. Maybe obliviousness was just part of the whole power package in my case. I mean, now that I think about it, being aware of my supposed power might actually be more dangerous than not. Let's say, for the sake of my sanity, that Kai was right. That I was some kind of virtual reality character come to life and that I had the ability to not only enhance the power of others, but that I could use them as well, as long as I was connected to them. What would happen if I connected to them all at once? It would mean that I could do what they could do, and if these boys were strong individually, what would that make me? 

_Screwed,_ I sighed _._

"Wow..." Baekhyun suddenly crooned, blinking his eyes rapidly before steadying his gaze. "Noona, you- woah," he exclaimed, his grip firm, but not unpleasant, and his eyes were noticeably crimson. It was only now that I noticed that our palms were somehow lit and I felt the light that radiated from Baekhyun's hands. As in, I could  _feel_  it, flowing like silk, warm and cold at the same time. 

His brothers had gathered closer to watch in anticipation and curiosity and I glanced a little worriedly at D.O., who placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder, indicating that everything was alright. 

"Noona, focus with me," Baekhyun then said, the grin wide on his face. I nodded and followed his example when he closed his eyes. The light was moving, scattering, twirling and glowing brighter. I couldn't hear the storm that raged outside anymore, I wasn't covered in the dim darkness of the cave. There was only this. Light and relief, the strange reassurance that everything was going to be alright, that nothing was impossible as long as there was light to drive away the darkness. As long as there was hope. It was strange and absolutely crazy, but something told me that those positive vibes I was feeling, came from Baekhyun himself. It just made sense to me now, how he was tied to the strength of light. I thought at first it was because he was somewhat of an attention-seeker, but I can see now, that that is not the entire case. 

I opened my eyes, but to my surprise, I found myself in the middle of a green field with the clear blue sky above me and the warm sun radiating down on the earth as if it had no knowledge of darkness. Where was I? I was holding hands with Baekhyun, wasn't I, not Kai? 

Though, try as I may, I couldn't panic. There was a part of me that didn't  _want_  to. I felt like I was a spectator in a dream, or a memory, perhaps? It looked so familiar here, like I've visited this place very often before, even though I didn't know where I was. 

_Baekhyun?_ I called out, but there was no response, that is, until I saw him. A small boy with a cheery smile, holding out his hands in a concentrated fashion. 

"Come on, it's okay. I'll lead you back home, you don't have to worry about a thing. You just have to follow the light, see? The light is good. There's plenty of light here, but I know you live somewhere dark," he muttered to something, his tiny hands emanating a beam of pure white light that seemed brighter than the glowing sun. 

The boy didn't seem to have taken notice of me, so I got to my feet, approaching carefully. My lips tugged up into a smile on reflex when I saw that the little boy was having a one-sided conversation with a little bunny, who took careful hops to wherever he shone his light. This was Baekhyun. Little baby Baekhyun leading a stray bunny back to its home. Was this a memory after all? I felt like a trespasser the moment I realized that I may be witnessing something private. 

I stood back as Baekhyun continued shining the way for the little animal until it was back at its rabbithole, disappearing in the ground. I froze the moment that little Baekhyun suddenly turned his head and looked straight at me. He blinked a couple of times before smiling that familiar smile. 

"Hello!" he chirped, looking curiously at me. If this was a memory, he shouldn't be able to see me, right? 

_Um, hi,_ I couldn't speak out loud again. Did I turn into a wolf? Just to make sure, I looked down, but it was just me, human limbs, human body. 

Baekhyun kept watching me, his eyes following my movements- or so I thought. Imagine my embarrassment when I saw that the boy was not looking at me at all. He caught sight of a beautiful butterfly, flitting about without a care in the world. He held out his hand and the creature landed on his finger, while I sighed of relief, feeling like an idiot. 

"Do you want to see something amazing?" he asked the butterfly, that look of mischief in his eyes. 

_Yes. Show me._

That voice! So gentle and sweet, so small. It was another child's voice, that much was clear, but where did it come from? Where had I heard it before? 

"Okay, watch this!" Baekhyun piped up, the butterfly gracing itself meekly on his shoulder. Was it the buttefly that talked back to him? How? 

"Ready? Three...two," he cooed, giggling in his excitement when he rubbed his hands together, slithers of light already escaping from the cracks. "One!" he blasted out a wholehearted laughter, as he threw his hands in the air, the light from his hands shooting up into the sky, glittering like fireworks before they scattered and hovered like tiny fireflies around him. It was snowing white light around him and Baekhyun twirled on the spot. The sight of it took my breath away. It was amazing how a little boy could bathe the world in light like that. The sun was shining, but Baekhyun shone the brightest, simply because he was smiling. 

The marvelous sight was over too soon. By the time I blinked my eyes and opened them again, they focused on a grown-up Baekhyun, his mouth parted slightly, red eyes watching me in awe. Around us, little sparkly white lights floated around, like I saw mere moments ago. 

"Wow, hyung, are you doing this? I didn't know you could do this, your magic is usually more flashy," Chen breathed, jabbing at a floating light that passed by. 

"Who would've thought that Byun Baekhyun had a knack for subtlety?" Luhan quipped, his doe-eyes glimmering as they followed the swaying movements of the hovering lights.

"It's not just me," Baekhyun said, his voice much softer than I was used to hearing. He looked down at our hands and slowly pulled away from our entangled fingers. My jaw dropped, while Baekhyun grinned. "Noona is doing pret-ty good herself," he mused, the brothers looking down at my hands as well. They were pulsating bright light, in a similar fashion as Baekhyun's hands were doing, clouds of firefly-like orbs of light poofing out, lighting the cave and encircling Chanyeol's steady fire. 

"Wow! Noona can actually do what Baek-hyung can do!" Tao chimed, pointing out the obvious due to his excitement. However, I was still trying to put the puzzle pieces together. 

"Is it alright that I'm freaking out on the inside?" I squeaked as my hands leaked out light. 

"Yeah, try not to freak out on the outside as well, I don't know what might happen," D.O. chuckled, though he sounded as nervous as I was feeling.

"Awesome," Baekhyun said as he purposely emitted more light pulses to fill the dark cave with. "Jae-noona is awesome," he exclaimed. 

"Not really. Jae-noona is mostly confused," I retorted and automatically turned to Suho who had been watching with much interest. "Is this normal?" 

"What, you're asking me? If this is how the reflect thing works, then I guess so? Do you feel any different?" he asked instead. 

"Not particularly. Just sort of, uh," I looked at Baekhyun and frowned at him. Did he know? Did he see what I saw? "I feel more in tune to Baekhyun, I guess. I'm not sure how to explain," I trailed off. "But I don't feel particularly different, no." 

"Noona's energy is strong, though. If you tap into it, unconsciously or consciously, you can feel the connection," Baekhyun then elaborated to his brothers. "It's like Luhan-hyung and Tao said, when that happens it feels like you're on top of the world. I suppose it makes sense with that much energy that Jae-noona is able to mimic whatever energy she's linked to for the moment."

"Except that I can't sense it when that happens," I spoke, cocking my head slightly. 

"Hm, that may be a bit dangerous," Suho scratched his cheek, "but all in all, that is one awesome ability. Might come in handy in emergency situations," he thought, ever the practical one. I knew better than to ask them how this worked or to explain all of this weirdness to me, but it still was somewhat frustrating to not know all the answers. I was still stuck with the big fat 'why?' to all of this, and now it seemed that I keep discovering something new about myself while I was still trying to digest the former novelty that had happened to me. 

"Noona, is there something wrong? You don't seem all too happy now that you finally found out what your ability is," Sehun wondered out loud, concern splayed on his face. 

"Oh, it's not that I'm not happy, or anything," I quickly answered upon looking around the cave and being met by a dozen puppy dog stares of doom, "I'm just still trying to make sense of it all, you know, process it. I mean, this is pretty cool," I looked at my hand and tried to focus to stop the light from coming from my hands. It doused lightly, like a burned up candle. "But I don't know what it all means."

"It doesn't have to mean anything, noona," Baekhyun replied easily, rubbing his hands as the light went out, though the ones still hovering in the air remained. They sparkled like fairy dust, flitting and glittering. "This is who we are, what we do." He smiled kindly and his eyes turned back to their dark shade. The moment that happened, I felt the connection between us had waned away. Apparently, the brothers were responsible for establishing the connection. It had to be that way since I'm Queen Oblivious and have no idea how to jumpstart this thing to save my life. 

"Yeah, I know, but aren't you at all curious as to why? I mean, all of this can't just be one big case of a freaky coincidence, right? You said so yourselves that you wanted to find the answers," I reminded them. 

"You're talking about that source of energy," Kris remarked and I nodded. 

"What are you guys expecting it will tell you?" 

The atmosphere was pressing at this point, heavily worn down by anticipation and tension.

"What our memories mean," Xiumin then answered with a calm and quiet voice. 

"Or lack thereof," Suho added in a whisper. 

"Who you are," Lay suddenly spoke up, his expression typically unfazed when startled glances moved to his direction. "None of us seem to remember you, Jae-yah, and I don't like that. I'd like to be able to remember you, as well, what role you play, and how nice it would be to get to know you all over again." 

His dimpled smile was filled with sincerity and warmth, and I tried my best to return it with a smile of my own. "In that case, maybe we should give the hunting thing another shot. I didn't do very well last time, did I?" I chuckled sheepishly, trying to relieve the tension. 

"Are you sure you want to do that? What about that ghost-wolf?" Kris reminded me, and I saw it flash in my mind, a pair of hellish green eyes and rows of sharp teeth snapping at me, claws lashing out at me. 

"Yah, Kris-ge! Don't call it that, it gives me the shivers," Tao complained.

"In any case, we should stick together, probably. See if we can find something this time, because I don't believe in coincidences. I mean, what are the odds of my family moving to a remote island that I had never heard of before, only to find all of you here. I had no clue what I was until I got here, and suddenly I'm a wolf with reflective powers, brought together with a pack of other people who can change into magic-packed wolves. That's not a coincidence anymore, if you ask me," I thought out loud, still trying to fit the puzzle pieces together.  A shiver filled with dread ran up my spine. 

"What, are you saying that destiny brought us together or something, noona?" asked Kai, the skepticism evident in his voice. 

"Perhaps," I shrugged. "None of us will know if we don't find that source of energy."

"If that is the case, then what are we destined for?" Luhan asked, still managing to smirk, though his posture was stiff with tension. 

"You tell me," I replied. 

"Hey, guys," Chen suddenly spoke, looking outside. "Listen," he said. 

"To what? I don't hear anything," Chanyeol commented. 

"Exactly. I think the storm's laid down," Chen quickly got to his feet and poked his head out of the entrance. It was still raining, but the thunder and lightning seemed to have ceased. It looked as though the wind was a lot more tame as well. 

"We should go while we have a chance. Who knows whether that storm comes back or not," Suho said, squinting at the grey clouds over head. 

And so, we moved out of the cave and trudged through the muddy forest path to get back into town. Suho and Chen didn't seem to mind the weather at all, but I was cold, wet and tired and I could use a long nap right now. 

"It's probably safe to say that tonight won't be convenient to meet," Suho spoke while we were walking, a newfound determination in his step. "We could wait until the storm blows over for sure, to be on the safe side," he suggested. 

"But we won't know how long that might take, hyung. What if it takes another week?" Chen argued. 

"I wouldn't mind to go looking for it tonight. The storm seems to be clearing up," I proposed, eliciting surprised noises from the boys. "What?" I asked. 

"Look at you, Miss Wolf is completely well-adjusted, huh?" Kris teased and I blushed a little, trying to shrug it off like it was no big deal. 

"I want to find answers. That's not a bad thing is it?" And okay, now that I think about it, I may have missed running freely through the forest under the full moon, but they didn't have to know that. 

"Alright, if you're up for it, we'll see what the weather's like tonight. If it clears up, we'll meet at the usual spot," Suho decided. 

"Cool. I'll text Luhan to make sure if we're on for tonight," I said, Luhan smiling and nodding his head enthusiastically. 

"Yah! Why Luhan-hyung, noona?" Chen immediately asked, a few of his brothers glaring at their happy-go-lucky hyung. 

"Don't be angry just because Jae likes me better than all of you," Luhan teased and I couldn't help but chuckle when the brothers started arguing, protesting loudly. I didn't get the chance to explain to them that Luhan was the logical option considering that he was the only one that gave me his phone number, since something else caught their attention. 

A van, the color of smoke and shadows, drove past, the green logo of E.T. Corp gracing the side of it. The vehicle seemed to be in a hurry, but slowed down as it spotted us. I jumped a little when I heard soft, rumbling growling nearby and I carefully looked up at the boys. They had ceased their arguing and stood firmly together, like a group, a pack of wolves. They really didn't like E.T. Corp, did they? 

"What's that van doing here?" Suho spat out, in a tone that I remember he used often with me, back when we didn't know each other that well. It then occurred to me that I still actually, technically, did not know them that well. Odd, how comfortable and normal it felt now, just hanging around with them. 

"Maybe they're uninstalling those fences," I tried optimistically, feeling a bit awkward. "I told my dad how dangerous they were, so maybe he did something about it." 

"Oh yeah, your  _appa_  works for E.T. Corp, doesn't he, Jae-yah?" Lay pointed out, though he kept an oblique eye on the moving van, that had significantly slowed down as it followed the road we had been walking on. 

"He does, noona?" Tao said, surprised. 

"Hmhm," I mused. "It was the reason why we moved here. He's the new CEO of the company," I told them, running my hand over the back of my neck. I wasn't sure whether their exclamations were because they were impressed, or concerned. 

"Does he know, noona? About you, us?" Chanyeol asked carefully, his face contorted in anxiety. 

"You're kidding, right?" was all I needed to say to see the wave of relief wash over Chanyeol's face, the frown of worry immediately replaced by a gummy grin. "No way, if my parents found out- I can't even imagine what they would-,"

"Jade?"

I blinked, hearing the engine of the E.T. van whirr close by. I shook my head and chuckled. "Oh man, just thinking about it makes me paranoid..." 

"Uh, actually, noona, I think that guy is calling for you," Chen pointed at the van, though the brothers stepped forward slightly to shield me. I wasn't even weirded out by the fact that they moved so smoothly and in sync with each other. 

"Jade, is that you? What the heck are you doing out in this weather?!" 

I'm pretty sure my heart just stopped when the driver of the E.T. van rolled down his window, staring straight at me before glaring at the dozen guys surrounding me. 

" _Dad_?!" I shrieked. "Wha-what are you- I mean, how are- why are you even- um- hi!" I bit my lip, the boys equally frozen and nervously awkward when they realized that the driver of the van was indeed my old man. 

"Hi," he replied in that typical  _I'm your father and I'm not liking what I'm seeing_  kind of tone. 

"I thought that you were working today? Since when is the CEO a chauffeur?" I tried my utmost best to break the ice, but when Dad was in "Dad-mode", it wasn't easy to calm him down. 

"Oh, well, you know, since I am the head of the company, I thought it would be nice to take a long break, drive around, see what my young and  _only_  teenage daughter was up to," he summed up skeptically, obviously annoyed. His heated glares did not go unnoticed by anyone. Honestly, in situations like these, my father was about as subtle as a stick in the eye. 

"All of us were just hanging around, talking a walk, sir," Suho answered ever so politely, even bowing to him. Once the others saw the gesture, they followed the example like good little sheep. 

"Really? All of you took my precious daughter out for a walk during a hellish storm? What is a father to think about that?" he mused and I cringed, the brothers shuffling awkwardly and a little frightened backwards. My father, ladies and gentlemen, tended to have that kind of effect on teenage boys. Now that I think of it, that was probably the reason why I didn't have so many guy-friends back home. I heard one of them saying once how terrifying my Dad could be at times. How humiliating to find out what they meant right now.

"Dad, stop, seriously," I said, since I knew that he was well aware of the fact that he was overreacting. "You're being rude to my friends." 

"Ah, your friends! If that is the case, then how come I've never met them before?" he retaliated, a smug grin on his face. Now he was just trying to embarrass me. 

"For  _this_  exact reason," I retorted in the same tone, gesturing around me, and when I saw him bite his cheeks I knew I'd reached him. He let out a sigh and visibly loosened up. 

"I'm sorry, boys," he apologized, sounding more like the Dad I know. "Can't blame a father for being protective, right?" when he smiled, I could literally hear the sighs of relief escaping from everyone's lips, while I shook my head, bemused. 

"We understand completely, sir," Kris replied, though I couldn't help but notice that there might be more meaning to those words uttered by the tall teen. 

"Good," Dad shot a quick wink at me. "So, do you kids need a ride somewhere? I'm pretty sure this van is big enough to squeeze you all in," he then offered. 

"Thanks for the offer, sir, but we were just on our way home, to get out of this rain," Luhan prompted, his voice made of pure innocence and honey. "Jae did mention that she should get home as well, though, so it's rather a lucky strike that you're here now." 

I frowned a little at him, but he motioned with his eyes to just go with it. 

"Ah, well-timed, I see. Well, in that case, your chariot awaits, milady," Dad jerked his head to the passenger seat, more than happy, as it seemed, to get me away from the twelve boys. 

"Uh, y-yeah. One moment, okay?" I quickly said and turned to them, pretending that I was saying goodbye. "What are you doing?" I asked through clinched teeth.

"You should head home, Jae. Get some rest, just in case we do go through with hunting tonight," Luhan whispered. "It's been a long day." 

That was at least something that I could agree with. 

"And-," Luhan suddenly continued, "no offense or anything, but your dad is kinda scary," he admitted with a lightly chuckle. Behind him, Tao was nodding his head feverishly.  _Vicious wolves, huh?_ I grinned. 

"Okay then. I guess I'll see you guys later," I greeted as casually as possible. The response from the boys was cringeworthy as they greeted me in an exaggerated way solely because my father was there to witness it. 

"Take care, noona. Mr. Miyano, it was nice to meet you," Chen greeted cordially with a bow, his brothers responding in the same manner. Even Kai was at his best behavior in front of my father, giving small smiles and perfect 90 degree bows. 

"You too," Dad replied, though it was impossible to tell whether he meant it or not. "Say," he then piped up as I was walking towards the van, "which one of you is the 'dimpled one'?" 

_Oh my God!_  I facepalmed myself out of embarrassment, while thinking begrudgingly about my mother. She must've told him what she thought she witnessed the other day when I was talking to Lay. Why didn't I correct her that night when she assumed that I was on a date with him? _Because, dear Jae, you've no brain to function._  

"This one, sir!" Baekhyun had no problem to push a poor and confused Lay forward, who scratched his cheek and bowed again. 

When I saw the calculating look on my father's face, I quickly rushed forward. "Dad! Can we just go now,  _please_?" I urged him, getting into the van. 

"What? Why? I was just about to have a normal, pleasant conversation with Mr. Dimpled Cutiepie," he told me softly when I was buckled in.

I groaned. "Could you not?" He laughed at this. 

"It was nice meeting you boys," he greeted, calling out from the open window. "Hurry back home, alright? This weather might change with a blink of an eye. Don't make me regret not offering to drive all of you back home, you hear?" he commanded with the kind of authority only fathers and CEOs of fancy companies possessed. It immediately woke up the urge within you to want to do exactly what he asked of you. 

"Yes, sir! It was nice meeting you, too," I heard them say. 

"See you later, Jae-noona!"

"Drive home safely!" 

When they were out of sight and Dad was driving leisurely through the forest to get me home, I stole sideway glances from me. 

"So," he sang and I tried to mentally prepare for what was coming next. 

"Twelve guys, huh?" he started innocently, but I knew better, so I didn't respond. "Twelve guys," he repeated in a singsongy voice, bobbing his head. "You realize they look like handsome girls from afar, right?" 

The statement had come out of left field, so I couldn't help but burst out loud when I heard it. "What? Dad, don't be ridiculous, they do  _not_  look like girls," I chortled. 

"I'm just saying, baby, it's not normal for a bunch of guys to look so, so-," 

"Handsome?" I proffered. 

"Beautiful," he corrected, pulling a face, though laughing. "You think they're handsome?" 

"They're alright," I shrugged, trying to sound like I didn't care, but fathers, like mothers, have instincts as well, and I could tell that he didn't believe me. 

"Uhuh," he mused. "So, this dimple guy," he tried, but I was so not going to have that conversation with my dad!

"Dad, stop," I told him, giving him a look of exasperation. "You're sounding more and more like Mom every day." 

"Okay, first of all, ouch, that was uncalled for," he quipped. "Second of all, I assume you've told them that I own a shotgun and will not hesitate to shoot all of them in order to protect my daughter's virtue, right?"

"Oh my God, you did not just say that," I rubbed my temples, feeling another aneurysm was going to burst any second now. 

"I'm just saying, baby, I'm your dad. You tell Mr. Dimple that if he tries something funny, I'll shoot him another dimple on his butt."

"That's so wrong," I shook my head, trying to surpress my laughter. Dad always said things like this, but I knew that he'd never actually do it. It was his way to show me that he cared. I bet that he'd be really chummy with my future boyfriend. That was just the type of guy my dad was. 

"Anyway, are you going to tell me what you're doing here? What's up with the A-Team van?" I asked, successfully changing the subject. 

"Oh, yeah...Well, long story short; That freak storm startled the heck out of some wolves that the new security system picked up on - this updated version is supposedly a lot safer than the last one, don't worry - and I thought I'd go and see how they're doing. A small team was sent to fetch the wolves, to make sure they're unharmed and that the tagging was successful, but, I don't know, I just wanted to oversee the process personally." 

"Aw, the poor things," I empathized of course, but why did I feel like Dad wasn't telling me the whole truth? "So, you're tagging wildlife now, huh? I thought you were busy with that super secret project of yours? The thing Mom accidentally pulled out of your bag, what was it again? Some kind of knife?"

"Yeah, I'm busy with that, too." He didn't say anything else. 

"How's that project going?" I asked out of curiosity. 

"Fine, fine," his answers were short and this told me that he either didn't want to talk about it, or he was prohibited to do so. The conversation having gone quiet, I looked around the van and started exploring the contents of the glove compartment, but I gasped when I saw what was inside of it. 

"Um, Dad? Why does an E.T. vehicle carry stuff like that around?" I pointed and when he followed the direction of my finger, he startled and quickly closed the compartment shut. 

"Precautions, honey," he cleared his throat. 

"Why would E.T. Corp require handguns for that?" I asked in suspicion. 

"Animals are animals, baby," he said, but the phrase rattled me. "We have every good intention with those wild wolves that roam the island, but it doesn't mean that they understand that. The gun is issued just in case of an emergency, No one is planning to use it, though, not while we have stun-guns around," he said reassuringly. 

"Oh, yeah, stun-guns...Okay," I didn't know what else to say. I thought the van was here to get rid of the hazardous security fences strewn in remote parts of the woods, remote to humans, but not to wolves. Maybe the new system Dad was talking about was indeed much safer, but why did they suddenly have to involve guns?

Maybe we shouldn't hunt tonight just yet. Something tells me that I might end up regretting it. I gulped when the van sped up a little and I caught sight of a flash of white and glowing green amongst the trees. I exhaled deeply, thinking about the white wolf and everything that happened in the last couple of hours. Then, I made a decision.

_Alright then. You caught my attention. You wanted me to wake up._

I looked at my hands, still feeling the light that emanated from them, still felt the supposed connection in my heart, still saw a baby Baekhyun chortling in a bright world covered in glittering light. 

_I'm awake. And this time, I'm coming for you._


	50. ~ Heart Attack ~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looooong chapter guys, sorry, I can't seem to help myself OTL Comments are always appreciated! I'd love to receive some feedback, you'd be helping an aspiring writer out ^^ thank you <3

***

Why was I always so freaking nervous when I was going to meet the guys at night? 

You'd think that I'd be used to all of it right now, but nope, not me. My leg was shaking up and down like a Chihuahua in heat and the prospect of going hunting in the woods where I know the white wolf with green eyes was roaming, was making me break out in cold sweat. How could I think that I had the guts to go after it? Then again, what choice did I have, really. That pulse of energy came from that wolf, of that I am completely sure. It was a small comfort to know that this time, the boys will be with me. We're not splitting up tonight. 

_That is, if tonight is a go..._ I looked outside and the night seemed particularly dark. It was drizzling, but the storm had laid down. I've been holding my phone this entire time, checking it obsessively every other minute to see whether Luhan sent me a text. Should I try to text him instead? Tell him that I was having second thoughts? They'll probably sustain whiplash from my mood swings. I can't put them through that. 

"Breathe, Jae, come on. What are the odds of you being attacked by the white wolf twice?" I reasoned, pacing around in my room.  _Why hadn't Luhan sent anything yet?_

"Jade?" 

I jumped when my door opened after having been rapped on quickly and Dad's head popped out from behind. "Hey, you're still up?" he asked. 

"Uh, y-yeah. Homework, and stuff, busy, busy," I felt like a dysfunctional robot when I randomly reached for a book and flipping the pages while Dad could obviously see that I wasn't busy studying at all. 

He squinted his eyes at me. "You're not planning on sneaking out, are you?" he suddenly asked and even though he was teasing me, I still startled. 

"What? Why would you even say something like that? Geez, Dad, don't be silly, you silly goose," I chuckled, but it trailed off into a pathetic little whimper. And here I thought I was getting better at lying...

"So, you've no plans then?" Dad continued, stepping into my room, obviously having noticed my oh-so-smooth behavior. 

I shook my head, since I figured that opening my mouth won't help my case at all. 

"Not thinking about going off to meet a certain person? Start a teenage rebellion against your parents while their backs are turned?" he drilled, with me furiously shaking my head, pursing my lips shut.  _Keep it up, Jae, you're not raising suspicion at all._

"Hm," Dad mused, moving closer to look me straight in the eye. He cocked his head to the side ever so slightly, squeezing one eye shut while widening the other.  _Ah, the Crooked Pirate Glare_ ,  _so we meet again!_

I avoided looking at him, scooting away when he shuffled closer and closer and suddenly reached behind my back where I was holding my phone and snatched the device away from me. 

"Hey, Dad! That's private, give it back!" my protests were muffled when he easily placed his other hand over my mouth, holding me back by sheer force alone while he leisurely scrolled through my phone. 

"Who's Luhan? Is that Mr. Dimple?" he asked, blinking in surprise when I had shoved his hand away and snagged my phone back. "Yikes, are you on steroids, kid? I was only joking around, baby," he chuckled, ruffling up my hair a bit while he turned his wrist. 

"It's not funny, Dad, you don't mess with people's phones," I scolded, absolutely peeved. "They're like, sacred. I don't go around grabbing your phone, do I?" 

"That's because you know who I'm dating and sneaking off to in the middle of the night," he retorted, thinking he was Mr. Smarty Pants. "So if this Luhan is not Mr. Dimple, then who is he? And what's Mr. Dimple's name, you know, so I'll know under what name I can reserve a bullet for." 

I rolled my eyes. I was seriously not in the mood for his lame Dad-jokes. "Will you stop threatening my friends and sticking your nose in my social life? I'm not sneaking off anywhere and I'm not dating anyone. Look at me, do I look like someone who's going to paint the town with her new boyfriend?" I shot at him, while his eyes scanned the baggy, torn jeans and hooded sweater I was wearing.

"Touché," he replied. "Well, I just came in to tell you that Mom's passed out in bed. She's been doing errands all day and cleaning up the house, so you just leave her to rest, okay? I'm heading out, but you can call me if you need anything," he explained seriously, while I did my best to contain my excitement. Talk about luck! 

"Oh, okay. Um, where are you going?" I said, using my super serious voice, feigning interest. 

"It's this thing for work. Don't worry about it too much, though. I'll be back as soon as possible, but don't wait up for me, okay? If your mom wakes up and asks me where I am just tell her I'm at the office." 

"Okay, no problemo, Daddy-o, will do," I saluted, to which he grinned and planted a kiss on my forehead. 

"That's my Jade. You mind the fort. Be back before you know it," he greeted. 

"You got it. Be careful and don't work too hard," I told him. Dad gave me an assuring wink before leaving my room and a feeling of pure elation washed over me. The timing could not have been any better. With Mom sound asleep and Dad at work, I can roam in and out of the house without a hitch. At least that was one less thing I had to worry about. That moon was full, beaming, and taunting me, slithering its cold, pallid light through the thin veil of the clouds that carried the rain. Teasing me. That's what it was doing. Teasing. I needed to go outside. I wanted to run all of my nerves away. 

I looked at my phone when it vibrated and I opened the message Luhan sent me. 

"Finally!" I exclaimed, quietly running out of my room and out of the house when I read the text. 

_Usual spot, Wolfie. See you soon._

After running for about twenty seconds in the drizzle, fat drops of water had accumulated in my hair and clothing and rolled down my face. Nevertheless it was great being outside again, running without a care in the world. There seemed to be something different in the air, though, but that probably had more to do with the fact that the sky wasn't as clear as it usually was. I only caught a few glimpses of the moon, if I was fortunate enough to look up at the right time. 

By the time I got to our usual meeting place, I thought for sure that I'd be the first one to arrive again, except that wasn't the case this time. Xiumin's unofficial dog, the rottweiler, was already there, accompanying someone who was not Xiumin. 

I came to a standstill as I watched the rottweiler get spoiled by fond caresses and playful belly-rubs, all under the cooing and chuckling of a teenage boy. 

"Who's a good girl? Who's a good girl? You are! Such a pretty girl, too. So strong and fit. Jjangu could learn from you." 

Kai smiled brightly at the rottweiler when her tongue rolled out of her mouth and licked his chin. This was honestly not a sight I'd expected to ever witness. Was this really Kai? Moody, gloomy, grumpy Kai, playing with a dog like an excited child? He seemed like a different person. He was smiling a lot, which reached his eyes that turned into happy crescents, beaming their own ray of light when his smile stretched and extended into a blast of laughter, genuine and pure. I hardly recognized him. 

"Who's Jjangu?" I asked quietly with a smile on my face. Kai froze and tensed up before slowly getting to his feet.  _Oops_ , I had not meant to catch him off guard like this, but his slice of happiness was so contagious, I couldn't help but be influenced by it. 

I knelt down when the rottweiler spotted me and left Kai's side to greet me. Kai himself turned around slowly, as if he was purposely saving his heated glare only for me. He shoved his hands in his pockets and grumbled something unintelligibly, with a light dusting of a blush on his face. 

"I didn't quite catch that," I said apologetically, and he sighed, reluctance painfully clear in his eyes. 

"Jjangu is my dog, a toy poodle," he said in a clearer voice, scraping his throat. "When did you arrive, noona?" he jerked his head towards me, making it clear that he didn't like me catching him by surprise. 

"Just now. I thought I'd be the first to arrive, but guess I was wrong," I said with a smile, getting back to my feet while the rottweiler wagged her tail. She seemed to hesitate where to go, switching between going to me and then to Kai. She made her decision when Kai snapped his fingers and waved her over. She happily trotted towards him, walking easily into his outstretched hand as he knelt down. 

"Don't be ridiculous, noona. There's no way you're faster than me," he grumbled, no trace left of the happy, excited boy I just saw mere moments ago. His eyes shone red then, while he looked at the dog, whispering something to her that made her tilt her head. She obediently stayed by his side, even when he stood upright again. I'd take it as a display of dominance if I didn't know any better, but I just assumed that this was how Kai was somehow. 

"I didn't know you had a dog," I tried to keep the conversation flowing, since out of all twelve, I spoke with Kai the least. I didn't know any of them very well, but I suppose Kai was a complete mystery to me. It fitted him, how he could teleport by way of shadows. He seemed riddled by mysterious shades himself, as though he preferred it that way. 

"I've three," he shrugged, his hands shoved coolly in his pockets again, though through his relaxed demeanor I could sense his tension, could see him putting up his guard. The scent of ylang-ylang wafted my way. As silence fell between us, I scanned Kai's face, his body language, and felt like my own hair was spiking up. I chuckled sarcastically. 

"You don't like me much, do you, Kai?" I said plainly, seeing him squint his eyes in a twitch, before the mask of indifference was put on display again. 

"You hit me and threw stuff at us, or did you forget about that, noona?" he shot out in a soft growl. 

"Yeah, well, you tried to kill me first, remember?" I retaliated just as fiercely, and this got him flustered. I had broken through his wall of defense and clearly threw him off balance. Meanwhile, the rottweiler had been a silent spectator, moving her head from me to Kai, as though she was following every word. 

"I wasn't-," Kai clacked his tongue and turned away with a scoff. "I wasn't going to kill you," he muttered under his breath, his eyes averted from me. I waited for him to continue since I was curious where this sudden statement was going to. I firmly kept my mouth shut. 

"I just wanted to scare you so you'd learn your lesson and stay away from us, that's all," he explained quietly, finally making eye contact when he straightened his back and puffed up his chest a bit. He lifted his chin slightly when he added, "I was protecting my pack." 

"Yeah, no shit. I thought for sure you were going to rip my throat out, dude," I replied, rubbing my neck while chuckling a little nervously. This got a tiny little smirk from Kai, and I found that I liked him a lot more when he was smiling. He looked more attractive that way, too, if I may add.

"I still might, noona," he suddenly said, his red eyes glowing hotly when he uttered the words. I blinked in shock at him, since I had no idea whether he was being serious or was just joking around. I found it difficult to read Kai since he simply didn't allow people to read him easily. He was closed and distant, only allowing a special few into his heart. Was it strange that I felt a little jealous knowing that I wasn't considered to be one of those lucky few?

Then, completely out of the blue, Kai snorted. It was quick and surprisingly adorable since a glimpse of the boy playing with the dog made a cameo again. "Tao was right. You  _do_  have a brilliant shockface," he joked, shaking his head at me. I relaxed and managed to let out a chuckle. 

"And you apparently _do_ have a sense of humor," I pointed out, but the youth only very casually shrugged his shoulders. If only he were wearing a black leather jacket instead of a letterman's jacket, give him a motorbike to go with it and he'd be a perfect rebel. 

The conversation was in danger of coming to another awkward standstill, but I had ran out of topics to discuss with Kai. With the others I could come up with more things to say, or they'd be the one doing the talking, but not Kai. Sometimes I thought he purposely tried to make others feel uncomfortable. There was a pressing need for silences to be filled with him around. It wasn't that the atmosphere became tense because of it, just awkward. To me, it felt like I wanted to get to know Kai better, but I didn't know how to reach him. Then again, that may be his intention. Even though he managed to joke around, I could tell that he had put up his wall of defense again. 

"I'm-," I started, but breathed out again, coming to a halt. Usually, I wouldn't care that much what people thought of me since I know what kind of a spazz I can be and how my awesome social skills are the epitome of hella awkward, but it bothered me that Kai felt the need to be on alert around me. Like he treated me as someone dangerous, while there was no reason to,  _was there_?

"You don't have to be afraid of me, you know," the sentence was out before I could think it over properly. As expected, he scoffed and only barely resisted to roll his eyes at me. "What I mean is," I quickly continued, "you don't have to keep up putting your guard around me. I don't plan to hurt anyone or something of that nature. I'm- I'm not dangerous," I elaborated and Kai lifted his eyebrow at me. There was a question burning in his red eyes and I wished he would just say what was on his mind. 

"That remains to be seen, noona," he replied softly, no malice in his tone. "Maybe you as a person aren't dangerous, but you as a wolf..." he spoke straightforwardly, plainly showing how basically, he didn't trust me just yet. "I don't know what to think of you," he then decided, refusing to look away from me. "Can you...can you accept that, for the time being, noona?" he then asked. 

I must've taken too long to answer, since Kai licked his lips and heaved out a sigh, looking up at the cloudy sky. The silver moonbeams pushed through the gray veil for a split second, illuminating Kai as though he was put under a spotlight. I could clearly see the heavy drops of rain cling desperately to his hair, one of them falling slowly down the side of his face, trailing over his sharp jawline, before dipping down to caress his neck as well. 

I was gawking. I was aware of it. And heck, Kai'd be blind if he wasn't aware of it either, but his face was emotionless when he looked back, while mine was flustered, covered by a reddening blush. Forcing myself to look away, I nodded. 

"I have to look out for my pack first, and you have a very strange effect on them," he added quietly. I wanted to say that I was part of the pack, too, now, so there was no need to suspect me, but I didn't open my mouth. I think it was because I kind of understood what he meant. To him, the other eleven wolves were his family. His brothers. I saw them as friends, but they were family. They had history, shared experiences, and, apparently, old, forgotten memories as well. They were intertwined, but me, I was a strange loose string that had somehow managed to weave herself into their existence. An outsider amongst outsiders.  _No wonder he doesn't trust me._ In Kai's eyes I ruined the perfect balance of the Majestic Twelve, and I understood his sentiments towards me. I had been complaining on how recent developments in my life have become so different now, but I hadn't stopped to think and consider what it must be like for them. 

"Besides," he then continued filling the silences himself since I still hadn't opened my mouth to say something, "what kind of wolf gets attacked by another wolf, anyway?" he pointed out in his suspicion. "Provided that the ghost-wolf was real."

That was the statement I needed to hear to find my voice again. "Hey, that wolf was very real, alright?" I shot out. "It wasn't my fault that the animal was so feral it attacked me like that," I protested, sulking a little. 

"No, but it was your fault for allowing it to attack you like that," he suddenly stated in annoyance, but I didn't follow his tone. He sounded angry. "You know what that did to my brothers, seeing you like that, covered in blood?" 

_Yup - Definitely angry...!_  

"I-I, it wasn't my intention, that is, well- I, uh..." I stammered and gasped softly when Kai was suddenly standing right in front of me, his gaze intense, his hands grasping my shoulders. 

"Suho-hyung has been in a good mood since he found out that you're one of us," he started. "D.O., who's one of the shyest people I know, has more confidence in his step and a look of determination in his eyes when you're around. Tao can't keep his mouth shut on how he wants to take selcas with you, and Kris-hyung! For whatever reason, he keeps humming the melody of A Whole New World when he thinks no one can hear him. And Sehun, he seems to have the delusional belief that you're going to ask him to come to the Homecoming dance at school." 

I felt like breaking into a sweat each time Kai said something about his brothers. His face stood close to mine and I saw the determination, the anger and the frustration in his eyes. But, why did he tell me these things? Was it to embarrass me, or something? Or his brothers? 

"Those are just a few examples," he grumbled. "Don't even get me started on the others," he said in exasperation. "I don't know why, but my brothers care for you in their own ways. Even you can't be so oblivious to not have noticed at least that much, noona," Kai's grip tightened slightly before he let go, almost as though he allowed me some time to process the information. 

"That's why I don't know what to make of you yet. All I know is that I have to look out for the pack. That's what matters most," he finished, taking a few steps back to create a healthy distance between us. How come when Kai was in a grumpy mood, everything he said sounded like a threat? 

"I've no intention of hurting the pack," I replied with a voice as small as that of an ant. _Ugh, where's my bite when I need it?_

"Not consciously, no," Kai prompted, looking away from me only when he heard the rottweiler wimper a little before she wagged her tail and directed herself towards something else. She then bolted towards the abandoned road, running off. She barked a few times as though she was greeting someone. 

"They're here," Kai remarked, though I couldn't see anyone or smell them, for that matter. I turned away from the road so that I could look at Kai, but it seemed like he was done with the conversation. He slowly walked passed me towards the road, avoiding my gaze. When he stood next to me, I reached out for his hand without thinking. This had him jump a little and he froze on the spot. I did as well, since I had no idea what I wanted to achieve from this. His hand was warm though, his fingers long and twitching slightly in my hold. 

"They're lucky to have you, Kai," I then said, wondering where I was going with this, wondering at all where the words were coming from. "That you care for your brothers, I mean," I added, when he turned his head to look at me. "And to answer your first question, I can accept that you don't know what to think of me yet. It wouldn't be fair on my part to ask it of you, when recently I'm not even sure what to make of me," I chuckled. "So I guess we both can take our time to figure it out," I finally said and slowly let go of his hand, having said what I wanted to. 

My fingers slid over his, falling down to my side, but that was when my hand was caught again. This time, Kai was holding it, but again, he didn't meet my gaze as I tried to face him. 

"I don't dislike you," he said in a low rumble, the corner of his mouth twitching a bit. "Just so you know," he said quietly. His face was closed and indifferent, but mine was smiling. 

"Right back at you," I replied, squeezing his hand a little before we let go. Kai watched me for a second, and who knows what went on in that kid's head, but then he turned away. 

"Ah, here you are! I was looking for you, you know. Look what I got," Xiumin's quiet voice sounded, followed by the cheerful barking of the rottweiler. I watched as he put a collar on her, the dog complying meekly. "There, now you won't get caught," he petted her. 

"I don't get why you don't just take the dog home with you, Xiumin-hyung," D.O., commented. 

"That's because his parents have a strict policy not to bring his girlfriends to his bedroom," Luhan quipped, earning a fist against the arm from Xiumin. 

"She seems to like her freedom, so I don't see why I should force her to stay in a house all day," Xiumin answered, the rottweiler happily by his side. 

"Ha, maybe she's got some wolf in her, too," Kris commented. 

"Of course she does, dogs are descendants from wolves," Suho replied matter-of-factly. 

"Ah, then that makes doggie-ah family, right?" Lay asked, chuckling. 

"Yeah, about that, you should give her a name, hyung," Sehun noted. "Can't keep calling her dog, rottweiler, or mutt, the entire time." 

"Hm, I'll think about it," Xiumin promised, patting the blissful dog's head. 

"Hey, maybe you could call her Minnie Junior!" Chen then prompted, his signature childlike laughter ringing in the air. 

"Don't people usually give their girlfriends pet names, though? Maybe something like Pumpkin Spice Latte?" Baekhyun added in jest, flinching away nervously when Xiumin raised his hand, D.O. practically encouraging him to hit the boy whilst surpressing his laughter. 

"Hey, that's actually not a bad idea! Xiumin-hyung likes coffee right? Introducing, Miss Frappuccino!" Chanyeol blurted under the laughter of his brothers, though it sounded like Tao's high-pitched laughter took the cake. I was chuckling too, myself. No one, in their right mind, would ever believe them to be shapeshifting, magic wielding boys, based on the conversation they were holding. To the outside world we all must look like a bunch of teens hanging out during afterhours with possible mischief on their minds, but nothing out of the ordinary. 

"Why not ask the dog-expert what would be a suitable name? What do you think, Kai?" Xiumin asked, having seen his younger brother and I smiled at the brothers when they noticed me as well. 

"I think you're all scaring the poor dog away," Kai deadpanned, kneeling down so that the rottweiler could be comforted in his arms. 

"Yah, were you waiting with Jae-noona, alone, Kai?" Sehun asked, pouting slightly when Kai nodded casually. 

"I left the house when I got Luhan's text. I didn't realize that I'd be too early again," I explained. "So, can we do this?" I then asked, since I waited around long enough. I wanted to go, I wanted to find that pulse, I wanted answers. I had a good feeling, despite of my nervousness, that we might find it tonight. Provided that the white wolf makes an appearance again. 

"We should make some rules first," Suho suddenly said, a frown of concern on his face. He was met by protests. 

"Suho-hyung, we already know!" Chen whined. 

"I'm serious. I saw a couple of black vans at the edge of the forest on the other side," Suho elaborated, directing himself at me. "They're from E.T. I think it's wise we should be extra careful tonight. We don't move around independently, we stay as a pack, together. No magic, unless necessary, and we keep a low profile. Is that clear?" 

I rolled my shoulders and nodded, running my hands over my hair, feeling it grow, cyan green locks replacing the brown. "Let's go." 

We ran in a perfect formation through the damp forest, the boys insisting that I stay in the middle of the pack. Suho took the lead and Kris, who was also larger than average in his wolf form, guarded the rear. We ran in a diamond formation, all of us on alert and on the lookout for the mysterious pulse of energy. We were deep in the forest when Suho skidded to a halt, prompting the rest of us to stop as well. His hair spiked up and he showed his teeth slightly. The signal was clear though;  _danger_. 

_Is it the ghost-wolf?_ Baekhyun asked from behind me. 

_No. I don't know what it is, but I don't like the smell._ Suho answered, hunching down. _Focus, listen. You can hear them._

Sure enough, when we became quiet, soft voices had started to fill the air and I understood Suho when he said that he didn't like the smell. The scent smelled foul, like sulphur, or something rotting. But amongst those scents, there was one particular smell I knew very well. I perked up my ears, sniffing the air to distinguish that one scent. 

D.O. noticed my heightened state of alertness and came to my side. He nudged me with his snout. _What is it, Jae?_

_That smell...I know that smell._

_Which one? The rotting eggs?_ Chanyeol asked in disbelief. 

I shook my head and gave a little growl, since I was in no mood to joke around.  _Ginger lei,_ I replied, feeling my heart thump.  _I have to make sure,_ I told them and bolted off before they could argue. Immediately, they followed, Suho snapping his jaws at me and jumped in front of me to stop me. 

_Jae, are you insane? What did we agree?! I'm not letting you go after them. That foul smelling scent obviously means danger, and its tied to those E.T. vans I mentioned before! They might be setting something up again!_

_Be that as it may, there's more than just that scent. I just have to make sure, Suho._

_Make sure of what, noona?_ Sehun asked, also standing close as though he was afraid I'd run off again. 

_The scent of ginger lei. You can smell that, too, can't you?_ I asked them. 

_It's a bit out of place, but I can smell it,_ Kris stated.  _What of it though? Is that the scent of the ghost-wolf?_

I shook my head, feeling a bit sick.  _My dad._ I was met by silence and I couldn't blame them. Maybe I didn't smell it right, but I just needed to see, just to be sure. He'd told me that he was going to the office, to work. I didn't want to know what he was doing here, if he really was here, but I still needed to know. Why would my father hang out with a bunch of people that obviously had such a nasty smell about them? My heart sank when I suddenly thought of the possibility that maybe he was in trouble somehow...

_Suho, please, let me see. It'll be quick, they won't know that we're here,_ I pleaded, that particular thought distressing me. 

_It may be useful to see what those E.T. guys are doing in this part of the woods, Suho,_ Kris added to convince him, pleading my case. 

The leader pondered the words and looked at me.  _We go together. Quickly and quietly,_ he urged and I nodded fiercely.  _We take the lead, you stay where we can see you._

_Thank you,_ I told him and we followed our noses. Taking refuge in the shadows of the trees, hiding behind shrubs, we finally came across a group of E.T. Corp people. It struck me as odd to see them wearing black uniforms, sneaking about as though they were doing something illegal. They were busy setting up strange-looking trees with fake-looking vines that needed electricity to function. Was this the new security system my father talked about? Making them harder to notice didn't equal safety, though. 

The twelve seemed to realize this as well, growling softly at the new fences. 

_Stay clear from those,_ came Suho's redundant warning. 

_Is your father here, Jae-yah?_ Lay asked, sitting quietly beside me. I think my eyes played a trick on me, because I could've sworn that even in his wolf form, his dimple was showing. 

_I don't see- wait._ My ears perked and I turned the other way. I licked my lips anxiously.  _This way_. We snuck off to the other side of the area, hiding behind trees to look upon two people having a conversation with one another. My eyes widened when I saw my father, talking to a tall-legged woman with pouty lips and long black hair. She was oozing sexy and I didn't like that they stood so close to each other. What the heck is Dad doing? Did he lie to me? To poor Mom who was so fatigued taking care of the household when he was 'at work' that she fell asleep immediately? He was supposed to be at the office, not gallivanting about in the woods in the middle of the night while chatting up a voluptuous brunette! Who the hell is that woman anyway?! She stinks of burning wood. 

_W-wow... um, who is that?_ asked Kris, though he asked the question as though he was afraid it may offend me and who could blame him? What else were people to think if they saw a married man speaking to a beautiful woman in an abandoned forest at night? I hated to think that Dad may be the type to cheat on his loving wife, and I refused to believe it. But what was with the smiles the woman beamed his way, and why did Dad have such a heated look in his eyes? I was confused. It felt too soon to be angry and upset, just by seeing this, but why is he here? Why was he with that woman in particular? Was she working for E.T. as well? Was I witnessing something I wasn't supposed to? 

I let out a soft, but deep growl that reverberated in my chest when I saw the woman place her hand on my father's arm, and the anger was starting to brew upon seeing him move away from her instinctively. My father was a loyal man, and that woman better not try anything funny. Dangerous or not, I'll sink my teeth in that milky neck of hers if she tried to seduce him. 

_Keep calm, Jae,_ Luhan's gentle, soothing voice sounded. 

_Why are you in my head?_ I bit back, still annoyed. 

_I'm not. I'm talking to you,_ he said quietly.  _It may not be how it appears,_ he said a little cryptically, making me turn towards him.  _If you want, with your permission, I can find out what they're talking about,_ he offered, also looking at Suho for an okay. 

It would mean that I'd be violating my father's privacy, but everything about the situation didn't sit well with me. With a stone weighing heavy in the pit of my stomach, I nodded. At that moment, Luhan's eyes glowed a bit and it kind of felt like another frequency opened in my head, almost like a radio trying to find the perfect signal, tuning in. 

"...never gave permission for that!" Dad told the smiling woman, and I realized now that he was angry at her, but in a way that he didn't want to show it. 

"You're acting as though we are hunting these poor wolves, but I assure you, sir, that is absolutely not the case. We're looking out for them," she argued in an eerily calm voice that was devoid of any emotion. She sounded hollow to me.  _Scary_. 

"With  _these_?!" Dad grabbed a handgun from one of the metal suitcases nearby and I gasped under my breath. Suho and Kris exchanged glances. 

_We should leave,_ Suho suggested. 

_Not yet, please,_ I urged. We stayed. 

"It's just a precaution, sir, just to be safe. The stun-guns work perfectly fine and I'm sure there's no need for the real deal," the woman assured him, but I didn't like the sound of this conversation. Since when was E.T. Corp so interested in wolves? Now something smelled foul and fishy...

"Regardless, I want these gone," Dad stated firmly. "My daughter found one of these infernal things in the dashboard of a company vehicle. I was so startled I lied to her on the spot, how it's not a big deal- except that it is, Miss Kumiho, especially since I never granted you permission to issue weapons other than stun-guns!" 

"How could we ensure the safety of our men then, sir? We concern ourselves with the safety of wild animals- emphasis on  _wild_  - but you would not grant the workers the same guarantee to keep them from harm? What if a wolf decided to attack, for the heck of it? What if the stun-gun isn't enough to immobilize it? You would take the risk of getting someone killed, sir?" she asked in a friendly tone, but I could hear the sarcasm.

"If a stun-gun isn't enough protection, I wonder why we're bothering putting up these systems in the first place. What use is there in installing them if you're perfectly at ease with the idea of having to shoot one of those poor creatures if push came to shove?" Dad reasoned and this shut the woman up.  _Go, Dad, tell her!_

_I think we've heard enough now, Luhan,_ Suho decided and the signal went away. The woman's lips were moving and my father responded to her, but I didn't know what they were saying. 

_Forget the pulse for tonight. We're leaving,_  Suho stated in an authoritative voice that even had me flinch for a second. The pack started to move under the command of the leader, but I was still hesitant. I was still looking at the mystery woman and my Dad, putting up a fierce discussion with her, so it seemed. 

_Jae, come on,_ Suho ordered and I wish I could've clacked my tongue before relucantly going away. 

_That was pretty intense...Are you okay, noona?_ asked Tao, his fur painted with dark blotches here and there. 

_I think so. Mostly confused, though. My dad didn't seem to like that woman much,_ I pondered. _I don't think I like her either,_ I decided, shaking my head. 

_Do you want me to huff and puff and blow her away, noona?_ Sehun asked playfully, though if I told him that I did want him to do it, he'd probably actually would. 

_Thanks for the offer, Sehun, but I don't think it'll solve anything, though,_ I told him. He pounced in front of me, his tail up in the air. 

_Are you sure? It won't be a problem,_ he tried to convince me, pouncing from side to side as if he was ready to attack already. Strangely there was something very youthful about his demeanor, like a young pup who was trying to show his worth. 

_Sehun, be careful, don't be stupid,_ Suho warned while we started walking away. Sehun ran ahead and then ran back, hopping on fallen trees and pouncing off of them again, like a hyperactive kid. 

_You'll just have to say the word, noona, and I'll take care of it,_ he stated boisterously, completely ignoring Suho. 

_Maybe I could finish it up with a lightning strike combo, you know, when she's up in the air!_ Chen suddenly chimed in, tongue wagging out of the corner of his mouth. 

_Exactly!_ Sehun exclaimed. 

_Yah, Chen, don't encourage him,_ Kris warned.  _And Sehun, stop being ridiculous and don't walk backwards like that, you're making me nervous!_

It were moments like these that reminded me that Sehun - and Chen, for that matter -, were younger than me. But, I suppose this was Sehun's way of trying to make me feel better.

_It'll be easy, noona,_ he continued, pretending that Kris was nothing but air.  _Here, check this out,_ he then turned around sharply and let out a strange sounding bark. The moment the sound left his mouth, a small tornado swept up the fallen leaves from the forest floor, trailing steadily towards a funny-looking tree. The tornado hit the bark of the tree with impressive force, and I'd expected the wood would shatter - except that it didn't. Instead, the blast of wind revealed strange wiring and red flickering lights that were hidden behind a metal panel, something I was sure a normal tree wouldn't have. 

_What the...?_ D.O. tilted his head, looking at the strange contraption, especially when one of the vines shot loose by itself and slithered over the ground like a snake. 

_Sehun, watch out!_ Suho exclaimed, startled as he shot forward to his younger brother. I watched breathlessly as the vine had somehow turned into a frightening needle, aiming itself at an unsuspecting Sehun. The young wolf would have definitely been hit, had Kai not teleported his way to his side, swallowing him in his shadows and moved the both of them a few feet out of harm's way. 

_Oh my God, are you alright, Sehun?!_ I rushed towards them, but the lean wolf was obviously startled. 

_That was absolutely irresponsible of you! Why do you never listen when I tell you to be careful?!_ Suho growled, headbutting the younger wolf against the side. 

_I-I'm s-sorry, hyung,_ he stammered, his lisp perfectly audible.  _I-I didn't- didn't know, uh...Chen-hyung?_

All eyes were focused on the smaller wolf now, who was still staring at the new security system. _I didn't sense anything, hyung,_ he told Suho with a voice so frail I thought it would break.  _Why didn't I sense anything?_

_They must've adjusted the frequency of the electric pulses somehow,_ Luhan answered, watching Xiumin freeze the needle-vine until he could shatter it. 

_Here's a question,_ Xiumin then stated oh-so-calmly while my heart was ready to thump out of my chest,  _why would they tag wolves with intricate tracking devices? These are used for hunting._

_Hunting?! What do you mean, hunting, hyung?_ Chanyeol asked, bewildered. 

_Jae, do you know why E.T. Corp is suddenly interested in wolves?_ Suho asked me, but how was I supposed to know that? Obviously my father didn't tell me everything! 

_How should I know, Suho? My father doesn't talk about his work, and it seems pretty obvious that he hadn't been updated on the situation either,_ I argued, though I was starting to have a very bad feeling about all of this. None of it made sense. None of it summed up. Why was my father here and why didn't he seem to know what was going on? He was the CEO for goodness' sakes! Why were the fences designed so intelligently and so dangerously, with the obvious intent to capture or perhaps, even _kill_  wolves? Had someone from their company seen any of us? Do they know who we are and what we do? Why is Baekhyun moving closer to the fence of doom...?

_Baekhyun, step back!_ Kris warned, but it was too late. Having hovered too closely by it, a sound, so horrifying and head splitting, went off like an alarm. I heard my own whimpers of pain and the yelping of the brothers around me. I scratched against my ears, but I couldn't keep out the sound. 

_Argh, someone make it stop!_ Tao pleaded. 

_I hear voices!_ Luhan then prompted out of the blue, wincing in pain. 

_So what, you always hear voices!_ Xiumin retaliated grumpily, but Luhan shoved the eldest wolf to shut him up.

_The voices are coming from behind those trees,_ Luhan clarified, and I could hear him gasp for breath. I was trying to bite away the pain myself, trying to drown out that horrid alarm. 

_We have to move- quickly!_ It was Chen that suggested it.  _Hurry!_ he pushed Suho roughly out of the way at the moment that a sudden flashlight shone towards our direction and a deceptive bolt of electricity was zapped towards Suho. It would've hit, had Chen not pushed him out of the way. 

_Stun-gun,_ Kris gasped, looking up when heavy footsteps and raised voices errupted from the trees, lights searching their way through the night, trying to find us.  _Everyone, run!_ he bouldered and none of us had to be told twice. 

_Jae, stay close!_ D.O. instructed while he ran by my side.  _Chen!_ he called over. 

_Got it!_ Chen responded, flanking my other side. 

_Hey, what are you doing? Don't protect me, you idiots, look out for each other!_ I urged, adrenaline pumping through my veins as we ran away from our pursuers, who had no intention whatsoever to slow down. 

"It's a whole pack of them!" one of them shouted, while the buzzing of stun-guns shot through the air. 

"Catch them!" 

Suho growled viciously when our path was suddenly blocked by another group that tried to close us in. My heart raced as fast as my feet were racing, knowing full well in how much danger we were in. 

_Hyung,_ Kai suddenly said, directed towards Suho. 

_Forget it! No magic, they'll see,_ the leader replied as he tried to carve a path to safety for us. I looked back anxiously at the group of people chasing after us, the dreadful sense of foreboding telling me what I had come to suspect: E.T. Corp had a hidden agenda, and for some reason, it was focusing solely on wolves. 

_Dad, what have you gotten yourself into?_

_Quick, this way!_ Suho pointed out, still at the head of the pack, Kris, Kai, Chanyeol and Tao snapping and growling at the back, trying to scare off our hunters, to have them keep their distance. We ran down a slippery, uneven hill, which was difficult for human feet to run over, but the chasers went after us still. My breathing was rapid and stilled completely when something hooked over my front paw and I lost my balance. I tumbled helplessly over the hill, whimpering every time I struck the ground. I heard the boys call out for me in distress, but my world was spinning. I felt the pain shoot through my body when I crashed through a thicket of bushes before skidding to a halt and bumping my back against a tree.  _I'm a freaking Queen of Elegance...ow..._

I blinked my eyes, but my vision was still a little blurred. I could tell that the boys weren't here yet and I could only hope they were still safe. It was eerily quiet, where I was, and my muscles twitched in protest when I tried to get to my feet. If those people were still after us I had to make sure to move quickly when the boys got here. But then the blood drained from my body upon realizing that my nose had started to itch at the scent of powerful burning wood. 

"Well, well, well, what have we here?" I heard someone coo, prompting me to get up, even though the pain was kicking my metaphorical nuts. I growled and bared my teeth at Miss Sexy Hollow as she watched me and I quickly checked the surroundings to look for my dad. He wasn't here. He was close, but not here. 

"My, my, you are a beauty," she said, approaching me, and this had every single hair stand on end. What kind of person, in their righteous mind, would react this way upon seeing a wild wolf? I automatically snapped at her hand when she reached out to me and her eyes widened before her pouty lips were formed into a smile. 

"Temper, temper," she waved her finger at me and I snapped at her again. "Now, now, that's not very nice is it? This is not how you should treat an old friend," she mused in a cold voice and I turned into a statue. I was tense from top to bottom, hearing only the beating of my heart and the rushing of my blood. Even my breath had stilled upon the realization that this woman had green eyes. I felt like my brain had imploded and panic was starting to bubble up from my toes up towards my body, ready to flood me. 

"Do you remember? I bet you do," she grinned as I tried to suppress my panic and opted for anger instead. Anger was good. 

"Well now, if you would just hold still like a good little wolf, I promise you that this won't hurt." Out of nowhere, she whipped out a sharp needle, steadily walking towards me. It was a sight that woke me up and I growled ferociously, lashing out with my claws and wounding her outstretched hand. The needle dropped on the ground and she hissed in pain, blood dripping from where I'd scratched her. 

"Ugh, you really shouldn't have done that," she tsked, reaching behind her and revealing a weapon, pointing it at me. Was it a stun-gun?

"Miss Kumiho! What in the kingdom of God is going on? I hear the men talking about chasing a pack of wolves?! Why would you give them the order to  _chase_  a pack of wolves when the security system can do the tagging if necessary?" Dad bursted from the trees like an oblivious hero, jolting back upon seeing me. I was thrilled to see him, but he didn't even know who I was...  _Oh no... should I- should I change back?_

"Miss Kumiho, stay calm. Can you back away slowly?" My dad said, totally misreading the situation. 

_No, Dad, I'm the one that needs saving, not her! Stay away from her, she's dangerous!_ I whined and whimpered, growled, even, but that just made him more nervous. What should I do? What could I do? If I change back then the secret's out, but if I don't...

I caught the little smirk the woman shot at me before she opened her mouth. "It already attacked me, sir," the woman stated in a shaky voice, showing him the wound on her trembling hand, looking as though she was on the verge of tears. 

_That. BITCH! She's playing you, Dad, don't buy into it!_ My angry, incoherent growling did nothing to plead my case as the woman pretended to shrink back. Dad, not knowing any better, moved to her side to defend her.  _Damn it! You noble dumbbell, she doesn't need protecting! Dad, please, it's me!_ I whined, attempting to approach him, but he only moved backwards. 

I wanted to change back now, damn the consequences, but I couldn't. I literally couldn't. I was too new at this to consciously and easily shift shapes, and I couldn't focus.  _Dad,_ I tried, but only a low rumble came from my mouth. 

"There's a gun on the ground," I then heard the woman whisper into my father's ear. "We can sedate it and make a run for it," she suggested and my dad moved his eyes to where the weapon was. I shook my head. 

_Dad, no! Don't do it! Look, look! I mean absolutely no harm!_ I meekly sat down, showing him how perfectly obedient and tame I was. He frowned at me in suspicion. He didn't buy it. Before I could move to stop him from reaching for the gun, he already held it in his hand. 

"Good, good, shoot it, sir, before it attacks the both of us," the woman urged. 

Dad shook his head. "It's not doing anything, we should leave," he said instead. 

"Look what it did to my hand, sir. It already tasted blood, it won't take long before it wants to taste more," she lied- why would she lie? _What the hell was going on?!_

Dad nervously put up the gun and pointed it at me upon hearing me growl again and I flinched. He wouldn't pull the trigger. Not my father. 

"This is a stun-gun, right?" he asked her through clenched teeth. The woman only nodded, but said nothing. I looked down the barrel of the weapon and it irked me how I couldn't tell a gun apart. 

"Hurry, sir. Look at its agitation," she instructed in his ear and I kept quiet, so that Dad could see I meant no harm. She was the one that got herself wounded. I never would've attacked her otherwise! But, Dad didn't know that. 

"It's alright," he then interjected, looking straight at me. "You'll be safe after this, I promise," he said solemnly and my breath hitched in my throat as he aimed the gun at me. I crushed my eyes shut as he slowly squeezed the trigger, but then- nothing happened. Instead of a shot, I heard a terrifying growl from behind me, and out leapt a dark wolf, standing protectively in front of me. His razor sharp teeth were bared, his claws scraped the earth below and his red eyes shone with a fury that had both adults jumping back. 

_Kai!_

_Don't worry, noona, I'm here,_ his voice was calm as opposed to his appearance and he refused to move out of the way. Dad was visibly shaking when he attempted to raise the gun at Kai instead. I twitched when Kai moved to snap his jaw at him, the woman letting out a shriek as he also snapped at her. 

_Don't hurt my dad, Kai, he doesn't know,_ I pleaded, and Kai only complied by means of a low growl. 

"Sir, if you don't shoot the male first, others will come and I can guarantee you that we'll be dead before we know it," the woman was sprouting nonsense, but her fear, this time, seemed real. Hearing the comment made Kai roar once more, attempting to chase them away. 

"You're sure this is a stun-gun?" Dad gulped, backing away and pointing it at a vicious Kai. I couldn't do anything. I just sat there, watching helplessly. 

"Positive, sir, please, hurry!" the woman pleaded. Kai continued his growling, lowering himself to the ground. 

"Okay, okay," Dad muttered, pointing the weapon at Kai, but lowering it again when he looked around. Flashes of red shone in the darkness of the woods and one by one, more wolves appeared, growling as they stepped forward. 

_Calvary is here,_ Kai stated, giving me a quick sideways glance. 

I was only a little relieved, since seeing the pack of wolves brought my father to reconsider his plan. "We should leave instead," he told the woman. "They haven't attacked yet, which probably means that if we don't do anything to harm them, they won't harm us," Dad reasoned as I subtly bobbed my head to his words. 

"Will you take a good look at them? Do they look to be tame puppies that won't attack the moment we turn our backs at them? Sedate them, sir, while you have the chance," she argued, letting out a startled shriek when the pack commenced their growling once more. Kai hunched down, seemingly ready to attack if necessary. 

_Kai, don't do anything rash, we're just trying to scare them away,_ Luhan reminded the youth. 

_I know, but I don't like this woman. She's purposely trying to keep Mr. Miyano here,_ he grumbled. We all startled when Dad unexpectedly turned his weapon to Sehun who had approached steadily and this nearly made Kai snap out of control. He pounced to draw his attention, but the sudden movement was enough to startle the adults. 

"Sir, please!" the woman begged. Dad's movements were becoming more frantic as he realized that more wolves had shown up. He jerked the gun nervously at various wolves, before settling on Kai. It didn't help that Kai didn't take the gesturing threat sitting down, nor that the others were so worried and anxious for our safety that they were closing in as well. 

"Oh God, we're going to die," the woman said desperately. 

_Why won't you just leave, woman?!_ Kai grunted, directing his attention to her. 

"We're not going to die," Dad stated determinedly. "You're positive this is a stun-gun?" he asked thrice, and the woman nodded her head. 

_We should leave. If they won't, we have to. Kai, don't play with fire,_ Suho spoke. 

"Shoot the alpha, sir, the others won't know what to do," she pointed at Kai, the situation getting out of hand. In a reflex, I moved towards Kai, attempting to push him out of harm's way. The behavior must've been mindboggling for my father as he witnessed two wolves trying to stand in front of each other. Kai was stronger and faster than me and had no trouble eventually pushing me roughly away. The fight had my father rattled, though, his hand shaking where he was holding the weapon. 

"Now, sir! Now, shoot! Shoot him!" 

_Kai, don't direct yourself towards him, you idiot!_ D.O. yelled, the twelve of us watching in horror when Kai had leapt towards my father on instinct and I shrieked when a loud blast echoed through the still night air. 

When I opened my eyes, Kai laid unmoving to the side. My father, my poor father, who was unwittingly pulled into this mess, stood wide-eyed and in shock, dropping the firearm mistaken for a stun-gun, while he knelt down in front of a second wolf, whimpering and bleeding. 

"Oh God, what have I done?" he muttered to himself. 

Still shocked myself, I didn't know what was going on until Kai rose from the ground, shaking off the dirt and turning around. He quickly ran towards the wounded wolf that pushed him out of harm's way in the last second, angrily growling at my father to chase him back. I felt the tears sting my eyes when I recognized that gentle gleam in the wounded wolf's eyes but it was Sehun who gasped out his name in utter disbelief. 

_Lay-hyung...!_

The next thing I know, we were surrounded by black mist that rolled in, while my gaze switched from Lay to my distraught father. Before Kai teleported all of us to safety, I focused on the woman with green eyes.

I don't think I'll ever be able to forget that wicked grin she beamed. 


	51. ~ Sinister ~

***

_They're not my brothers!_

_I'm really leaving!_

_Who could care for anyone who's as unpredictable as the winds?_

_I'll lead you home. Follow the light._

The bountiful voices echoed in his mind, but even in his unconscious state, Lay knew that it were his memories and that of his brothers, floating around in what he could only presume were his last moments of life. But why, he thought sadly, were only the sad and painful memories coming to him? Where were Kai's happy memories of racing Kris? Chen's memory of running and laughing bravely in a rainstorm while others cowered away to stay dry? Why did he hear Luhan's bone-chilling screams the first time he was overwhelmed by all the voices? The emptiness of Xiumin's loneliness. Chanyeol's dejection. Sehun's hesitation. D.O.'s hidden fury turned into desperation. Tao's sadness. Suho's hopeless worrying. Kris' insecurity. Kai's fear. Baekhyun's dark anxiety. Chen's guilt. 

Pain. Pain. Pain.  _Pain._ His own pain. What was the use of being able to heal if he couldn't take care of his brothers?

_Why are you hurting for me, Lay?_

The new memory. That voice. That voice that was filled with fragile gentleness it made his heart ache. A voice that should never feel pain. 

_Smile for me_. The voice said. Lay tried. He really did, but this time, he failed. When he opened his eyes, he stood in a world, bathing in a warm orange glow. The golden rays of the setting sun made his eyes squint, but once they adjusted, he was awarded by an amazing sight. Clear blue waters stretched out and embraced the peaks of purple mountains, rolling down into green grass fields as far as the eye could see. The sky was a painting of gold and fiery orange, pastel pink, and light blue dusting. But the stars didn't shine in the sky, they shone in his eyes.

_I'm sorry,_ he then started as he slowly sat down, leaning against the bark of a mighty tree.  _I'm sorry, but I can't,_ was his soft reply, pulling up his knees. He wanted to enjoy the beautiful scenery before him, but the guilt of having let down his brothers and the voice, weighed heavily on him. The painful memories plagued his mind, and his body felt nothing but pain. He tried to stay strong, but Lay couldn't help it anymore. He was feeling too weak. 

_I would like to sleep,_ he muttered, feeling his eyelids get heavy when the tresses of a willow stroked his forehead. It was probably the wind that caused it to move, but Lay didn't mind. There was only so much he could bear, and he wanted to sleep. He wanted to forget. All the painful memories. He wanted to sleep hearing the sweet lullaby of happy memories, he wanted to sleep knowing that Kai was safe, and that his brothers were too.  _And that Jae-yah would be taken good care of. She deserves that, people to care, and protect her._

_That's it. See? You still know how to smile,_ the voice mused as Lay felt the tickling touch of a leaf flitting over his cheek. 

_Because I finally saw a good memory in my head,_ he confessed honestly, his eyes already closed. 

_What memory would that be?_

Lay's smile widened ever so slightly upon seeing Jae smile and wink at him. He heard her laughter, heard the sound of her voice when she called his name. 

_Lay?_

_I'm not telling. This memory is mine._ Perhaps his reply was childish, but he didn't care. He was drifting away from one dream to another, walking with an outstretched hand to chase after a running Jae. However, when she turned around, Lay was surprised to see Luhan's face instead. Jae transformed then and Lay noticed how when Luhan appeared, a butterfly flew away. 

_Lay, don't chase dreams. Come back,_ Luhan urged through sealed lips. 

_Lay-hyung, why did you do that?_

He blinked when Kai appeared next to Luhan, the environment changing into pure light. They were standing in a white area, there was nothing else there. 

_Do what, Kai?_ he asked, though he knew what the younger man was talking about. He felt around his chest, but could sense no wound, nor any regrets for that matter.  _You know I'd a catch a thousand bullets for any of you. Just don't be sad anymore, please._

_Lay. Wake up. You think I'm kidding? I'm the duizhang, you have to listen to what I say! Wake up!_

Why was it that Kris was always so full of confidence and charisma when he was trying to make a point? Insecurity shimmered in his eyes and mixed with unshed tears, but Lay saw strength in them, as well.  

_You're an idiot, Lay-hyung! You better come back here so I can say it to your face- babo!_

D.O. was scary when he was angry and Lay flinched at seeing his raging face, but again, he saw the desperation through the fury. However, this time, Lay recognized the feeling of caring as well. As his brothers appeared one by one, side by side, in a circle around him, Lay found to his astonishment that the traits that defined their pain and suffering, also had the ability to make them stronger. 

_Lay-hyung,_ Sehun whispered in a frail voice that was laden with sorrow,  _you know you're my favorite hyung, right? I'm sorry I was jealous of you and even thought bad things of you because of my envy... Please, don't leave. What are we going to do without you?_

_Sehunnie..._  he mused. 

_See? I knew you'd forget, unicorn, even though you promised that you'd remember,_ the voice sounded in the air. 

_Remember what?_ he asked, genuinely confused when the gentle laughter rang all around him. 

_That there's more than pain and sorrow in this world. You and your brothers are living proof of that,_ the voice stated calmly. _Your love for one another makes you stronger and overcome all else._

_Just me and my brothers?_ Lay asked curiously, looking around the circle, hoping to find Jae. There came no reply from the voice. Instead, when he turned around, Jae was standing in the middle of the circle with him. She didn't speak a word, but she didn't have to. Her eyes said it all. Tears glistened and rolled over her face, the sight of it alone was enough for his heart to break. 

_Please don't cry, Jae-yah,_ he begged, trying to wipe the tears away, but finding that he couldn't touch her. It surprised him, therefore, when Jae was able to reach out for his hand and hold him instead. 

_I need you, Lay,_ she told him through her tears, her voice vulnerable and so very soft.  _I don't know what to do,_ she hiccuped, making him feel all the more distressed. What could he do to help her? What could he do to make her smile again? Should he start telling jokes? Heal her? How? How could he take away the pain?

_Come back, please? I need you for this. I can't do this without you,_ she pleaded woefully, her tears falling freely from her eyes. Lay watched breathlessly as he witnessed Jae's grief and suffering, racking his brain to figure out how to make her feel better. 

_I'm here, Jae-yah,_ he then whispered to her, managing to use her hand to pull her close. She didn't seem to realize and didn't even look up when he leaned his forehead against hers.  _I won't leave your side, I promise._

_I thought you said that you wanted to sleep?_ the disembodied voice asked, sounding very playful and amused.

Lay shrugged, focusing on his brothers before resting his eyes on Jae.  _I can always sleep another time._

_Even if it means that the dreams won't be as good?_

_As what? Reality?_ Lay jested, his dimple showing up from hiding when he heard the voice laugh wholeheartedly.  _I'll take my chances._

_You always had the softest heart, my unicorn._

Lay smirked at this, trying to run his fingers through Jae's hair in an attempt to comfort her. She didn't feel anything. 

_Doesn't that also mean that it's the strongest?_ he quipped. 

_I hope so, Lay,_ said the voice in complete earnest and concern.  _In your case, I truly hope so..._


	52. ~ Searching ~

***

"He's not responding!"

"I can't believe you teleported in front of them..."

"What else could I have done, hyung?! Lay-hyung got  _shot_!"

"Should we call an ambulance?!" 

"And tell them what, Chanyeol? "Ah, good evening, could you come over, our teenaged friend got shot randomly while walking through the woods in the middle of the night,"?!" 

"Baekhyun is right, there's no way we can explain this. Besides people at the hospital know him, Lay-hyungie volunteers there too sometimes, remember? No one would believe he'd gotten himself in trouble by getting shot..." 

"We can't just sit here and watch, Chen-hyung!" 

"Yah, Sehunnie, don't cry, it'll be alright."

"If you think so, then why are you crying too, Tao?"

"You're an idiot, Lay-hyung! You better come back here so I can say it to your face, babo!"

This wasn't happening.

This was a nightmare. 

The horrid blast of a gun still echoed in my mind and everything was in slow motion after that. How can anyone describe this sensation? I was helplessly trapped in an out of control rollercoaster, unable to stop, unable to get off. I was caught, stuck. What just happened?!

Dad. My father shot Lay. 

The sentence alone was enough to twist my stomach in impossible knots and I nearly hurled. My father, who'd never hurt a fly despite his big words, just shot one of my friends, a member of my pack. It made me even more sick and horrified when I thought back to all those times he joked about shooting Lay... 

Shaking my head quickly and trying not to freak out completely, I took deep and steady breaths, hoping that I could stay somewhat in control of my emotions. Not even in my wildest dreams would I have ever believed that my father would be capable of shooting a living creature. But the longer I thought about it, the more I came to realize something that calmed me down for a second. It was true that it was my father's hand that squeezed the trigger, but who put the gun in his hand in the first place? 

A pair of evil, sinister green eyes shone in my mind's eye. 

_That woman_. 

She was the one that convinced my father to shoot, the one that made him believe that we were a threat. A shiver ran up my spine when I heard her cold voice in my mind and my throat tightened. My nose itched at the scent of burning wood and I knew that she was the one behind all of this. How could she not have been? She talked to me as though she recognized me, knew me. My mind was reeling when it hit me that her green eyes reminded me of the ones that glared at me, when a pair of razor sharp claws scratched my skin. 

She was a wolf. Had to be. What's worse, was that she must've been the ghost wolf that I've been seeing on the island. Was she the source that we've been looking for? Why did she want to hurt us? 

_Did it all matter?_

I glanced over at Lay, lying motionless on the cold earth, his shirt wet with dark liquid. Nothing else mattered then. The world moved in its normal speed again. I woke up from my daze and stepped back into the nightmarish reality, wanting to rush over by his side but feeling unable to. This was my fault. All of it. I shouldn't have dragged them into this hunt. That woman wanted me. I was the one stupid enough to get caught. I was the one that didn't run away even though my father was pulled into the mess as well. I should've run away. Kai wouldn't have needed to come to protect me, and when things became dire, Lay-

"Suho, the bleeding won't stop," Kris said in desperation, pushing his hair back, staining his forehead with a streak of blood. 

"Okay. Okay. Um..." Suho's mind was working overhours, the leader's eyes glistening with unshed tears, while he did his best to focus. The brothers were distraught to say the least and who could blame them? When one of them were injured, Lay would come and heal them right up. But now that the healer was injured, who was going to heal him?

"Let me try something," Suho hovered his hands over Lay, who stirred as though he were dreaming. A stream of water moved gently under his command, washing the blood from Lay's skin, cleaning the angry wound in his right chest, just below the collarbone. I winced when Lay did. There wasn't much else I felt I could do but move over and brush Lay's hair from his forehead. 

"Jae, do you have something to support his head?" Suho asked, while the water slithered clearly over Lay's body, coming out dirty when it moved away. Suho's voice was gentle, as though he was trying to keep me calm. It was only now that I felt that my face was wet with tears. 

I blinked. "I-I don't...I'm s-sorry," I sniffed, my voice shaking. "But maybe..." I gently tilted Lay's head up and sat behind him so he could rest his head on my lap. "Is this okay?" 

"That's perfect, noona, make sure he's supported," Sehun said, quickly wiping his tears and holding Lay's hand. 

"I can't- I can't do this," Suho grunted, looking exhausted as the water dispersed. "The more I wash the wound clean, the more he bleeds," he ran his hand over his face, looking helpless. 

"I could burn the wound shut, hyung. Cauterize it," Chanyeol then quickly offered, while I caressed Lay's face, wishing he'd wake up. He looked so pale. 

"No, that would increase the risk of infection," Suho said tiredly.

"But Lay has hemophilia, if we don't do something he's going to bleed to death," Luhan added urgently, panic in his clear eyes. The news felt like a knife to the gut. my eyes automatically went to his wound, the blood streaming freely. 

"We have to call an ambulance," I breathed, fresh tears stinging my eyes. 

"We can't, Jae," Suho answered, his voice just as unsteady as mine. 

"Oh screw that, Suho! I'll go out right now and tell the entire freaking town that I'm a wolf if I have to. This is our brother we're talking about!" Kris shouted. 

"And then what? We tell them the truth, we tell them what happened? Say they believe us, don't you think they're going to ask who dared shoot Zhang Yixing?!" Suho retaliated. "They'll arrest Jae's father who didn't know any better!"

I cringed at this and heard myself whimper, fighting back the urge to cry out loud. 

"We can't just let Lay-hyung die either! That bullet was meant for me!" Kai interjected in the middle of the argument, giving off the aura of pure rage and frustration. "I can't just sit back and do nothing!"

The silence that fell after that was heartbreaking. I didn't care at this point that I was crying, watching Lay carefully as his breathing shallowed. There wasn't much time left. We all knew it. 

"Fireflies," Baekhyun suddenly noted, looking up from his sitting position as a small cloud of them drifted by. 

"Will you please focus on more important matters here?! Who cares?!" D.O. punched his arm but Baekhyun hardly paid him any attention, getting to his feet as he watched them. 

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. How could he be so fascinated by fireflies at a time like this?!

"Baekhyun, seriously?!" Xiumin prompted as the younger brother followed their light. The glow of the fireflies stuck to his hands before he released them into the air, a look of shocking realization on his face as he turned towards us. I jolted back somewhat when he pointed at me. 

"Noona!" he exclaimed, startling me. I watched in anxiety as he rushed towards me and slid down next to me. 

"You! You can do it!" he announced in pressing excitement, doing his best not to stammer as he spoke. 

"D-do what?" I sniffed, looking at him. 

"Heal Lay-hyung! Remember? You connected with me and then you could control the light as well, and with Luhan-hyung and Tao..." he rambled and shook his head to stay concentrated, pointing at me. "You can connect to Lay-hyung and use his healing powers to heal him! He can't heal himself, but you could!" he shouted and I sputtered back, nearly moving away from Lay. 

"Whoa! Baek-hyung is right! You can do it, noona! Quick, heal him!" Tao pushed my hands towards the wound, but I panicked, shaking my head at the sudden hope and pressure the brothers displayed. 

"I-I c-can't!" I stammered, "I don't even know how t-this works, remember? You're the ones that have to make the connection. I don't know how to do that!" I reminded them, though I wished I knew how to control this. 

"You'll have to try, noona, please, for Lay-hyung," Sehun begged, breaking my heart all over again at seeing the sorrow in his eyes. 

"How? He's unconscious. I don't know-," I took a deep breath, tears falling freely at my own inadequacy. "I don't know what to do..." 

The brothers looked at me and their gazes broke me apart. They were disappointed and desperate, but what if I failed? What if I couldn't heal him? I wanted to help Lay - of course I did - but...how?

"We understand, Jae," Suho suddenly spoke, putting a hand on my shoulder. "We're asking a lot from you," he continued, his voice soft and kind. "We wouldn't do so though, if this wasn't important. Lay is our brother. Please, try," he asked, taking my trembling hand in his. 

"But, what if I hurt him more? Or worse, what if I ki-,"

"You won't. I'll try to help you reach him," Luhan offered. "Lay is somewhere where we can't go to. A crossroads. He can be brought back but there isn't much time," he explained, his face stained with tears. 

"Please, noona. Lay-ge can't heal himself. He needs your help to get better," Tao added in a plead. Seeing the brothers like this finally woke something in me and I snapped up straight. Enough of this hesitation. Enough of being a helpless, sorry, crying mess. This was Lay we were talking about. Sweet, well-mannered, hazy Lay who so obviously cared so much more for others than himself.

"What do I do?" I asked, looking at Luhan, hearing the sighs of relief around me. "Don't relax so soon, I don't know if this is going to work," I tell them with a bite because I needed to feel a little strengthened and right now, getting angry and frustrated would do the trick. If that would help me get Lay back then so be it. 

"Just focus on Lay and his energy. Him alone. When you feel something, try to tap into it. Reach him. He'll hear you," Luhan sat down beside me so that he can instruct me and I did what he asked. 

Obediently, I closed my eyes when he told me to, forgetting about everything else, except Lay. At one point, Luhan even told me to drown out his voice as well, trusting me to know what I was doing. After the initial moment of panic, I was plunged in darkness. I saw nothing. I heard nothing. I kept my eyes firmly shut, using the wolf inside me to track down Lay's energy. It was a strange sensation. My senses were fully aware that Lay's head rested on my lap, that he was already there where I could see and touch him, but here, in the dark- nothing. 

How was I going to find him here?

_There's nothing_ , I said, wet drops falling from my eyes.  _I can't see anything here. I can't find him!_  

Was I too late? Had Lay already...?

_Jae-yah._

_Lay? Lay! Where are you?_ I turned around but still saw nothing. I turned again and a pulsing shine of light appeared and disappeared, like a heart beat that was fluttering too quickly and too weakly. 

I knew time was running out fast. That bit of light belonged to Lay. If I didn't connect to him fast, his light would be snuffed out and then...

Desperation overwhelmed me while I continued to search in the dark. I didn't know what I was doing. I didn't know how to get to Lay.  _I can't do it. Not alone..._

Taking a deep breath, I pretended that I could see Lay standing before me, reaching out for his hand. I saw the gentle smile on his face, that stupid dimple popping up to accentuate the sincerity of his smile, and I cried all over again. 

_I need you, Lay,_ I told him.  _I don't know what to do,_ I hiccuped, my voice frail.  _Come back, please? I need you for this. I can't do this without you._ I looked up when I thought I felt someone pull me close, but there was no one there.  _No, wait. That wasn't true._

A small flickering light appeared in the distance and I walked towards it. The closer I came, the more I realized that it was a burning candle, very small, but its flame grew until it drove out the darkness, but not the night. Nor the fire. I froze when I watched the scene in front of me unfold, and turned around because I didn't want to see it. The burning village was a fiery beacon in a black night and even though I knew that this must be a memory, the smoke stung my eyes and burned my lungs. 

I don't believe I've ever seen so much pain and devastation. People screamed as they tried to escape the flames, blurry shadows moving around as though they were the ones responsible for this horrendous attack. Children cried as they called for their mothers, women screamed as they were pulled by the hair, men being burned alive. What was happening? Who's memory was this? I could feel the sorrow, the pain, and I sank to my knees. 

_Please, don't cry,_ a tiny voice suddenly said. I followed the lily sweet voice and saw a frightened little boy, holding onto a violin with trembling hands. His face was covered in sweat and soot and even though he was crying, he still attempted to smile. My breath caught in my throat and my heart shattered at seeing the small dimple appear on the right side of his face.  _Lay..._

_Don't cry, please, don't cry. I'll take away the pain, I promise. Look._ Again, I had made the mistake in thinking that he was talking to me. I saw now that his eyes were focused on a small girl, crying because she scraped her knee and had some angry burns on her arms and face. She cried a little louder when tiny Lay gently placed his violin beside him and healed her from her wounds. 

_There. All better. You have to be quiet now, or they'll find us._

The girl looked at him in awe for a moment, but then started crying again. 

_Why are you still crying? Did I forget to heal something?_ Lay asked, a little panicked. 

_I want my mama,_ she told him and I bit my lip to prevent from sobbing along with her.

_Maybe she'll be here soon,_ little Lay told her, trying to comfort her. The girl shook her head. 

_She's lying over there,_ she pointed somewhere towards the burning village.  _She's sleeping, but hurt pretty bad. Can you do the same for her as you did for me?_

Little Lay looked over to where the girl pointed and in his innocence, he nodded. They held hands and ran towards the girl's mother. I shook my head, following them from behind, sighing sadly when Lay healed the mother's wounds, but she didn't stir. Lay didn't understand why the mother's eyes were so glassy and she didn't respond to her daughter calling for her. He looked at his hands in deep disappointment. I walked to reach to him, reminding myself that I had to make the connection or suffer a similar fate as little Lay, but once I did so, little Lay had suddenly turned into an older child. 

He carried the same violin, strapped on his back, while he wandered on an abandoned forest road. Just like I had seen in Baekhyun's memory, a butterfly flitted beside him and he seemed to be talking to it. 

_Lay, wait!_ I ran after him, but he didn't hear me. Why would I think he could? But with time running out, I had to try something. I was seeing his memories, but did it mean that I was connected to him? I watched as the butterfly left his side and Lay entered a simple, rather shabby, cabin. I followed immediately and saw him sit down at the bedside of a plump, but sickly woman. She had a warm smile that gave life to the room, despite the fact that she looked so weak. Lay held her hand, though there was worry in his movements.

_Let me try again. I think this time, I can do it,_ he said with the enthusiasm and confidence of a twelve-year-old. 

The woman laughed, but coughed as she did so. Her eyes, though friendly, were blood-shot and she wiped a small trickle of blood from the corner of her mouth. Lay quickly got up to get her some water. 

_You should save your energy, child. You need all your strength. You realize who the voice is, don't you?_ she told him with a soft and gentle voice. 

_I know,_ Lay beamed proudly, handing her a cup.  _But I want to try it. You have to get better, you know,_ he replied and she smiled at him, caressing his cheek before nodding, but it only looked as though she was humoring him. She smiled lovingly with tears glistening in her eyes as Lay bit his lip and focused hard on healing her. He even scrunged his nose and closed his eyes. She watched him as though she wanted to remember every detail of him and a lump formed in my throat. 

_There! How do you feel?_ he asked, beaming hopefully at her. 

She took a deep breath and smiled.  _Much better, you were right. Thank you._

Why was she lying? She didn't look better at all, but Lay jumped up and down in excitement. 

_You know what will make me feel even better?_ she then asked him. 

_What? Anything, I'll do it for you!_

_Play for me,_ she said, gesturing at the violin. _Play and always smile for me._  Lay immediately got to his feet and played for her. The melody was enchanting and Lay played with his heart and soul for this woman. He didn't see how she smiled at him in admiration and pride. Didn't see how her eyes were telling him that she loved him. He didn't see how her smile dropped ever so gently and her eyes closed and her breathing stilled. 

When Lay finished playing, he turned to her, chuckling at seeing her.  _Did you fall asleep again? Come on, wake up,_ he shook her playfully, but when she didn't move, he startled and shook her more urgently. 

I gasped at seeing the pain in his eyes when he called for her.

_Mama! Wake up!_

I knew that there wasn't anything I could do, but the pain was too much to bear. I moved to the woman's side, wanting to check for any vital signs. Maybe there was a way to change this, maybe there was a way for me to help somehow.  _Don't do this to him,_ I begged her. _He needs you!_  

I jumped when I heard Lay let out a yell of pure grief and anger behind me, his hands in his hair, tears streaming down his face. He caught sight of the violin then, grabbed it by the neck and slammed it against the nearest wall. The wood shattered and the strings snapped, hitting his hand. He yelped in pain, crying like any little boy would and I moved over to him. He couldn't see me, but I didn't care. He was bleeding, but it was his bleeding heart that I was most concerned over. I never would have thought that the Lay I came to know would have such painful memories. How did he bear them on his own? 

_So, this is why you always smile..._  I mused, looking at his wounds, trying to dry his tears.  _Let me try to heal you_ , I told him, crying silently with him while attempting to hold his hand. Those tears of sadness turned into frustration when I saw that I couldn't do shit for him. Why was I so useless?!

_Please!_  I didn't know to whom I was begging to. I just wanted someone, something to hear me, and help. Why was that so hard?

_Jae-yah? Why are you crying?_

That voice was a godsent and I snapped my head up instantly, looking at twelve-year-old Lay, but he wasn't the one that was talking. He vanished before my eyes and I found myself in a white area. I straightened myself, wiping the tears away. 

_I want to help you, heal you, but I don't know how,_ I told the voice, of whom I knew it belonged to Lay.  _My_ Lay, the one I know, the one that was still injured and waiting for me to heal him. 

_I'm already happy that you're here._

What a typical answer. I shook my head.  _It's not enough. Where are you?_

_I'm always in Jae-yah's heart,_ he chuckled. 

_That's not funny, Lay. I'm serious. You're badly injured and if we don't do something quickly, you might-_ I cut myself off and pulled myself together.  _Tell me what to do to make you feel better._

It was quiet then and I waited for his answer nervously. 

_...I'm sorry, Jae-yah. I'm sorry you had to see that,_ he apologized in a small voice. 

_Will you stop worrying about me and start worrying about yourself for once? Lay, just tell me how I can heal you, please!_ I told him angrily, to show him how grave the situation was. The mere thought of losing him was maddening and I didn't want that to happen.  _If you go, you'll leave a hole in all our hearts that can never be healed, do you understand that? You need to come back._ I continued fiercely, showing him that, damnit, I meant business. 

_Jae-yah..._

_Zhang Yixing!_ I yelled strictly,  _if you don't show yourself this instant and tell me how I can heal you, I will conduct a sceance when I get back and kick your butt to kingdom come!_

At this, a hearty chuckle surrounded me and my ears twitched when I felt a presence behind me. "You're already doing it, Jae-yah," Lay whispered in my ear and I quickly turned around. There he was, smiling gently, as though he didn't have a care in the world. Meanwhile, I felt like I was going to have a nervous breakdown.  _I finally found him!_

"Lay, there isn't much time. I need you to tell me how to do this, I don't know how to do this-," Lay silenced me by placing a finger in front of my mouth and I blushed when he leaned forward and placed his forehead against mine. "W-what are you-," I started, but he hushed me again. 

"I trust you, Jae-yah. I'm here," he whispered, guiding my hand to his chest and closing his eyes. There was comfort and reassurance at feeling his heart beat and I closed my eyes as well. The world ceased existing in that short moment. I was the one that was supposed to heal him. But, instead, it was Lay that made me feel better. Literally. I felt like I was on top of the world. Pain? Sorrow? What were those things? 

_Open your eyes._

I popped them open without question, feeling a head rush upon seeing that I was back in the woods, surrounded by eleven, anxious young men. I felt like I was in a car crash. That feeling of being on top of the world had disappeared completely and I was afraid to look down at Lay, especially when I saw Tao's shoulder shaking as he cried silently. There was a look of utter bewilderment on Suho and Kris' faces and I couldn't tell whether the brothers were relieved or shocked. 

_Oh no, don't tell me..._

I slowly gathered the courage to look down and the first thing I noticed was that a gentle light faded from my hands, and then, I saw a dimpled smile. 

"L-Lay?" I stammered, gasping for air. 

"Hi, Jae-yah," he whispered, his voice still weak. "I think I dreamed about you," he smiled, before looking around sleepily at his confounded brothers. "Oh? Why are you all crying? Do I need to heal you?" he winced a little when he sat up, only to be pushed back when he was tackled by Sehun and Tao. " _Aiyah!_ " he exclaimed in surprise, returning their embrace in mild confusion. 

"Yah! Lay-hyung!" Sehun then exclaimed, hitting his older brother repeatedly on the arm in agitation. "Don't ever do that again! Yah, you owe me chocolate bubble tea for a month, you hear me?!" he shouted. 

"O-oh? Ah, o-okay, Sehunnie," Lay agreed, even though he didn't understand why. He let out another yelp when Chen, Baekhyun and Chanyeol tackled him as well and soon the cold night's air was filled with tentative, yet warm laughter. Relief washed over me like mercy's blanket and I only watched from a short distance as the brothers huddled around a bewildered, but very delighted Lay. He was tired, and would sometimes rub a sore spot underneath his right collarbone, but complied to his brothers as he talked to him, and winced sometimes when he got inexplicably hit. 

I stared down at my hands, still wondering what happened myself, but at this moment, I didn't care. Lay was alive. For now, that was enough. I straightened myself once more when I saw that Suho broke away from the group to approach me. 

"Thank you," he said in a voice filled with emotion. "Thank you," he repeated, nodding while swallowing away the tears. 

"Honestly, I didn't do anything. Lay was there with me. If he hadn't been there-" 

"But you found him, and you healed him. So, thank you, Jae," Suho interrupted. I gave a wan smile, feeling exhaustion kick in. There were so many questions and things I had to deal with after tonight, but for now, those matters would have to wait. I didn't want to ruin the brothers' reunion by voicing my concerns about the woman with the green eyes. And when I thought back to how Lay got shot in the first place, the relief was over. Guilt ate away at me and watching the brothers' happiness they found in each other, made me feel like an unworthy presence. The conversation I had with Kai popped back in my mind as well because I was just a masochist that way. I'd ruined the perfect balance of twelve. I was unlucky number thirteen. If the events from tonight wasn't enough proof of that, I didn't know what was.

My stomach twisted in a knot once more since I had the feeling that I was somehow involved in something deep and I was dragging these brothers with me. They didn't deserve that. I smiled at hearing them laugh, watched their faces light up like twinkling stars in the sky. Then, quietly, I slipped away into the darkness, away from their light. It was best for now if I kept my distance. If that woman was after me, I could bring the others in danger. I didn't want that to happen again. I'll find the answers. By myself. I turned these boys' lives upside down enough, and nearly made them lose one.

I ran through the forest, sniffing the air. I followed the trail of burning wood without hesitation and was just in time to see the woman with green eyes standing near a black van. I crouched down, the fury I felt towards her changing me easily into a wolf. I growled at her and I didn't care if she heard it. I only then noticed that an ambulance and a police car stood nearby. She was talking to a police officer. 

" _The wolves were very dangerous. You can see that one of them attacked me. I strongly suggest you will allow E.T. Corp full authority to secure the area. What if next time they hurt a child? I wouldn't know what would have happened if Mr. Miyano didn't fire that shot. He saved my life._ " 

That bitch! How could the officer not see through her act? How dare she use my father like this?! When the officer left, I startled lightly at seeing her shift her gaze to my direction, almost as though she could tell that I was there, watching her. A smile played on her ruby lips while her green eyes shimmered. I felt my claws scrape the earth, felt the rumble of my growl all the way to the pit of my stomach and I howled. Loudly. 

She startled. 

_I've got you in my line of sight. I won't let you hurt anyone again, do you hear me?!_

I watched her and I knew she could see me. I bared my teeth when she snorted. " _So,_ " she mused, though I could hear her. " _The game's afoot._ " 

That was at least one thing I agreed with. 


	53. ~ The Serpent and The Fox ~

***

_A thousand years was a very long time to live._

_A very long time to be hungry._

_But, he was patient. It was the one virtue he excelled in. Perhaps, the only virtue he possessed._

_He was born cursed. Cursed with a desire to feed his endless hunger, cursed with a longing greed to receive more, always. His life was destined for suffering, for anguish and darkness. He was born with a hollow heart that could love nothing else but power. Power and marvelous destruction to all those lives that claimed to be filled with light. The light he so despised. The light he so envied. The putrid light of his sanctimonious brother whom foolish people revered to no end. A reverence that was supposed to be his._

_His pious brother shed his scales and magnificent wings, threw away the true appearance of authority to don a coat of fur so he could howl at the moon to play guardian to the world._

_The imbecile. So much talent, so much power, all gone to utter waste._

_But not for long. His brother may enjoy reveling in the light, guarding all under the sun, and running free beneath the moon, but he himself, preferred to slither in the shadows, creep in beautiful darkness which light could not and dared not touch. He was the balance to all the good his brother claimed to protect. But the scale was skewed. He had been in the darkness too long. People had forgotten him, while his brother grew in adoration, became stronger, wiser, more powerful- and older. He aged with the world, carrying its weight, and its burden was becoming too heavy to bear. It would not be long until he could strike and take the power that rightfully belonged to him._

_His desire was simple. He wanted to rule and destroy anyone and anything that would dare stand in his way. Nothing wrong with having a wish, was there? After all, his brother had his foolish dreams fulfilled, why should he not be given the same rights? All it took was a little bite of venom, just to lull brother-dear into sleep. Then, he could slither his way into the very heart of the world and finally take it for himself. He could create a world to his liking, a wonderful world of glorious shadows and endless devastation that would fuel his energy, his power, for all eternity._

_Imagine his fury upon seeing his brother choose a set of guardians to protect him. The moron distributed his precious power to a bunch of unworthy peasants to help him protect the world from harm. To roam the lands to ensure its safety, and that of his brother. How dare he stand in his way?!_

_But, again, he was used to waiting. When the initial rage had passed, knowing that his plans were foiled, he retreated into the darkness thinking of other ways to overthrow his aging brother. Perhaps using guardians was a way for him to strengthened himself, but at the same time, he realized that his brother had become weak. If he depended on others to do his precious work, it meant that he knew he was not going to last. That had to count for something..._

_He schemed and schemed, always watching, always listening, always slithering over the earth where the light never found him. He waited a hundred years, a hundred more. Age had no meaning to him. Time never touched him. He waited until the opportune moment. To strike when his brother was at his weakest. His ambition and patience would pay off._

_Amongst his brother's chosen guardians was a stunning creature that had caught his eye since the very beginning. Not only was she blessed with divine beauty, grace and intelligence, she was born a gentle soul. Kind and caring, filial and brave. Strong and loving. And so very loyal._

_Naive. Gullible. Easy prey._

_Despite those two flaws, he had found that she had one more that was greater than all the rest. She blindly loved his brother. At several occasions had he seen her do anything he wished of her, loyally obeying every command, listening to every word and doing her very best to protect the world he loved and to protect him. His brother had made the brilliant mistake of making the little fox believe that he would be by her side always. And that was where he slithered in._

_One day, he approached the little fox, who, and rightly so, stepped back in caution upon seeing him. He had a way with words and charmed her easily. He gained her trust with sweet and kind words, fake compliments over how he admired and respected her position and that of the master she served._

_"It fills my heart with such bliss to see the unconditional love you have for our Great One," he hissed through his serpentine mouth. "And, at the same time, my heart shatters when I think how he will leave. His reign is ending, he will lose his position, and so will you along with him," he feigned in a concerned voice._

_The little innocent fox blinked at him. "You are wrong. He would never leave this world. Nor will he leave me."_

_"In spirit, he indeed will not. But when the time comes, and he senses it, he will call all of you and relieve you of your duties. Cast you away. That is his way," he told her, already content at the reaction of the distraught fox._

_"No, you're wrong! He would never replace us, never replace me! We are loyal to him!"_

_"Of course you are, dear," he hissed, coiling his body near her paws. "But you must admit that the years have not been very kind to you," he slithered up to inspect her. "The shine in your fur has become rather dull, has it not? And, is that a gray hair, my dear?"_

_The little fox moved away, shaking her head. "He wouldn't replace me," she repeated, but he knew that the seed was planted._

_"Ah, of course. How foolish of me, you are closest to him, therefore you must know better than I," he voiced in a honeyed tone, knowing that all he needed to do know, was wait for that seed of doubt to grow._

_He had no illusions when years later he saw his brother choose a successor to his throne, and it was not him. His guardians retired over the years, knowing that their generation had come to an end and the next were up and coming to bear the responsibility of protecting the world. He didn't have to wait too long this time, when a little fox came looking for him._

_"Have you always known?" she asked in a brokenhearted voice._  

_"Known what, dear?" he asked ignorantly._

_"That he would abandon us- abandon me, as though all these years meant nothing to him!"_

_This was what he waiting for. Sadness, anger and frustration. Hope that finally faded away. Love turned into exquisite hatred._

_"How could he cast me aside? Why would he choose such a, a, a- mongrel?! I did everything for him!"_

_"The ingrate, to throw away such a beautiful creature...such a shame. Why, if I had you by my side, I would never let you go," he coaxed, his snake-eyes gleaming at her. The green-eyed fox blinked hopefully at him._

_"I reward those loyal to me. I would never throw them away," he added, his words seeping into her mind like a pleasant poison and already could he see the light slowly dispersing from her gentle heart._

_"I want to make him pay," she said._

_He grinned. "We'll have our chance. Soon."_

_It was a regular day when his brother left the world in the hands of a child. He knew, as did the little fox, how much he loved this world, so the only way to hurt him, would be to destroy it. In the hands of a child the world was vulnerable. He could grab the heart, take control, but things were not so easy. They taught the new guardian that the world was composed of light and brutal darkness and it irked him how surprisingly strong the new guardian was and how quickly the child learned._

_The little fox was beside herself with anger and envy when this guardian had chosen twelve other guardians to safeguard the world. An honored task that was once bestowed upon her. Insult was added to injury when the little fox saw that these children had been more powerful and more skilled than she dared ever dream. The little light that was left inside of her heart had snuffed out, which suited his purpose. The little fox recruited helpers to come and do his bidding, though he preferred calling them his minions._

_Again, his practiced patience came to good use as they slowly and steadily built an army enough to overthrow the new reign and he could finally possess the one thing he always wanted, the one thing that was so close at hand he could nearly taste it._

_One night, when the moon shone at its fullest and the pallid light was replaced by a sickeningly crimson glow while the world was drenched in the blood he had spilled, his dreams came true. He felt the earth crack and crumble beneath him, the lightning splitting the trees and scorching the earth, the rivers and lakes boiled and flooded, fire created a destructive path and riddled the world with smoke._

_There was nothing the guardians could do to protect their precious One. He knew, because he saw the stars fall. A dozen of them, one by one, and the world shattered. He had stolen the heart, he had gained his victory._

_Or so he thought._

_The heart, as it turned out, betrayed him. He could not unlock its secrets, could not gain its full potential. The heart was incomplete. He realized then that he still needed something... Even if he had to wait a thousand years more, he'd do so._

"Lucky for me I don't have to wait that long," Mr. Yok watched the video footage Ms. Kumiho had sent him a few days ago and he replayed it over and over again. "We'll have our reunion soon, boys," he whispered to himself, his eyes glowing a golden amber for just a split second. He looked at his phone when it rang and he smirked. 

"Tell me good news, little fox," he mused, leaning back in his chair. He tensed a little when he listened to the other person speak. "You're certain of this? And which one are we talking about then?" 

He replayed the video again, smiling widely. "The healer? Well, I suppose eleven would still work. A healer is too much of a bother anyway- hm, what's that? Number thirteen, you say? My, my...how fascinating, an extra..." he mused, listening to his conversational partner. "You've done well, my dear. No, no, there's no need to fuss. All there's left to do is wait. Just a little more," he grinned, lovingly stroking the screen which was freeze-framed on a set of wolves.

"Hm? Ah, for certain, my dear. Once I get what I want you shall be by my side to rule this world. How could I deny you this pleasure?" he cooed, hissing only slightly. He licked his lips. 

"Don't you worry about those boys, little fox. When the heart is unlocked we'll have no need for them. You get to play all you want, as long as you clean up after the mess- I know how hungry you are. Patience, my dear," he switched to an older video where a bunch of teens ran swiftly through the woods and he pulled out a set of files from a glass tablet, revealing pictures of the boys on the footage, names, ages, addresses, personal information, for his eyes to feast upon. 

"All good things to those who wait."   


	54. ~ Out of the Fire... ~

***

Ryo hadn't slept a wink last night. How could he? He hadn't even gone home at all and the mere thought of all the messages that would explode his phone when he turned the device on made his head ache even more than it already was. He didn't feel right to go home after what he had done. To just crawl into the bed he shared with his wife and wrap his blood-stained hands around her, his daughter sleeping peacefully in the other room.  _No_. 

It wasn't like he had committed murder, but to Ryo it made no difference. He had never shot anything in his life. He stayed away from fire arms, disliked everything about them, and yet now... Miss Kumiho had called him a hero, that he had no other choice but to shoot, but Ryo knew in his gut that that was not true. The white wolf, he guessed it was a female, was meek. Almost as if she understood that they were frightened and was trying to tell them that she meant no harm. 

The male with dark fur was a different matter entirely. He was aggressive, defensive. Ryo had no problem in believing that that particular wolf would have ripped their throats open,  _but he didn't._ He waited. Why did he wait? Wolves were territorial, protective over their own. If they sensed danger, a threat, they'd attack no matter what. The wolf only attacked after the skirmish with the female and even then he'd reacted on instinct. 

The scene flashed in his mind and Ryo felt sick to his stomach. He startled. It wasn't an excuse, but he knew that that was what happened. He pointed and shot - the wrong wolf. He'd never seen anything like it before. One of their own had jumped out of nowhere, pushing the dark wolf away and getting shot instead. Ryo wasn't even sure what happened after that. One moment they were there, the entire pack, the next, not a trace of them left. Not even the one that was injured. The only evidence of the wolves being there was the puddle of blood on the forest floor, next to his smoking gun. 

Ryo vaguely remembered ordering all fire weapons to be banned and that nightly operations as the one Miss Kumiho had set up were prohibited unless he granted permission to do so. 

Rubbing his tired eyes, Ryo heaved a sigh. Of course word spread quickly in a company like E.T. Corp on an island like Ookami Shinro, and people who saw him patted him on the back or congratulated him for his so-called 'heroic deed'. But, Ryo didn't feel like a hero at all. He just felt sick, angry, guilty. He stared mindlessly at the desk until his gaze focused on the family picture. He couldn't stand to see his beautiful wife, knowing how worried she'd be right now. He just couldn't answer all the messages and missed calls he knew she left him just yet. Ryo needed to sort things out first before facing her. And his daughter... 

Picking up the photo, the tiniest smile finally appeared on his weary face. Jae was a gift from heaven, she was his little gem, his Jade. He knew how much she cared for the earth, for all living things. He'd like to think that she got that from him. What would she say when she found out that he shot a wolf? She'd been so concerned about the security systems ever since she heard about them, and she had been right on the money about that. Ryo couldn't bear the guilt.  _I'm sorry, guys,_ he thought, realizing how dramatic he was being, but he hated this. He would have never shot anything if he knew that the gun he was holding bore bullets- he shook his head. It was easy to blame others, but he should've known better. This was his responsibility and he had to bear it. 

There came an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach when he looked at his photo again. Jae was smiling widely. It was her happy smile that made her eyes shine like stardust. Ryo couldn't understand it. Why did he keep thinking about the female wolf he saw last night when looking at his daughter's eyes? 

He sighed deeply. He was in too deep. His exhausted mind, burdened with guilt, was starting to play tricks with him. He put the picture down and pulled himself together. 

"S-sir?"

The voice was soft, distant. Ryo only then realized that two of his employees had been standing in front of his desk, but he didn't know how long they'd been there. 

"Ah, Dee, Seunghyun, I'm sorry, I had no idea that you were- uh, right," he cleared his throat and got up from his chair. "Talk to me." 

"Actually, we were both just wondering if you were alright, sir. We heard you had a rough night," Seunghyun started, handing him a very welcome cup of coffee. 

"Thank you," Ryo said wholeheartedly, taking a sip. "I'm fine. Let's focus on our friend, shall we?" he gestured at the dagger. "Any new developments?"

"More genetic material has been found, sir," Dee started tentatively, though his face stood worried when he looked at his fatigued boss. "There's, well," he handed Ryo the glass tablet so that he could see the results for himself. 

Ryo read through the data, glancing at the mysterious dagger before slumping back down in his seat. "Are you sure? There has to be a mistake," he stated in disbelief. 

"I ran the data seven times, sir," Dee said. "Same results. I don't know how it's possible either. I even took several samples just to make sure. There's all sorts of animal DNA in that dagger. Nearly everything except for the highest mammal that walks the earth," Dee told him. 

Ryo frowned at seeing a wolf flash by on the data as well. "And what mammal would that be?"

"The human, sir," Seunghyun answered instead. Ryo exchanged glances with the two scientists before going through the results. He scratched his head and put the tablet down in bewilderment. 

"This isn't possible. DNA like this couldn't be stable even in the most hypothetical situations, so how is this-?" Ryo watched the dagger, shaking his head. "What _is_ that thing?"

"Confusing, sir," Seunghyun quipped, though despite of his fatigue, Ryo managed a chuckle. 

"And only barely stable. I can't quite explain it, but it seems like there's something missing, a key codon that could either make or break the DNA, sir," Dee said. "It's too early to say, but I believe that once we manage to unlock that missing codon, we might be able to use and release the energy." 

"Easier said than done, eh?" Ryo nodded. "Good job, you two. We might be closer to unraveling the secrets than I initially thought we would," he admitted, handing the glass tablet to Dee. "Too bad we still don't actually know with  _what_  exactly we're dealing with." 

"Well, if I didn't know any better, I'd say that the dagger is a  _yeouiju_ ," Seunghyun chuckled good-naturedly. 

Ryo blinked. "Yo-what-now?" 

" _Yo-oo-ee-ju,_ " Seunghyun clarified with a smile. 

"It's just an old myth, sir, don't pay Seung-hyung any mind," Dee dismissed. 

"Oh? Actually that sounds rather interesting. What is this eh- jujube thing?" Ryo asked, focusing on the taller man who chuckled at him. Seunghyun politely refrained from correcting him again and simply started explaining.

" _Yeouiju_  is a legendary item from Korean myth, sir. When I was a child, my grandfather would tell the story about serptine beings who dreamed of getting wings to evolve into true dragons. In order to do so, they had to catch a  _yeouiju_  that had fallen from heaven. It's a dragon orb, if you will. Various versions of the story depict the  _yeouiju_ either as a rare pearl, or a cintamini jewel, but really I think it has many forms. It was said that the  _yeouiju_ was an item fit for the gods themselves. Whomever wielded it, was blessed with endless knowledge and divine creation, great power and unlimited wisdom. In a way, I suppose you could interpret the _yeouiju_  to be a very powerful source of energy, a lifeforce, if you will," the young scientist elaborated, shoving his hands in the pockets of his labcoat. "I know it's just a fairy tale, sir, but I guess I just couldn't help but notice the similarities," he shrugged, his deep voice booming out a laugh. 

"A lifeforce, huh?" Ryo mused, lifting an eyebrow while he glanced at the shining dagger again.

Seunghyun nodded. "Some even claim that it is life itself, but I don't think that applies to our dagger-friend, here," he remarked, giving another smile.

"I suppose," Ryo conceded before heaving another deep sigh. "Well. I can see why it would remind you of a- yo...yo," Ryo chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck shyly. "Dragon orb," he finished a bit apologetically.

"Yeah, kind of makes you wonder whether myths held some truth in them, huh, boss?" Seunghyun continued, only quickly poking at the dagger before moving away from it.

"I suppose," Ryo nodded at the scientist as he went on his way to continue his work. Dee hovered a moment, smiling kindly at him.

"Sir, if you'd like to go home to rest a bit, we'd understand. We'll man the fort for you," the younger man told him and Ryo smiled appreciatively at him.

"Thank you, Dee, but I'd rather stay here. Lots of work left to do," the CEO told him.

"Very well, sir. If you need anything, you know who to call," Dee saluted, leaving him be.

Just when Ryo started to relax, there was another quick rap on the door. Too late to respond, the clickity clack of high heels entered his office and Ryo suppressed a groan. _Anyone. It could have been anyone, why did it have to be her?_

"Miss Kumiho, to what do I owe the pleasure?" he was far too tired to hide the sarcasm in his tone of voice, but forced a polite smile on his face either way. He knew that she hadn't slept last night either, insisting to stick around to clean up after the disastrous ordeal, but she had no symptoms of exhaustion showing. Her hair was perfect, her makeup on point, her clothes not a crease in them.

She smiled her toothpaste smile, the one that never quite reached her eyes and walked steadily towards him. "Mr. Miyano, I'm a little surprised to see you here. I'd thought you would've gone home by now. You look exhausted, sir," she chimed, scanning his appearance which was admittedly far less charming than hers.

"Well, you know what they say, Miss Kumiho. No rest for the wicked. I'm sure you're familiar with this." Alright, so he had a little trouble inhibiting his frustration and anger at the woman. What was he to think? She had told him three times that the gun she handed him was a stun-gun, nothing more. Afterwards she had denied having knowledge of the thing, of course, claiming that she was certain it was a stun-gun, and Ryo had no proof to believe otherwise.

"I understand that you're still upset with me, sir, but I assure you, if I'd known that was a real gun, I'd never demand you to shoot one of those poor creatures," she hummed, looking regretful, but Ryo wasn't sure how sincere she was.

"That's not what you said last night. You seemed rather persistent in harming those wolves, instead of protecting them," he replied calmly, even when she approached him.

"Wouldn't anyone who feared for their lives?" she replied, and Ryo frowned as he watched her put her hand on his. "But you saved mine, sir, and I'll be eternally grateful for that," she said softly, privately, but he didn't know what to make of it. "Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you, sir," she added, as she leaned on his desk so that they were facing each other. Her hand was still on his and Ryo stared at it.

Miss Kumiho smiled coyly, tugging a lock of her dark shining hair behind her ear, leaning in a bit closer. Her thumb had started caressing his hand, the movement smooth and warm.

"Is there any way at all that I could repay you, sir?" she purred, leaning even closer towards him, though Ryo's eyes were fixed on the way she moved her thumb over his hand. He licked his lips and met her gaze, not even startled by how close she was.

"Your hand," he stated softly, confusion flashing in her hazel green eyes.

"My hand?" she questioned.

"No wounds," he noted astutely, smirking when he saw the anger flash over her face in a split second. "How miraculously quick you heal, Miss Kumiho," he commented, making the offended woman pull her hand away from his as though he were made of fire.

"I've excellent genes, sir," she then continued as though she was trying to spurn him. "Perhaps one day you should study me instead," she added in a seductive murmur, though there was venom in her voice.

"And what will I find, I wonder?" Ryo retaliated, having no problem voicing his suspicions openly towards her now. Miss Kumiho laughed, tilting her head back slightly to reveal her swan-like neck.

"Wouldn't you like to find out... _sir,_ " she cooed, purposely crossing her legs to reveal her thighs as her dress rode up in the sleekest of movements. In that moment, Ryo felt something snap. He had looked at her legs, but not because he was attracted to them. On the contrary, he realized now that the proper word to describe his sentiment towards Miss Kumiho was disgust. Plain and simple.  _Disgust_. This woman who had the audacity to speak in this manner, knowing full well that he was a devoted husband and a loving father, the way she carried on soullessly, bearing the fake smile of someone who had something to hide, the way she sat on his desk without an ounce of respect for his rank- it was infuriating. It was appalling and Ryo had his fill of it.  

"Miss Kumiho," he started, his voice strong and his agitation clear. He caged her between his arms and desk so that the woman would have no choice but pay full attention to him as he was about to scold the living daylights out of her. "I. Want. You. To-," 

"Am I interrupting something?" 

Ryo's voice caught in his throat, while he paled. The rest of his sentence died on his tongue at hearing that sweet voice so shaken and startled. He turned around slowly, his eyes widening and his entire body immediately reacting, pulling away from his employee faster than lightning. 

"Yoona," he whispered, seeing his small wife blinking at hearing her name, her eyes flitting from him to Miss Kumiho, who regarded her with a smile. His first instinct was to tell her that this wasn't what it looked like, but then he hesitated a moment, because why was he so panicked and startled? There was truly nothing going on, there wasn't anything he had to hide. 

"Oh goodness, you must Mrs. Miyano! How wonderful to finally meet you," Miss Kumiho peeled herself off his desk and walked over to greet her. Yoona watched her, appraised her and Ryo winced when he could see the cogwheels spinning in her mind, trying to process what she had seen and making her mind fit the puzzle pieces together. She smiled warmly at Miss Kumiho giving a bow and shaking her hand. 

"Pleasure to meet you," she replied amicably. "Are you my husband's secretary? I apologize, the _babo_ has never mentioned you before," her pleasant tone ended in an accusing one as she briefly turned to meet his gaze. Ryo cringed. He was going to get into trouble even though he hadn't technically done anything wrong. 

"Actually, I'm Mr. Yok's personal assistant. I was placed here to act as a liaison. Mr. Yok is very excited about the Hanwol branch," Miss Kumiho quickly explained. 

"Aha, I see. I reckon my husband must be excited himself, being able to work with you," Yoona replied, the smile never leaving her face, while Ryo felt like he was shrinking by the second. 

"Oh, not at all, I assure you that it is my pleasure entirely to be able to work with him," Miss Kumiho then answered and Ryo shot her a glare. 

"I presume so," Yoona still answered politely, though the conversation ended. A pregnant silence fell and Ryo was too anxious to even breathe loudly. Yoona was smiling, sure, but she was far from happy. 

"Well, then," Miss Kumiho started, "I should go and make myself useful. It was an honor to meet you, Mrs. Miyano. Good day to you both," she excused and left, though she cast one last glance back, a smirk on her face which Ryo wanted to smack off. Unfortunately, he didn't hit women...

When Yoona finally turned around to meet him, he gulped. 

"Now, baby, before you start, let me explain-," he immediately spoke, but was silenced just as easily when all she did was lift her hand. 

"I waited all night for you to come home," she started. "I called you, I texted you, I left you messages and you didn't bother to reply to any one of them,"

"Baby, I-,"

"I'm not finished," Yoona hushed and Ryo complied. He hated seeing her upset. "I fell asleep again after hours of worrying about you, but I expected to see your goofy face in the morning beside me, so I let the matter go. Do you have any idea how close I was to calling the police when I woke up this morning to see what you weren't there?" She crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head. "I would have never, in a million years, expected to see you at work with someone like that," she pointed to the door where the liaison had disappeared through. 

"I'm sorry I put you through all that, honey, but I promise you, it's not what it looks like. I don't even like that woman," Ryo immediately cut in to plead his case. "You know I love you. I would never do anything to jeopardize that," he said earnestly and he could tell that she knew this as well. 

Yoona pouted a little, eyeing him suspiciously. "If you don't like her, why were you so close?"

"I wanted to yell at her for something she did. You've terrible timing, love," he jested, seeing the ice in Yoona's eyes melt away when she snorted out a quick laugh. 

"Says the man who was caught in the arms of a gorgeous young woman," Yoona poked against his chest and Ryo immediately let out a sigh of relief, grabbing her hand and pulling her close to him. 

"Baby, anyone can catch me redhanded if I'm in your arms. Let them all see," he replied before giving her a kiss. Yoona giggled and smacked his chest. 

"Cheeseball," she called him. "Don't they have showers in the building, honey? You stink of sweat," she then complained and Ryo teased her by tightening their embrace. 

"Been working all night. I'm sorry about making you worry, it won't happen again, I promise," he then said, feeling grateful to have found and married a wife as understanding as Yoona. She looked him in the eyes and gently ran her hand through his hair. 

"Rough night?" 

Ryo was always surprised at how his wife just _knew_  things. He nodded, a sad smile on his lips. 

"Wanna talk about it?"

He shook his head. "Maybe later."

"Does it have something to do with the drop-dead gorgeous model in killer heels?"

"More or less..."

"Do I have to shoot her?"

Ryo blasted out a laugh. "Not today, sweetheart, not today."

Yoona watched him a moment and pursed her lips together. "She's just an employee," she stated, but there was a question in her comment. 

"Yep," Ryo confirmed. 

"Just a friend?" his wife asked, to make sure. 

"Not even that, she's an acquaintance, that's all. Nothing to worry about, I swear," he said again, crossing his heart to emphasize his statement. He'd wished his wife would have waited a little longer before interrupting him. She could have heard him scold her and he would have been able to get his anger towards Miss Kumiho off his chest. That would have to wait now. He looked at Yoona and frowned a little. He never liked it much when she had such a pensive look on her face. It spelled trouble for him, he was sure of it. 

"What are you thinking about?" he dared ask. 

"Oh. Nothing," Yoona mused sweetly, but Ryo could still see those cogwheels turning in her mind and he didn't like it that they were fixed on the door. Why did he have the feeling that this was not going to be his lucky day today? He should've tried to catch some sleep before. 

He sighed again. 

_I'm getting too old for this..._


	55. ~ ... And Onto Thin Ice ~

***

"You  _what_?!"

I stared at my mother in dumbfounded awe as she hummed over the stove, flipping the pages of a cookbook, looking like the perfect housewife. 

"Oh, come now, Jae, I'm sure this doesn't need such a dramatic tone," she said, while I kept following her with my eyes as she prepared dinner. Perhaps it was my wolf-senses tingling, but I could feel the tension and stress coming off my mother, even though she looked so calm, poised and in control. I wasn't quite sure what had happened during the day. All I knew was that I didn't want my parents seeing me sneak into the house, or see me off to school. It felt really wrong avoiding my father in particular like this, but I couldn't face him just yet. 

In retrospect, he wasn't the only person I had trouble facing. I went to school as though it was any other day, except I made sure to stay away from the Majestic Twelve - well, Eleven. Lay had called in sick, probably to recover after last night's ordeal. Guess I didn't do such a good job in healing him after all. They tried to catch my attention at school, but I managed to avoid them until the end of the day. I didn't hover. I grabbed my things from my locker and scooted out of the building before anyone would even notice that I had already gone away. Honestly, staying away from them was more or less the only thing I could think of to cope with everything that had happened so far. I mean, how does a person go about their business after witnessing their friend actually getting shot by their father? Did I feel guilty?  _Yes_. Was I responsible?  _Yes._ And it sucked.  _A lot._

Keeping my distance from them didn't work out the way I had planned though. I kept telling myself that this was the better option, so they would stay safe, but it sucked not talking to them or being near them. Must be one of the downsides of belonging to a pack. It had hardly been a day, but I missed them. I really did try my best to stay away, but as soon as school was over, my phone started vibrating non-stop. It started with Luhan, sending me texts, voicing his concern. Suddenly, Kris sent a text and even tried to call me. Not soon after, Suho began sending messages as well, and it didn't surprise me afterwards that the others followed suit. My first instinct was to reply to all of them, but the rational side of me was telling me to ignore them.  _You don't want a repeat performance of last night do you? That white wolf is after you. And you know how she looks like now._

A deep sigh escaped my lips when another notification buzzed in. I lifted my eyebrows when I saw that it came from D.O. This was the first message he'd sent me. 

_Are you okay, Jae? Please tell me that you're not contemplating on a date for Homecoming like Sehun is telling everybody. You're above that. - D.O._

I snorted at the text. While the others had been sending texts voicing their concerns, asking me where I was and whatnot, D.O. sent me something- well, very typically D.O. I bit my lip.  _Don't do it, Jae. Don't pull them in when you've pulled out..._

_Damn it._

_Homecoming? I would think you would know me better than that! Don't worry, I'm fine._

I added an emote for good measure and put my phone away. I jumped a little at seeing my mother grinning at me. Had she been watching?  _Creepy..._

"I've been meaning to ask how your boyfriend was doing," she started teasing. "But it seems like you're doing well. I can hear your phone buzzing from here, baby." 

"Mom, are we seriously going to go over this again? I don't have a boyfriend," I sighed. 

"No, indeed you don't. According to your father you might have twelve! What, one dimpled cutie wasn't enough, sweetie?" she poked my cheek but I felt a little nauseous when the faint echo of a gun firing into the night sounded in my mind. I kept quiet while sitting on the bar stool at the kitchen island. My mom started cooking dinner when she suddenly turned towards me like someone who had just discovered that peanutbutter and jam was a match made in heaven and clasped her hands together in delight.  _Trouble_. 

"Jae, baby," she started and that was my cue to leave. 

"Whatever it is, Mom, the answer is no. Bye!" I groaned when she grabbed my shirt and pulled me back. 

"Baby, why don't you invite one of your twelve friends to come over for tomorrow's little dinner party? Then you won't be so alone or bored. I think your father's coworker is bringing a date as well, so it'll be somewhat of a triple date!" she squealed, suddenly very excited. 

And that brings us back to why she would suggest such an outrageous thing. For whatever reason, she visited Dad's office today and came home suddenly playing housewife. She cleaned the house from top to bottom to make it look like one of those houses you see in life magazines and started cooking recipes she usually only made during special occassions. When I asked what she was doing she told me how she had invited Dad's coworker for dinner, since she wanted to get to know the woman a little better. Naturally I panicked a little when she mentioned this mystery woman and lost all warmth in my body when she said the woman's name was Miss Kumiho, who looked like she'd escaped the poster of a lingerie ad. Apparently she was very attractive, had pale skin, black hair and enticing hazel green eyes. 

_Who fit that description, I wonder?_

The mere thought of having to spend dinner with that woman after all the crap that happened last night-  _how 'bout no?!_ What if she decided to kill me in my own house?

"I don't see why I'm invited to begin with," I started on the defense. "This is a grown-up thing, right? I should be excused from it," I argued. 

"Oh no you're not, young lady. I'll be needing your moral support tomorrow night so you're not going anywhere," Mom decided firmly and I blew a stray lock of hair from my face. 

"If you aren't actually looking forward to this, then why did you have to invite that woman? To show her that she can't have Dad? Trust me, Mom, Dad wouldn't want her," I blurted, only because I really did not want to sit at the same table with the woman who was indirectly responsible for getting Lay shot.  _And directly attacking and threatening me, but hey, details. Who needs 'em?_

"It's a matter of principle, sweetie. Come on, it'll be- interesting, in the least. I don't know any of the people your father works with, so this might be a good start. Plus, I get to meet one of your friends in the process, win-win," she replied. 

I let out another groan. "Does Dad even know that you invited her?"

Mom scoffed, but then avoided looking me in the eyes. "I'll tell him when he gets home for dinner," she tutted. 

"Oh man, can't wait to witness that conversation," I murmured before sulking again. "Please don't make me go, Mom, I really don't want to do this. You know how awkward I get around strangers, right?" 

"You'll be fine, stop acting like a drama queen. It's just one dinner," she dismissed. 

"But, Mom-," I halted in mid-sentence when my phone buzzed a few times.  _Sheesh, these boys were nothing if not persistent._

_You're worried about the ghost-wolf, aren't you?_

I frowned a little at the message, but couldn't help but admire the statement for being right.  _I thought Luhan was the mind reader,_ I sent to D.O. before turning my attention to Mom. "Anyway, as I was saying-," I glanced back at my phone and felt like my breath was taken away. In a good way, though simultaneously, also in a nerve-wracking way. I don't know why I felt like that. Maybe it was because there was something about D.O. since the beginning that I felt I could understand? It was difficult to explain...it was like we were somehow on the same page, or something. He just kind of knew what to say during moments that I needed to hear it. 

_Hey, don't insult me, I'm obviously way smarter!_

I smiled at his reply, but the smile dropped as soon as I saw my mother watching me playfully. I wanted to put the phone down, but D.O. had sent something again. 

_Jae, you're not alone- and I don't mean that in a stalker-ish way. Just saying, we're here, me and the idiots. You don't have to figure this out by yourself._

I bit my lip. How did he know? He was always quiet and shy, especially compared to his more outspoken brothers. But I guess it was true what they said, still waters run deep, and D.O.'s instincts were right on the money. 

_Crap_. I stared at the screen for too long and my mother officially had a grin plastered on her face that wouldn't come off even if you tried to scrub it away with sandpaper. "While you're at it, why don't you invite him for dinner tomorrow evening, hm?" 

"Ha ha, very clever," I pursed my lips together. I had to give this one last shot. "Can I please not go tomorrow? I'll go have dinner in town or something." 

Mom seemed to have lost her patience as well this time. She took a deep breath and set the pan down with a loud thud. "Jae, you know I never ask you much. All I'm asking you know is to support me and be there when we have dinner with these guests tomorrow. Just ask one of your friends to come join you, I'm sure one of them will agree if you tell them that you'd appreciate the support as well," she coaxed and for the first time since a very long time I saw uncertainty in my mother's eyes. She fidgeted with her apron. "She's a very attractive young woman," she mumbled and it nearly broke my heart to see her self-esteem plummet down. I watched her for a moment and walked towards her to give her a backhug. She smiled and held my arms. 

"You're way more beautiful, Mom," I told her and she chuckled. 

"How would you know? You haven't seen her," she smacked me playfully and I bit my lip.  _Whoops._ Right, that's right. Mom didn't know that I knew exactly who this Miss Kumiho was. I gave a nervous giggle. 

"Well, I don't have to. I already know that she got nothing on you," I said, meaning every word of it and it lifted my spirits to see her shine again. 

"Oh, that was your father talking just now," she shook her head in amusement and pecked me on the cheek. "Thank you, baby. So, I can count on you, right?" she prompted optimistically. 

If only she knew what had been going on these last couple of days. If only I could tell her what's been truly going on in my life. If only Mom knew that the woman she invited to our house was bad news... I never liked keeping secrets and this was exactly the reason why. Too burdensome. To know more than others without being able to tell them for their own safety while I knew too much than I wanted to know. How much would I be risking if that woman found out where I lived?

_But she doesn't know. Not really._

I was hit by a sack of bricks at the sudden realization. I knew who she was, but she only saw my wolf-form! I don't know whether other wolves could smell if someone was a wolf as well or not, but I hadn't known what I was and neither did the boys. That had to count for something, right? Feeling only slightly at ease, I gave my mother another hug. 

"Sure. I've got your back, Mom," I promised. Should that lady find out anyway who I was and tried to do something funny, I'll be damned sure she'd pay for it. Maybe this was better. Me being there. At least then I could keep an eye on her. Having to ask one of the guys to come over for dinner however, was not something I necessarily looked forward to. I grabbed my phone and texted D.O. 

_Are you guys meeting up tonight again?_

I waited while he was typing his message. 

_Suho wanted to take things slow, considering what happened last night. We're not hunting tonight._

_Oh..._

I bit my lip. How was I going to tell them that the woman was going to have dinner with me and my family tomorrow night and that I needed one of them to be there too? Maybe I shouldn't burden them with this. What if she starts going after them as well? 

_We did have plans to meet at Chanyeol's family restaurant, though. I think Lay is coming as well. He says he feels better, thanks to you._ D.O. texted.  _Why don't you come along? Stop hiding away by yourself pretending that everything that happened was your fault. Again, you're above that._

I could literally hear D.O.'s voice speaking through the message as I read it, while I imagined his deadpan expression.  _I'm just not so sure what to do right now,_ I typed, swallowing hard while quietly retreating from the kitchen to leave Mom with her cooking. I probably shouldn't be saying all these things, but if I did have to get things off my chest, then D.O. was the person to go to. Steadfast D.O., who understood more than he let on. 

_I don't want to drag you into this. You say it's not my fault, but it still feels that way. It's like you guys said; everything changed the moment I stepped foot on this island. Why is that? Why can't any of you remember me? Why don't I have memories of you? Why is E.T. Corp suddenly interested in wolves? What does the ghost-wolf want with me?_ I confessed.  _It's dangerous to be around me, D.O.. I don't want any of you to get hurt, what happened to Lay- I'd do anything to turn back time and have that bullet hit me instead. Rather me than any you, seriously. I can't drag you guys further into this. I'm sorry._

I felt both relieved and tense when I tapped on the 'send' button. My anxiety grew when D.O. didn't respond. It was silent for about six minutes. Did the message come across? 

"Whoa!" 

I nearly dropped my phone when it continued buzzing rapidly and it took a moment for me to realize that D.O. was calling me. I gulped, my finger hovering over the reject button. Then, it tapped on the green button instead. 

"H-hello?" 

"Meet me in the park at eight. No wolves, no funny business, just you and me," D.O.'s voice sounded quietly, as though he was trying his best to sound confident and strong, but was too nervous to pull it off. 

"D.O., I don't-,"

"Please? The park, eight o'clock," he said. 

"You're not going to kidnap me or whatever, are you?" I joked and I heard him sigh. 

"Just be there," he told me. 

"Why, are you planning to give me a peptalk? I don't think it'll do much good, D.O., I thought this through a lot..."

"Jae," he was growling now, I could hear the rumble in the back of his throat. I tightened the grip on my phone, standing at full attention. The boys always mentioned how scary D.O. could get when he was angry, and I believe them now.

"Don't argue and just do it, okay?" he sounded a little more gentle this time. 

"O-okay," I stammered in a small voice. 

"Good. Oh, and Jae?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't tell the others, huh?" 

I don't know why I blushed at hearing his request, but I nodded. "Okay, I won't," I added once I realized that he couldn't see me nodding my head. "Um, D.O.-,"

"The park, eight o'clock, Jae," he cut in, but something told me that he was smiling. "I'll see you there," and the line went dead. I contemplated sending him a text again, but he beat me to it. 

_Don't even think about backing out. There's something I want to show you- again, not in a creepy way, I promise. 8.00PM, the park - D.O._

Honestly, a teenage girl like me should not be feeling this much stress right now. Where are the blood pressure pills when you need them? 

Eight o'clock... that's two hours away. The dreadful dinner party from hell to which my mother invited the devil herself was a measly 24 hours away. If I managed to survive the upcoming hours, it'll be a miracle. I went to my room, looking out the window as I sat at the bench near the windowsill. The sky was darkening and a tiny moon had already started to emerge. 

I wasn't sure how long I could keep all of this up. That woman... I didn't want to be near her. 

_Do you remember? I do..._  she told me. She spoke to me as if she knew me, not just because she attacked, but like she really  _knew_  me. But she'd never seen my face before, she couldn't have known that my wolf-form is me, could she? 

_Oh man...what's going on?_


	56. ~ Nature's Best ~

***

_Twelve stars. My stars. Falling one by one._

_A gigantic tree standing tall in the middle of floating symbols._

_A world in beautiful peace one moment and in complete and utter destruction the next._

_My tiny hands, being able to do incredible things as long as I was connected to one of them. Did it mean that without them, I had nothing?_

My thoughts drifted in and out of my mind like a babbling brook. Focusing on vague memories and dreams, and then switching to recent events. I tried tying the knots together to make sense of it all, but I got nothing. More questions, that's all, and more feelings of unease. I rubbed my hands together, waiting for D.O. at the park as he asked me to. I still didn't know why I agreed to this after I had decided that I shouldn't involve any of them. 

I looked down at the dark water beneath the bridge I was standing on. I saw my reflection waving in the water, distorting my image. I flashed my eyes a moment, seeing a glimpse of my golden wolf eyes before they turned back to a regular brown. I was starting to get a hang of this, changing consciously from one form to another, that is. But it still took a lot of effort on my part. I had to teach myself to gain control over these abilities. I shouldn't depend on the others, especially since I didn't want them involved in this. 

"Oh man, why am I here?" I asked, feeling conflicted.

"Probably because you're in a pathetic need for someone to talk to," the wavy reflection replied. "And because, in your heart, you know that you are not able to do this alone. Let's face it, you are not exactly the poster child of elegant heroism." 

I sighed and frowned at the me in the water. "So what if I wasn't? I may not understand what the heck is going on around here, but I know that it's not worth dragging those twelve guys down with me! They don't deserve that. No one deserves that." 

"So you're going to cut yourself off from them, pretend like you don't exist?" I didn't like that the me in the water sounded so judgmental- despite the fact that, you know, I was actually arguing with myself... 

"Well, if that's what it takes to keep the people I care about safe, so be it," I then decided, planting my hands on my hips, looking to see what water-Jae would say.

"Worst plan ever, if you ask me." 

I jumped at seeing a water-D.O. appear next to me and I jumped again when I saw the real deal in front of me. D.O. gave a little smirk at my reaction and I flushed a bright red. 

"Where did you come from? I thought Kai was the one with teleportation skills," I said, which made him chuckle. 

"Will you stop comparing me to them? I'm honestly starting to think you're purposely trying to insult me," D.O. replied in his deadpan way, though his eyes were gleaming playfully. His heart-shaped lips then turned into a genuine smile. "Hey," he greeted. 

"Hi," I replied, still feeling embarrassed. "So, uh, how long have you been here?" I asked, fidgeting with my leather jacket. 

"Since "you are not exactly the poster child of elegant heroism"," he answered honestly, smiling again when he noticed my embarrassment. "You seemed to be having an intense conversation, so I thought I'd wait a moment before cutting in," he added, blinking his big eyes innocently at me. 

I relaxed a little bit. "I tend to talk to myself when I'm a little stressed. It helps with trying to rationalize things," I glanced away from him, shuffling my feet and rubbing the back of my head. I scratched my cheek and looked up to face him again, after I remembered what I wanted to tell him first. I had a hunch that D.O. asked me to meet me here to try to convince me to change my mind about going about this by myself, but I was feeling guilty enough as is and making them go along with me in finding the answers was not going to make me feel better. 

"On that note," I started. "I know what you're going to say, but I've made up my mind. I know that we should try to figure this out together, as a pack, but when Lay got shot, I just- it's too much," I said firmly, to show him that I meant every word and to hopefully convince him that I couldn't be persuaded.

"You were right, all along. Suho was right to worry about me, to distrust me. I've been thinking about it and all of it doesn't add up. Everything changed since I came here. E.T. Corp suddenly started putting security systems in your forests, all of you have been getting bad vibes, I'm suddenly a wolf, E.T. Corp is suddenly interested in catching wolves, Lay got shot while protecting Kai who was protecting me from that woman, and don't even get me started on all those memories or dreams...I just know that I don't believe in coincidences," I trailed off.

"Everything that has happened since I stepped foot on this island is on me, I'm sure of that, and now I've dragged you and your brothers into my mess, and I can't have that. You were all doing perfectly fine before meeting me. I'm unlucky, D.O., as in, I bring bad luck to others," I stated with a nod and a determined frown. "You were perfectly balanced, the twelve of you. Even number, boys-only-club, having fun in the woods with super powers, and I disrupted that. So, whatever it was you wanted to say to persuade me or whatever, you don't have to. I'm sure about this," I breathed out, looking at him. 

D.O. didn't answer immediately, which made my confidence shrink by each silent second. He seemed to be processing my words, though at the same time it appeared like he was waiting for something. He continued looking at me expectantly before he nodded. 

"Are you done?" he asked and I blinked. Okay...that was unexpected. I thought for sure that he'd try to start an argument wherein I needed to prepare myself to fight him off, but I guess that was a mental preparation gone to waste. 

"Um, yes, I think?" I replied, a little confused. 

D.O. nodded again. "Good. Follow me," he instructed, turning around and easily walking away. I was having déja vu seeing D.O. walk briskly in front of me, as if he was impatient to get to where he was going. 

"Hey, wait up, Mr. Guide, not so fast," I said, quickening my pace to match his speed. D.O. smirked when I caught up, managing to walk beside him. He slowed down just a bit while we made our way into the woods. I didn't know this part of the forest though. I don't think I've ever been here before. 

"So, where are we going?" I watched D.O. as his eyes moved around to make sure we were on the right path. 

"You'll see," he said mysteriously.

"You're not going to argue with me then?" I checked. 

"If you want to argue, you should try Suho. He's better with words. Me, not so much," he said, adjusting his green scarf. It was rather cold outside tonight, which was strange, given the mild climate we'd been having. Then again, things seemed a bit out of wonk since that freak storm the other day. I tightened the leather jacket around me. 

"Then, if you're not planning to argue with me on this, where are you taking me?" I was curious since D.O. was usually the kind of person that just told things the way they were. To see him act so mysteriously had me intrigued, to say the least. 

"A part of the island that no one ever goes to," he answered, looking back casually. "Watch your step, the path kind of ends here." 

"You're taking me to a place where no one ever goes to. Ah. I see. Nothing to worry about then, huh?" 

D.O. grinned at my sarcasm and he flashed his red eyes at me. "What's wrong, Jae? Don't you trust me?" he taunted, though I actually did contemplate my next step. I paused while I watched him walk, moving swiftly between tree branches and avoiding stumbling over stray rocks and bending tree roots. 

"Come on," D.O. suddenly laughed. "You stand around with your mouth hanging open like that it's going to attract bugs. It's not far."

I blinked and snapped my jaws shut. "That wasn't funny," I called after him, watching my step as I squeezed myself through a narrow gap between two old trees. "And what do you mean 'attract bugs'?! My breath doesn't stink!" I chuckled at hearing D.O.'s laughter ahead of me.

"If you say so," he deadpanned. "Be careful with your last step, you're going to need to jump down a little," he explained. I could see D.O. through the trees, standing in the light of the night sky. I think the forest ended where he stood, so I navigated there as elegantly as possible. _Ah, yes, Jae and elegance.._. The mismatched OTP from hell. _Oi..._

Just when I thought I made it through the woods safely, I failed to notice the last twisting root from a nearby tree that hooked my toe and threw me off balance. Seriously. The trees on this island all hate me.

"Whoa!" I flipped forward, crashing through the bushes, catching D.O. off guard.

"Jae! Watch out!" he exclaimed, and what happened next, I wasn't entirely sure. The world seemed to shake and rumble around me. What I was sure of, however, was the fact that I was rolling down towards the edge of a cliff and I screamed.

"Jae! I got you, I got you!" D.O. yelled. All at once the earth below me started waving, bursting up towards the sky, sending me flying.

"This really isn't helping!!!" I squealed, crushing my eyes shut as my stomach spun at the sensation of plummeting down.

"Don't worry, I got you," D.O. repeated again. "I got you, I got- _umph!_ " 

I gasped when I thought that this was it for me. That God had granted me mercy by not feeling a pinch of pain before dying. He had sent an angel in the shape of D.O. to carry me in his arms and take me to heaven- wait...

"See? I told you I got you," D.O. said, holding me tightly before setting me down, a flush on his cheeks. I still had my arm over his shoulders and one of his hands still rested on my waist to support to me. "Don't scare me like that again, okay? Honestly, Jae, what would you do without me?" he sighed, but a smile played on his lips and something told me that he was referring to my little 'I'm going solo'-speech from earlier on. I pulled away from him, hoping that he wasn't able to see the red blushes on my cheeks. 

"Are you alright?" he asked, while my eyes scanned the loose earth, chunks of clay spread out here and there. There was a small crater of dirt near the edge of the cliff where D.O. made the earth burst up to save me from certain death.

"I think so," I breathed, patting the dirt from my clothes. "Thank you, D.O.," my hand rested on his shoulder before I just let it slide down over his arm absently, still looking around, trying to get over my shock.

"You sure? You're shaking like an earthquake," he jested.

"Yeah, no, I mean- I'm good," I stammered. "Just wondering how many times I'm going to escape death, you know, the usual conflicts a teenage girl has, no biggie," I blabbed as D.O. gave me a sympathetic smile.

"I should've waited for you instead of going ahead, I'm sorry. I'll be more considerate next time," he apologized, looking down at his hand- or rather, _our_  hands. His fingers were lightly entwined with mine and he shyly pulled back. The warmth disappeared almost immediately and I didn't want it to. When D.O. retracted his hand, mine reached out towards him again automatically. His eyes widened further, but he didn't shy away from the touch. 

"Do you mind?" I asked, my voice trembling a little. "S-sorry, but I'd rather not fall off anything again tonight, so if it's alright with you, I'd rather hold on to something."

"A-ah, yes, uh, of course! N-no problem," D.O. shrugged his shoulders, tentatively wrapping his fingers with mine, avoiding eye contact. He cleared his throat. "So, yeah. Um... it's this way," he pointed with his free hand and we walked side by side. After calming down some more, I started to take in the new environment, my legs still shaking a little when I saw how the island just cut off into the ocean, like a ravine. I could hear the waves crashing against the rocks below, though I frowned at seeing the other side, where the land continued again. It was almost as though something had split the land and created the ravine.

I carefully glanced at D.O., but he showed no emotion on his face. I lightly squeezed his hand, swallowing when the gap of the ravine visibly narrowed, changing into a deep crack in the ground. We continued to follow the gash in the earth, and I didn't dare to break the silence by asking a question now. D.O.'s hand was strong and comforting to hold, but I could feel his palm become a little sweaty. I didn't mind much, though.

A gasp of horror nearly escaped my lips when D.O. led me to a wrecked and destroyed forest. It looked like a bomb had gone off here and no one bothered to come to clean up the mess. Mighty trees had been uprooted and laid haplessly on their sides, or were even turned upside down, their dead roots showing. Broken branches lay fallen on a bed of crisp, dried leaves amidst spiky rock formations that had mysteriously sprouted up from the earth. The whole earth in this forest of destruction seemed uneven and dangerous to walk upon. Some parts of the ground even looked dried and cracked, scorched, even, as though whatever caused this disaster had summoned the earth's magma to join the party. 

"What is this place? What happened here?" I looked at D.O. as his eyes scanned the area as well, before gesturing for us to take a seat on a fallen tree trunk. 

"This is a memorial of some sorts," D.O. answered, taking a deep breath.

"A memorial? Memorial of what? We- we're not sitting on a grave or anything, right?" I shuffled a little uneasily on the trunk, but D.O. smiled gently, shaking his head. 

"Not  _that_  kind of memorial- fortunately," he said, running his free hand through his thick hair. He hadn't let go off my hand, even now that we're sitting down and I appreciated it. This place was rather creepy. 

"I used to run away, all the time," he suddenly started. "When I was younger, that is. It was just that life sucked at an early age for me and I didn't know how else to cope but to run. Take the hit and flee. It had nothing to do with me being scared, or anything, it was just the only thing I knew to do when guys who were twice my size would come after me to beat me up just for the heck of it," he smirked but I saw the pain in his eyes. "I was angry a lot, too. Never really understood why they were always after me, never understood why they'd hurt other people if others were kind to me. But I thought I could deal with it, because it was just me. I was alone and I was fine with that. Didn't need anyone, I could depend on myself and it suited me fine," D.O. looked up the sky a moment, his green scarf nearly covering the lower half of his face. I didn't say anything. I let him talk, listened to his pleasant voice as he spoke. 

"You know, I wanted to run off the island that time when I found out what I could do," he chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. "I mean, here I was, already considered a freak and now it turned out the bullies were right all along? Do Kyungsoo was an actual freak of nature and man, was I pissed." He moved his hand over the ground, the earth obediently following his gestures. The earth rippled like water, rocking the tree trunk we were sitting on. 

He sighed deeply. "I thought, if I'd been alone all this time, why should I assume that things were going to be different? I had managed so far and was determined to do so again. You see, I'm used to figuring things out by myself. It's just something that I learned to do because I knew that I didn't and couldn't depend on others to be there for me. So, I always made sure that I could survive on my own. And, that worked," he explained, looking at me before giving a tiny smile and plucking a twig from my hair. "For a little while, at least," he mused softly. 

"D.O., what is this place?" I asked again, gently. He turned to look at the devastation surrounding him and I noticed how his grip on my hand tightened ever so subtly. 

"This place is what happens when I decide to do things on my own," he revealed, a smirk on his lips, but regret in his eyes. "This place wouldn't have just been a memorial, it may have been a burial site for me as well. I was transforming for the first time and thought I could handle it. This was the result," he gestured around him. "I would've died if Kai hadn't found me. I was wounded and bleeding and still thought I could handle it on my own. I didn't want any of them near me. I remembered punching Lay when he tried to heal me and smacked Tao to the ground with a wall of earth," he paused. "I think I sent Chen flying with an earth-geiser just for the heck of it," he laughed. "I tried pushing them away but they kept coming back. I realized I wasn't alone. There were more freaks out there like me, and, for whatever reason, they cared. I could have destroyed the whole town and gotten myself killed if it weren't for them," he finished, looking at his shoes before glancing at me. 

I gave a gentle smile. I appreciated what D.O. told me, but he wasn't necessarily subtle in what he was really trying to achieve by taking me here. "Are you telling me that going about this alone is a bad idea? Even after I told you that I had already made up my mind?" I asked him. 

D.O. chuckled and shook his head, leaning back a little. "No, whatever made you think that? If you want to go solo, that's fine. It's really your decision," he said, surprising me again. "All I'm saying is that, try as you may, there's no escaping the idiots, and I guess that includes me as well," he frowned a little, but the tone of playful sarcasm was evident in his voice. "I tried everything to make them leave me alone, but they kept bouncing back like yoyos. So, really, I guess I just wanted to warn you, Jae. I'm so very sorry, but I'm afraid you're stuck with us. Basically, that means that no matter what, we're in this thing together," he lifted his shoulders. "Oh well," he feigned innocently and I couldn't suppress my grin. 

D.O. gave me a sideways glance and broke out a smile when he saw me chuckling. He lifted his hand that was holding mine and gently let go. "We all have our reasons for caring about you," he muttered quietly, "and the fact that you're willing to plunge into something potentially life-threatening by yourself to prevent us from danger is saying something too, I think," he added. "But don't think for one second that any of us will allow you to do so." His voice was strong and determined this time. His eyes purposely searching contact with mine. I didn't know what to say. D.O. caught me completely off guard. All I know was that I was filled with an inexplicable warmth that spread itself from my chest all the way to the tip of my head and my toes. 

"So, don't disappear on us like that again," he continued, while I had started trembling out of nervousness and strange happiness. "Don't feel guilty or think that you're responsible for everything bad that has happened," he drilled, taking off his green scarf and suddenly wrapping it around me instead. "The world doesn't revolve all around you, Jae, so don't flatter yourself that much, huh?" he ended, purposely wrapping the scarf not just around my neck but over my head as well to tease me. 

I laughed through the tears I felt welling up, but I knew that they were good tears. How is it that D.O. knew exactly what to say to make me feel better? How did he know that this was something that I needed to hear, when even I didn't know that this was something I needed to hear? 

Strong, reliable and steadfast D.O., giving me strength and courage to pick myself up from the ground, dust myself off and get back on the horse again.

"Do you still think you can do this alone?" he asked, adjusting the scarf a little.

"Aren't you scared, knowing that there might be something genuinely dangerous going on?" I asked him in return, since I didn't understand how he could be so cool and calm about this.

"Terrified," he replied easily. "But, I feel a bit better knowing that there's thirteen of us," he smiled cutely and I returned the favor, feeling very happy that I went to meet him anyway.

"Hey, D.O.?" I called and waited till he looked straight at me.

"Yeah, Jae?"

I bit my lip a moment before I leaned towards him, giving him a quick, chaste kiss of gratitude on his cheek. "Thank you," I said, pure and simple. D.O. didn't have to go through all this trouble just to lift my spirits, just to convince me to stay in the pack and figure this out together. I knew how shy he was, so having to tell me something personal about his past must've been difficult for him as well. But he did all of these things anyway, taking care of me, while he was my _dongsaeng_ , making sure that I was okay, even though things hadn't been easy on him either. I'm not a touchy-feely person. I don't give out hugs and kisses so easily, but D.O. deserved at least that. It probably helped that he wasn't naturally a person who spoke much either, and preferred letting actions speak for themselves. I hope he realizes how much I appreciate him. 

His lack of response was a little worrying though, until I saw the stunned expression on his face. His eyes were even wider than usual, the tips of his ears were violently red and his heart-shaped lips were parted in shock. _Oh gosh, is he still breathing?_

"What is it?" I asked, suddenly remembering what he said to me before. I breathed on my hand and quickly smelled my breath. "My breath doesn't actually stink that much, does it?" I asked worriedly, blinking when D.O. finally snapped awake. 

"Wha- n-no, no, no, no! I mean, it's fine- good, good. Better, it's- uh, yeah, n-nice, I mean, ha..." his 'ha' died off in a soft whimper that reminded me of a puppy and D.O. gave a high pitch laugh out of embarrassment, glancing away while bending his head. "You're welcome," he mumbled from that position. 

Smiling, I unwrapped about half of D.O.'s green scarf and covered him with it as well, sharing it with him. He carefully glanced up and relaxed while we sat on the trunk. It was true that we were surrounded by destruction and devastation, but there was also the most serene peace here. It was quiet and almost tranquil in this part of the woods. Even the stars in the velvet black sky seemed to shine brighter here. Perhaps all those things were there to show that even in the worst situation, the light will seep through, there is good to be found in the bad. And when I looked over to D.O. for a moment, my smile widened.  _You just had to look for it. And if you're lucky, that light will be sitting right next to you._


	57. ~ Kai, Bai, Bo–! Oh...Oh?! ~

***

Kai didn't like this. 

It was not like D.O. to be late for any appointments and it was definitely not like him to not tell them where he was. He looked around in agitation at his other brothers as they sat around a table in a more private part of Chanyeol's parents' café. Even though they were sitting next to each other, they had all resorted to looking at their phones. He rolled his eyes since they were trying to reach Jae-noona, but Kai didn't understand why they were so concerned. Was it  _that_  strange for the girl to want to be alone for a while after everything that had happened? 

Heaving a sigh, Kai watched as his hyungs were glued to their phones. Sehun hadn't even looked away from the screen, absently blowing bubbles into his bubble tea, his eyes locked to the device. Kai looked around the restaurant, his eyes shifting at the door each time it opened, hoping to see D.O. walk through it. There was an overall elated atmosphere at the café, but there seemed to be a cloud of gloom hanging over their table. 

Should he be worried? What if something had happened to D.O.? It wasn't unthinkable anymore, not after Lay-hyung... Kai swallowed, guiltily looking over at his exhausted hyung. Even though Lay hadn't gone to school today, he still looked weak and pallid. Sure, Jae-noona healed him, but it wasn't enough to heal him 100%. In truth, Kai didn't care. He was already glad to be able to look at this smiley hyung, looking even more blank and dazed than usual. If it weren't for him, it would've been Kai that got shot instead. Kai swore to himself that he'd make up for it, somehow- and, perhaps, to Jae-noona as well. Knowing her, the foolish girl probably thought that all of it had been her fault, but she had tried to stop him. Kai reacted on instinct, he always had, and last night, the fear of possibly losing one of his own was too great. It was a strong emotion, a burning, painful itch that made him react in ways he really shouldn't. An itch that he was feeling again, right at this moment. 

_Where are you, D.O.?_

Kai stirred a little when he looked at his phone. He opened the messaging app and clacked his tongue.  _Really?_

He looked over at Chen-hyung, who had stuck out his tongue absently while he was typing in the group chat and Kai huffed out some air. Here they were, literally sitting next to each other, but his tech-crazed brothers opted to communicate through the freaking group chat instead. _Twenty-first century technology for the win... Not._

**ChenChen** :  **Do you think we did something to upset noona?**

**BaeBacon** :  **I knew it! Yah, Chen, what did you do?!**

Kai rolled his eyes when he saw that Baekhyun had sent a sticker, pointing accusingly through his screen. 

**ChenChen** :  **Me?! I didn't do anything! Maybe...It was you!**

Another sticker, a cartoon with fire in his eyes.  _Were these hyungs really older than me?_ Before he knew it, his phone kept buzzing, Chen and Baekhyun spamming the group chat with emojis and stickers. Kai was ready to groan out of frustration when a new, private message appeared. His eyebrows flared up and relief settled in his uneasy heart. 

**D.O.** :  **Are you still at the café?**

**SKailark** : **D.O.! Where are you? Why are you late? Did something happen?**

**D.O.** :  **Relax, everything's fine. I'm heading over with Jae.**

Kai's eyes widened.  _D.O. was with Jae-noona this whole time?_ Why would D.O. be with Jae-noona? She had been avoiding everyone, why not D.O.?  _Why do you care, Kai?_ He nipped at his lips. He suddenly felt the light touch of rain against his skin, Jae-noona before him, bathing in the silver light of the moon, with the droplets of rain in her hair, as though she wore a crown of stars. He resented the smell of jasmine that night. 

_I don't dislike you. Just so you know._

_Why D.O.?_ he then thought. Kai was the one that got to Jae first, to protect her...

**D.O.** :  **There's something all of us need to discuss. Jae has some news.**

Kai stared at his phone, and again, his undisciplined instinct took over. 

**SKailark** :  **Since when are you so chummy with Jae-noona?**

**D.** **O.** :  **Since when does something like that matter to you?**

**SKailark** :  **Good or bad?**

Kai eventually asked, since D.O. had a point. Since when did it matter? Why did it matter? It wasn't like it was bothering him.  _Not at all,_ he thought, uneasily cracking his neck. 

**D.O.** :  **Good or bad, what?**

**SKailark** :  **The news. Good or bad?**

**D.O.** :  **Uncertain at this point...She'll be able to explain. We'll be there in three minutes or so.**

Alright. So D.O. was with Jae-noona, and she had news to tell everyone, while she had been avoiding them the entire day.  _Girls_... he sighed. Well, at least he didn't have to worry about either of them anymore. Sort of. Why hadn't D.O. just told the others that he was with Jae? The rest of his brothers had been worrying all this time that something might have happened to her. Speaking of which...

"Yah! 226 messages?!" Kai exclaimed, looking at his brothers. "We're right next to each other, why not just talk to each other, guys?" he said tiredly, managing to make a few of them look ashamed.

"But... stickers," Chen-hyung pointed out, a slight pout on his lips.

" _Aish_ ," Kai shook his head and rolled his hand over his face. "Anyway," he changed the subject. "D.O. just told me that he'll be here soon," he paused purposely to ensure he had his brothers' attention. "With Jae-noona," he finished, sipping his drink to wait for their reactions.  _Three, two, one..._

"WHAT?!" they shouted. 

Kai couldn't help but smirk.  _Boom._ A cacaphony of voices errupted, but Kai wasn't really listening to their surprise and utter confusion. He did roll his eyes again when he noticed Tao checking himself out on his phone after hearing that Jae-noona would join them, and of course Sehun was sulking a little. Honestly, it was rather amusing to see them like this. _All because of some girl..._  the smirk on his face slowly dropped, his fingers tingling where he had felt her fingers brush against his skin.  _Yeah,_ he swallowed, a lump suddenly in his throat.  _Just a girl._

"Yah! You!  How dare you hijack Jae-noona from us!" Baekhyun suddenly stood up, pointing at D.O. who had come in, eyes wide in surprise at the attention. Behind him stood Jae, a similar expression on her face. The scent of jasmine wafted gently his way, but Kai suppressed a snarl when he saw D.O.'s scarf wrapped around her neck. 

"Don't you worry, Jae-noona, I'll save you!" Baekhyun stated dramatically, ready to run towards them, had D.O. not coughed loudly, stomping his feet to shook the ground below Baekhyun, bringing him out of balance. 

" _Pabo,_ " D.O. sighed tiresomely, but something seemed to have changed. Kai couldn't really put his finger on it, but...  _Is D.O. glowing?_

"Come on, Jae," D.O. called to the girl and Kai noticed that she seemed somewhat reserved. They moved so D.O. and Jae could join their table. 

"Wah, noona, we're happy to see you. What happened?" Chanyeol asked immediately, worriedly glancing at her. The girl immediately blushed at all the attention. Kai looked away, forcing himself to look bored and more interested in the food on the table. 

"Yeah, you just disappeared last night and then we didn't see you all day," Chen summed up. 

"Not to mention that you didn't reply on our messages. Did you get them, noona?" Sehun added, though his eyes shifted at the scarf around her neck, as though he wanted to rip it off. 

"I did, Sehun, and I know, Chen, I'm sorry, everyone," she apologized, and if there were those amongst them that were agitated or even angry at her, no one was now. The girl wasn't even trying to be cute, but there she was, looking as though the guilt was consuming her and there was no one around to save her, making people want to grab her and just squish her in an embrace. 

"Tch. You couldn't have said anything?" Kai blurted out before he realized that it were his lips that were moving. He nearly cringed when Jae looked straight at him, looking ashamed. He hadn't meant to sound so crude. Why did he always do that?

"I know, I'm sorry," she said again, her voice soft. "It's just that I started to think about stuff and after everything that happened-, I just- I..." 

"You got scared," Luhan filled in, looking at her in concern. 

"Yes," Jae admitted honestly. "But most of all, I felt guilty, responsible - for everything. I caused trouble and brought you guys in danger, and that's the last thing I wanted. So, yes, I got scared. Scared that you'd all get hurt because of me." She looked at Lay then, who was shaking his head, meaning to protest against her claims. 

"That's not true, Jae-yah," he said. "What happened last night could have happened whether you were there or not, and you saved me, remember?" 

"Barely," Jae replied, her eyes glistening with tears, though she held them back. "That woman that was there with my father, she was after me," she suddenly said and this had all of them on alert. Kai remembered her. Her skin was as white as snow, but her face seemed just as cold. There was something about her that made him angry, the way she smelled alone made him itch all over. That woman worked at E.T. Corp and she was after Jae? Why? 

"What do you mean, she was after you? Does she know who you are?" Suho asked, one big lump of anxiety and concern. This, while moments ago he had told them that he was ready to scold Jae for all she was worth. 

"No, I don't think so, I mean, not in human form, I think. But in wolf-form...It was like she knew me," she abruptly shut her mouth while the brothers were given a moment to process the information. D.O. quietly nudged her. 

"Tell them what you told me," he encouraged softly. Kai would let the intimate way he said it go for now. 

"I know that it sounds preposterous, but I think that woman might be the ghost-wolf, the one who attacked me," she said.

"What? Are you sure, Jae?" Kris asked, stunned. 

"I'm never sure about anything when it comes to this stuff," she replied, "but, yes, I'm pretty sure. Why else would she try to coax my father to shoot?"

"But, that doesn't make sense. Why would a wolf work for E.T. Corp only to hurt and capture other wolves?" Suho asked, but something told Kai that it was rhethorical. He could almost hear the cogwheels spinning in leader-hyung's mind, and his own was starting to work overhours as well. One thing was for sure; everything that had happened so far was not a coincidence. He didn't want to say it out loud and even thinking it was giving him an ulcer. _But..._

"Is someone hunting for Jae-noona? Perhaps even hunting for us, too?" he asked, a tense silence falling at the table. 

"But, why? We never did anything wrong, and Jae-noona least of all. Besides, no one knows about our existence, right?" Tao tried to reason. 

"Unless they were wolves as well," Luhan deadpanned, but his expression was serious. 

"But why go after Jae-noona?" Chen wondered. 

"What kind of skeletons do you keep in your closet?" Kris tried to joke, but Jae only grimaced. 

"I don't know why she's after me, but...there's more," she started. 

"More?" Xiumin asked, astonished. 

Jae winced a little. "See why I want you guys to stay out of it?" she commented before she continued. "My mother doesn't trust that woman, she has the best instincts when people are concerned, but well, long story short; she may have kind of invited her over for dinner at our house," Jae breathed, looking nervous and uncomfortable. Kai did not envy her at this moment. He knew what it was like having to carry around this secret, keeping it hidden from the people closest to you. It was no wonder that Jae seemed so high strung from time to time. He always dismissed it as being girly dramatical behavior, but now he was starting to understand that she was dealing with a lot of pressure. 

"You're kidding me, noona," Baekhyun said sympathetically, shaking his head. It looked like he was still trying to process the previous information. 

"Could we slow down for a moment?" Sehun then spoke, looking around the table. "Jae-noona," he directed himself towards her and Kai could recognize it when Sehun was playing around or not, and at this moment, he wasn't. "You had us worried last night and for most of the day today. You say that you don't want to see us get hurt anymore because you think that you're the cause for all the trouble, and then you say that the woman we all saw last night might be the ghost-wolf that was after you," he summed up, letting the words sink in. "And now, your mother, who doesn't know what's going on, just like your father, invited the same woman over for dinner at your house because she doesn't trust her?" he continued, checking to see if he got it right. 

Jae nodded. "Keep your enemies close, and all that," she clarified. 

"I see...Noona, you lead a complicated life," he said sympathetically, scratching his head. "Can't you get out of it? I mean, wouldn't it be dangerous if she really is the wolf?"

Kai listened as Jae started explaining everything, making his head spin with all the new information, the relevant and irrelevant matters. However, to Kai it all summed up to one thing: That woman was dangerous and they needed to figure out why she was going after Jae. The only advantage they had right now was the fact that this woman most likely had no clue who Jae was in human-form. 

He watched her as she spoke, how protective she was being towards them when she kept emphasizing how dangerous it could be if they were involved, how she stressed that the woman was after her alone- as if that would automatically make them think that she should handle it on her own, as if it meant that it was none of their business. D.O. sighed from time to time and it dawned to Kai that his older brother probably already told her that they, as a pack, would always stick together. New member, or not.  _That probably makes her feel even more guilty,_ he thought with a weary smile. 

"It would explain why E.T. Corp is so set to put those security systems in place," Suho pondered out loud. "That woman might be the dot to connect everything- or at least provide some answers. If she's after Jae, then perhaps she knows something that we don't."

"You don't think-," Kai looked at Chanyeol, who unwittingly made the flame on the candle on the table sway from side to side. "You don't think that Jae-noona is part of some scientific experiment, do you?" he fiddled with his snapback, his brothers gawking while pondering his words. Kai swallowed and saw Jae visibly pale. 

"Wh-what? N-no! No way! My dad would never allow something like that," she said, dismissing it quickly while rubbing her arms. 

"It could explain why we don't have memories of you," Xiumin mused and it was hard to tell whether he was joking or being serious. 

"Or why we didn't sense that you were one of us," Luhan added, bobbing his head thoughtfully. 

"Whoa, wait a minute- I am  _not_  a scientific experiment gone wrong, okay?" Jae piped up. "Besides, wouldn't I remember being a lab-rat?"

"Unless they made it so you couldn't remember anything, noona," Baekhyun replied, though he was obviously pulling her leg. 

"Come on, stop playing," Suho warned. "This is serious. If Jae is in trouble we need to help," he started. 

"Suho-,"

"And no protesting. Consider it a non-negotionable term, Jae," he interrupted her, his voice gentle. "You're not alone and we're not abandoning you," he stated firmly, his brothers nodding their heads with confident smiles on their faces. She looked at each of them, and when her gaze lingered at Kai, he made sure to look as casual as possible, only very slightly lifting his chin to acknowledge Suho's claim. She tried to hide it, but she was smiling into the scarf. 

"Now, you say this woman is coming over for dinner tomorrow?"

Jae nodded, looking regretful. "And she, uh, my mom, she kind of told me to bring someone to the dinner, so I wouldn't be the only teen bored out of their minds there," she said. 

"Wait, what, like a date?" Chen asked, a little stupefied. 

"I guess you could call it that," Jae shrugged, but she was blushing. 

Sehun immediately lifted his hand. "I volunteer!" he called out. 

"What? No way, Sehunnie, obviously I'm the better choice," Baekhyun spoke up. 

"Please, a dinner like that needs sophistication," Chen told Baekhyun. "I'll go," he grinned. 

Kai only shook his head bemused, rolling his eyes from time to time, watching his brothers argue. From across the table Jae watched rather uncomfortably, as though the girl was ready to disappear into a hole in the ground. Most girls he knew from school would be squealing their pretty heads off if they saw them arguing over who was going to be their dinner date, but not Jae-noona. She just watched in confusion and embarrassment. 

"Okay, everyone, shut up!" Suho then called out, eliciting a faint growl. "This isn't a game. We have to take this seriously and the fact that Jae is allowed to bring another person to come to the dinner is an opportunity to try and find out more about this woman. This could work out to our advantage if we play our cards right and send the right person." 

It was on moments like these, when Suho was mostly calm instead of a nervous wreck, that Kai was reminded why he was the leader. While everyone else seemed to try to take advantage of the situation only to become Jae-noona's date, he kept a clear vision on the whole situation. It was true that he and Suho usually didn't see eye to eye, but in cases like these, they seemed to be more kindred in spirit. 

"What do you suggest, hyung?" he asked. 

"Well, personally, I think we need someone who can focus on asking the right questions, while keeping an eye on things without raising any kind of suspicion," he explained. 

"And how do we get to decide, hyung?" Tao asked, though he sounded like he was already preparing to protest. 

"From an objective point of view, I'd say the best candidates for Jae to bring to the dinner would be Luhan-hyung, Kris, and maybe Kai," his statement was immediately met with protests, but Kai was still surprised that he made Suho's cut. Kris and Luhan, however, high-fived each other. 

"Um, excuse me? I get where you're going at, but just a reminder; this won't actually be a date," Jae pointed out, but it didn't matter to them. She shook her head and sat back in her seat. 

"Before you all chew my butt off, will you listen? Luhan is well-mannered, considerate and suave. Not to mention that his ability to read minds could come in handy," Suho started explaining. "Kris could charm the pants off a snake and make it wear it like a hat. He's calm and keeps a level head." 

Kris nodded in approvement, thumbs up at Suho. 

"And Kai," Suho continued, making the person in question look up almost expectantly. "Kai has good instincts," Suho smiled appreciatively at him. "And he looks like a puppy, which I know the noonas all fall for," he added to jab him, so Kai glared at him for good measure. 

"And the rest of us are just chopped livers, aren't we?" Chen whined, not happy at all that he wasn't a viable option. 

"You know it's nothing personal," Suho soothed. "Xiumin-hyung is too quiet and shy, same goes for D.O.," he elaborated gently. 

"Which Jae already knows," D.O. said, giving her a tiny smile as though they shared an inside joke. 

"Lay could've been a good option as well, but there is no way in hell that I'm sending him into a house with the woman that indirectly got him shot, and the man that actually pulled the trigger- no offense, Jae," he said, but Jae gave a wan, but understanding, smile. 

"None taken," she said, mouthing another apology to Lay, who shook his head and smiled at her. If it were up to this hyung, all was already forgiven. 

"The three of you- well, do I have to point it out?" Suho stated at the beagle line, who were already prepared to retaliate, but Suho simply continued, ignoring them. "You two maknaes would probably be too distracted by the food and Jae's company that you'd forget why you were there in the first place," he finally accused, drawing astonished gasps from both Tao and Sehun. 

"And what about you?" asked Jae out of the blue. 

"M-me?" Suho flushed, scratching his cheek. 

"Yeah. You'd make a good candidate, I think, based on your reputation on the island, that is. Your vigilance could come in handy, no?" she said it so casually, but it looked like Suho was about ready to turn into a giddy schoolgirl.  _Our great leader, ladies and gentlemen._ Kai heaved a deep breath of air. 

"Okay, so four candidates. How do we decide?" he asked, going straight to the point. 

"Well, the fairest way would be how we always do things," Suho answered, snapping awake. 

"What do you mean 'fair'? This whole competition was rigged from the start, hyung!" Sehun remarked snippily, his hands defiantly crossed over his chest. Beside him, Tao nodded fiercely. 

"Yeah!" he pointed out. 

Suho simply shook his head and held out his fist. "Guys?" 

Luhan and Kris followed his example quickly, with Kai hesitatingly joining last. 

"Wait a minute, you're chosing by way of rock, paper, scissors?" Jae let out a chuckle of disbelief. "Really?" 

"Do you have a better method, Jae?" Luhan prompted cheekily, silencing her for a moment. 

"I guess not. Go at it," she gave in, watching them. 

The four of them looked at each other and started the game. "No cheating, Luhan-hyung," Kai reminded him.

"I wouldn't dare, Kai."

" _Kai, bai, bo!_ " the four of them chanted. 

"Wow, you actually really didn't cheat," Kai couldn't help but chuckle when his rock crushed Luhan's scissors. 

"Ah, crap," Luhan said, looking at Jae. "Guess we'll have to raincheck," he teased. 

" _Kai, bai, bo!_ " 

"Meh, this isn't my style anyway," Kris sulked, with Lay patting the disgruntled  _duizhang_  comfortingly on the shoulder. 

"Just you and me, kid," Suho provoked. 

"Tch. Who are you calling kid, grandpa?" he retaliated. 

" _Kai, bai, bo!_ " 

Kai looked at his hand and at that of Suho-hyung. Neither of them moved, nor spoke. Their brothers stared at the result in anticipation, gawking, eyes wide. 

"Well...that was unexpected," Suho muttered. Kai couldn't believe his luck. 

"So, who won?" Jae asked, leaning forward to check the results. "Ah," she nodded, her eyes wide. "This is definitely going to be an interesting dinner..."


	58. ~ Jal meogeotseumnida ~

***

Casa Miyano. 

A tranquil, quiet and harmonious place. 

A place where the sweet, soft, melodious sound of gentle humming floated in the air, accompanied by the merry whistling of cheery birds. The house at the edge of the forest, where many woodland critters trot by, attracted by the warmth the house always emanated. 

Ah, yes. Casa Miyano...A little slice of serene heaven on earth's paradise-

" _JAE-IN MIYANO_! Get your butt downstairs or so help me God, I will slap the living daylights out of that booty, you hear me?!"

...which has transformed into the deepest pit of hell itself. Ruled by the once benevolent Queen Yoona, whose heart grew three sizes too small as her stress level rose and rose by the second in preparing what was sure to be _the_ dinner party of the century (that no one wanted to be invited to).

Taking another deep breath, and checking my appearance in my full-length mirror, I had half a mind to change clothes again, but I was sure that that would only invoke the wrath of Queen Yoona, and loving life as I do, I decided against it. Instead, I tugged a little at the deep green dress I was wearing. I honestly have no idea where she got it, but the Queen came into my room, a shiny, short, deep green dress in her arms, and told me to wear it. The thing was swirly around my knees when I walked and it was snug around the waist and bodice, because it wasn't difficult enough to breathe with the dinner of hell coming up. I did not want to be here right now. 

Groaning, and pacing around in my room, I thought about the conversation I had with D.O. and with the others at the café. The plan was simple. Stay calm and try not to raise any suspicion. Meanwhile, those that weren't invited to dinner would keep an eye out for things, just in case. I heaved out a sigh. If tonight wasn't going to end up disastrous, I'm gonna count it as a genuine miracle. Should I try and hide a knife underneath this dress?  _Mom'd freak out..._

I jumped when the Queen herself shrieked my name again. A second later, my poor father burst through the door of my room, a look of pure fear on his face. He closed the door firmly behind him and let out a breath, his hand clutching his chest. 

"Baby, I love you, you know that right?" he started, unbuttoning the top button of his blouse to wave himself some air. 

"Of course, Dad," I answered, still feeling a little awkward interacting with him after the whole ordeal two nights before. 

"Good. I just wanted you to know that, in case your mother kills me, you know," he shrugged jokingly, but he seemed sincerely nervous. "I really don't understand why she arranged this dinner if she's like that. Do you know why she invited that woman?" he then asked, and I knew that this was my father's way of blowing off some steam. If he couldn't talk to someone reasonable - which was Mom most of the time -, he'd come to chat with me. I would do the same as well, if I wanted to get something off my chest, but something felt different now. It wasn't that I loved my dad less, it was just that things had changed and I knew that I needed time to sort things out. But that didn't matter right now. Dad didn't even know that I knew what had happened. I don't know why. When I asked him if anything new happened, he had lied to me. Never mentioned that he shot a wolf.  _Then again, you never told him that the wolf he shot was part of your pack..._

"Jade, baby? Are you okay?" he then asked, shaking me from my thoughts. I forced a twitchy smile on my face. 

"I'm good," I started, nodding my head. "A little scared to go downstairs, though. Feels like there's a dragon the size of a hobbit waiting there to devour me," I joked and this got a chuckle out of him as well. It relaxed me, even though I realized at the same time that there was an unspoken distance between me and my father now. And I didn't like that. 

"She might if you don't hurry up and get down there," he agreed and then fell silent as he observed me. 

I blinked at him. "What is it?" 

A gentle smile appeared on my father's face as he approached me and he carefully reached out to touch my wavy hair, which I styled that way to please the Queen. 

"You look beautiful, baby," he suddenly said, and I rolled my eyes, making a dismissive gesture. 

"Oh boy, you're not going all teary-eyed on me, are you?" I jested, but I froze a little at seeing the mixed look of regret and pride in his eyes. An expression that only fathers know how to make, I think.

"No, no," he shook his head, looked to the ground and sniffed exaggeratingly. "My baby Jade is all grown up!" he exclaimed before squeezing me into a hug. My eyes went wide before I laughed at my ridiculous dork of a father. 

"Dad!" I warned through my laughter and he chuckled. 

"Just kidding. We both know that you'll be my baby girl forever. Even on your wedding day I'll tell people that you're still two years old and afraid of the dark- hey! I bet that would make a fun story to tell your date, huh?" he then said, a devilish twinkle in his eyes. He then opened his mouth as though he wanted to say something, but he reconsidered and said nothing. 

"What," I started, shuffling a bit with my feet, though I couldn't stop the words from coming, "no gun jokes?" 

He startled. I made my father flinch and startle, and in response, I felt like crap doing that to him. I couldn't look at him. But when I did look up, Dad glanced at me with a sober expression, almost as though he suspected that I knew  _something_ , but then that gentle smile reappeared and he cupped my cheek. 

"No, baby. No more gun jokes. They weren't that funny to begin with," he said, his voice tender. In that very moment, I wanted to ask him what I've been avoiding, I wanted to ask him what he was doing in the forest that night. I wanted to ask him who the woman was that my mother invited for dinner. Most of all, I wanted to just tell him that I knew what happened and that it was going to take some time for me to digest all of it, but that I had forgiven him, and my friends had, too. 

 "Um, Dad-," I had barely started, or the both of us jumped at the sound of my door being slammed open, my mother standing there, a little red-faced and furious, but still looking gorgeous and classy in a simple silver dress. 

"Oh Lord, give me strength! Like father, like daughter! I send the one to fetch the other and you're both hiding here!" Mom complained, her hands on her hips. 

"Sorry," we both uttered in unison, looking absolutely apologetic. Mom sighed deeply before resuming her command. Honestly, do not mess with this tiny woman when she's angered. She wasn't just a queen, she was a freaking general. 

"Ryo, go check on the drinks and make sure the wine is breathing," she instructed firmly, raising an eyebrow when Dad saluted her. 

"Jae, make sure the table is properly set and get ready to receive the guests. They should be arriving soon. Did you tell your date what time to be here?"

I immediately nodded, checking the clock. 

"Good! Now, this shouldn't be all too hard. Let's make a good impression, everyone. Jae, straighten up, don't slouch, I'll not have my gorgeous daughter standing like a hunchback with a limp," she continued her drilling before turning to my father, who was still standing at attention. "And you, tell me I look amazing," she demanded, making me bite my lip to hold back laughter. 

"Ma'am! 'Amazing' wouldn't do you justice, ma'am!" Dad shouted like a proper, obedient soldier before Mom's harsh expression melted away and my room was filled with warmth and chuckling. We've all been tense and this managed to lighten the mood just a little, until my mom told me to go downstairs to check on the settings. I nodded and left my parents be, hurrying downstairs. 

I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't a bundle of nerves right now. I had to remind myself that nothing bad could happen with so many witnesses around and that there is still a possibility that this Kumiho woman had no idea who I was - other than the daughter of her boss. Nothing bad could happen. Nothing bad  _should_  happen. It sucked knowing that I don't have much control over that- well, not  _really_. 

I told my so-called date to be here about five minutes before six and it was almost time. I carefully looked out the window for movements, thinking to the plan the boys came up with last night. I bit my lip nervously when I saw vague movements in the woods. Only a few moments later, I watched a swirl of black mist twirl in the air before dissipating. Kai's face appeared, watching me. He smoothed over his hair, his red eyes gleaming at me, before he gave the slightest of nods. More silhouettes appeared behind him, shape shifting from man to wolf in a blink of an eye.

I caught sight of a wolf with doe-eyes, watching me attentively. When I nodded, Luhan's voice sounded in my mind. 

_No worries, Jae. We're here. If that woman so much as thinks of making a move, we'll make sure to prevent it._

_Right,_ I replied.  _And how, exactly? You guys are out there, we're inside._ I smiled in amusement when it was silent for a moment.  _I'm kidding. Thank you. I just hope we won't need anyone to prevent things from happening, you know?_

_We're not expecting something bad to happen. It's just better to be safe than sorry. Besides, remember who you'll have in there with you._

_Yeah, about that,_ I caught Kai leaning from behind a tree, looking around.  _Between you and me, are we sure about this arrangement?_ I fidgeted with my fingers. 

Luhan's laugh rang like a clear bell.  _I'd be there with you instead in a heartbeat, but fate has decided,_ he sounded dramatically and I rolled my eyes at the young wolf. 

_I wouldn't exactly call a game of rock, paper, scissors the equivalent of fate, Luhan._

_It is what it is, Jae,_ Luhan smirked. _It's almost time. Keep the channel open, okay? He'll be there in a minute._

_Okay. You guys be careful,_ I told him and he gave a slight bow before he disappeared into the woods. Kai gave me another nod after the others had taken their positions and was gone in a cloud of smoke. 

"Whew," I breathed, walking towards the door to check on my appearance. It was silly to do so considering all the more important stuff I should worry about, but I couldn't help it. I had to keep up appearances for one thing, and I -  _we_  - had to make everyone else believe that this was an actual date, so I had to take everything seriously as of now. There was no need to be nervous, that would just make the whole ordeal worse. I nodded to myself, calming myself down. Besides, Luhan was right. Of all the people that I could've asked for the dinner, I eventually ended up with the one whom I thought was rational, composed, and kept a level head. 

The doorbell rang, and my heart nearly jumped out of my chest. 

"Jae! Can you get that, sweetie?" Mom ran down the stairs and hurried over to the kitchen, Dad trailing not too far behind her. 

I hoped that Dad's co-worker didn't decide to show up early, but I wasn't necessarily relieved once I opened the door. 

"J-Jae! Uh, hi!" 

I flinched a little when I saw a well-dressed Suho, fumbling with a bouquet of roses and looking - well, kind of not like himself. He trembled a bit and his smile was genuine but nervous.

"Um, ah! T-these are for you," he extended the bouquet towards me, but I was still trying to process who I was staring at here. 

I woke up from the daze when I heard my father asking me who was at the door and I jumped into action. I pushed Suho back and joined him on the front porch, closing the door behind me so my parents couldn't hear us. 

"Okay, let's get something straight. You do _not_ get to be nervous, you hear me? You're supposed to be the leader, right? What happened to the cool, composed Suho that didn't let me rattle him when I first got here?" I asked him, though my little tirade probably didn't help much. Suho looked lost as he stared at me, and I just now noticed that he was holding the bouquet nervously in one hand, while the other was clinging onto an expensive bottle of wine. I could tell from the bottle that his hands were clammy. "And, why did you comb your hair into a middle part?" I asked, biting my lip so I wouldn't chuckle. 

"What? Is it too much?" Suho immediately asked, putting down the bottle to touch his hair. "I've been a nervous wreck all day. I still couldn't believe I won from Kai, and I know that there's a lot riding on this dinner, I mean- I have to keep you safe, first of all, and we have to keep a close watch on this woman that's coming, and then we have to have dinner and I have to make an impression so I went to buy you roses and my father told me to bring a bottle of wine for your parents, and then my hair was a mess, and-,"

Words streamed from Suho's mouth like a waterfall and the only thing I could think of doing at that moment was to place my hand over his mouth to shut him up. His eyes widened and the soft muffled sounds eventually quieted down. I gave him a small, reassuring smile until I saw him visibly relax, taking a deep breath to calm himself down. 

"Better?" I asked, removing my hand from his smiling lips as he looked at me. 

"Much," he said quietly, blushing a little. "Sorry, I'm a little nervous," he tried coolly but this had me laughing. 

"Really? I had no idea," I replied and Suho chuckled sheepishly. 

"Let's take things one step at a time, okay? Just like you said, leader," I nudged him. "You're here to morally support me, remember? I need to know that I can count on you," I told him with just a tinge of reluctance, considering that Suho and I didn't necessarily get along that well just as much as I could with other members. But, the statement seemed to bring him back to his senses and he straightened up. 

"You're right. I got this, Jae," he nodded, a lot more confident now. He looked behind him where Kai was peering at us in wolf-mode. Suho directed himself to me. "Kris is in command out there, but I trusted Kai to scout the area. He has the best instincts so if there is anything remotely wrong, he'll let us know," he whispered conspiringly. I nodded, but there was a part of me that just couldn't take him seriously. Not with that haircut looking as though it was bringing hommage to the story of the Red Sea being gloriously parted, smack in the middle.  

I licked my lips, focusing my attention on something else. "So, roses, huh?" I gestured, unable to hide my sadistic side when I saw Suho's cheeks turn a brighter shade of red. "Why do you think you have to make an impression, anyways?" I continued. 

Suho seemed lost for a moment, and it looked like he was going to have another panic attack, but then he calmed down and a gentle smile appeared on his face. "Because, Jae," he started, handing me the roses. "I'm your date," he answered proudly, and dang it, my face betrayed me when I flushed, mumbling a 'thank you' as I accepted the bouquet. He looked like such a goofball with that childlike, excited smile of his and ridiculous hairdo. I shook my head. 

"Come here, I can't have you looking like that all night," I told him and Suho confusedly, but compliantly, leaned forward, bending down a bit so I could restyle his hair. I tried not to notice that he was staring at my face and focused hard on his hair. I combed my fingers through the thick locks, getting rid of that middle parting and styled it wolf-style. "There. Much better. It's better if you put your hair up like this, you look handsome that way," I nodded, taking a step back to appraise him. It was then that I winced when I looked at his neck. "And please lose the grandpa-bowtie," I chuckled when Suho's fingers moved quickly to remove it. 

"How's this?" he asked and I stuck up my thumb. 

Only Suho would think of wearing a bowtie with a blue blouse and dark grey waistcoat. At least now he looked his age, and not that of his grandfather. He picked up the bottle of wine and nodded at me. "Ready?"

"Yep, I think so," I confirmed. 

"Oh wait," Suho called when I moved to open the door. 

"What is it?" 

He scratched his cheek and briefly pointed at me. "You look beautiful," he mumbled shyly and I looked down at my dress, tucking a lock of my hair behind my ear. 

"Thanks." We exchanged glances until I heard the faint sound of someone growling in my mind and we both turned our heads to the same direction. "We should probably head inside," I said, pointing at the door.

"Yeah, lead the way," Suho agreed and we walked in. It was strange having Suho over. I was so used to this house being filled with the presence of my parents and myself, that it seemed like that energy shifted as soon as Suho entered the door. 

"Hey, I'm the first one to get to see your house, right?" he asked quietly while we were still alone and standing in the foyer. 

"Eh, yeah. Why?" 

Suho smiled brightly. "No reason," he dismissed, looking around. "It's nice here. Pleasant." 

"Ha, wait till you meet my mom. I should probably warn you that she's a bit on edge because that woman is going to come soon, bringing a date as well. And Dad- well, you've met him," I trailed off. Suho put his hand on my shoulder. 

"None of us bear ill will towards your father, Jae," he said quietly, his voice a whisper. 

"I know, and you're awesome for that, but, he's not looking forward to this dinner either. He doesn't like the woman my mom invited so I'm apologizing in advance for any tension, awkwardness or random embarrassing parental stuff," I warned and he pondered my words, counting his fingers as though he was memorizing what I just said. 

"Right, got it," he said seriously. "What time will that woman be arriving?" 

"Soon, I think," I answered quickly since I caught the silhouette of my father from the corner of my eye and turned towards him just in time to greet him. 

"Aha! Here you are, I was worried that you'd bail with your date," Dad smirked at first before he eyed Suho, who was standing stiff with tension under my father's gaze. "You are not the dimpled fellow," he mused and I facepalmed myself. 

Suho cleared his throat and chuckled, standing perfectly straight when he extended his hand. "My name is Kim Suho, sir. I'm in the same year as Jae. It's nice to meet you." 

I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't impressed at how smoothly he just introduced himself. I stole a glance his way, no sign of any nervousness whatsoever. 

_See? Suho works best under pressure,_ Luhan's voice suddenly sounded. 

_I sure hope so,_ I replied without raising any suspicion while watching my father welcome Suho in a friendly, though intimidating manner.  _Also, don't scare me like that, Luhan! No eavesdropping, unless Suho or me give you permission._ I told him and he chuckled. 

_Yes, my lady._

"You're kidding! You're Yong Ha-nim's son? I've had the pleasure of meeting him once. He's a prominent businessman on the island, isn't he?" Dad asked a delighted Suho and I blinked.  _They- they're getting along?_

"So Joonmyeon must be your older brother then? He mentioned having two sons."

"Actually, Joonmyeon is my name, but I go by Suho, sir," he explained. "My older brother is Joonki." 

"Aha, I see," Dad mused, before looking at me. "Heh, he's not so bad," he told me teasingly, turning an oblique eye towards Suho. "But the night is young," he added ominously, causing me to roll my eyes. 

"Don't pay my father any attention, he's mentally five," I said to keep the mood up, Suho chuckling. 

"Excuse you, I'm mentally eight, in the least," Dad continued, winking at Suho. "Don't hold it against me though."

"Wouldn't dream of it, sir," Suho answered, still smiling. 

"Good man. Come on inside, meet the missus." Dad took the lead, the two of us trailing behind. 

"Congratulations, you cleared stage one," I told Suho, who beamed with pride. "Now get ready for stage two." 

I winced at seeing my mom walk into the room, giving a delighted gasp when she saw Suho. "Oh my goodness, you're new! And handsome! Hello!" Mom sang shaking Suho's hand in enthusiasm while winking at me. "I'm Yoona Miyano, Jae's mother." 

"Lovely to meet you, ma'am. I'm Suho," he introduced politely, seemingly unfazed by my mother's hyperactiveness. "I see now where Jae gets her beauty from," he complimented with ease, though all I could think of was whether he wanted some fries with that cheese. My mother, on the other hand, was squealing happily. 

"Oh? And what am I? Stir-fried kimchi?" Dad interjected on purpose to see the look of panic on Suho's face. 

"Not at all, sir. I'm only saying that Mrs. Miyano is slightly more beautiful than you, I'm sure you agree."

If I wasn't still holding onto the bouquet of roses, I think I would've genuinely applauded Suho's wit right on the spot. Especially when it made both my parents laugh. He was charming and wrapping them around his finger. This was the Suho everyone else on the island knew about, but whom I did not have the pleasure of meeting yet. 

"I see you brought Jae a beautiful bouquet of flowers, how gentlemanly of you," Mom then piped up. "And Ryo said you even brought wine for us! So considerate! I think you've a keeper here, Jae," she teased, grabbing the roses from my hand. "I'll go put these in a vase, why don't you two get comfortable on the couch, dinner will be ready when the other guests arrive. Can I get you something to drink, Suho?" 

"Some water will be just fine, ma'am," he answered. Mom nodded, mouthing her lips at me before she left; _good job, he's hot!_ I only sighed softly. 

"Water?" I turned to him when we were alone in the living room. 

He shrugged. "Just in case," he whispered conspiringly, looking out the window. 

"Something up?" I asked, immediately standing by on alert. I startled at seeing Kai, his dark fur spiking up, red eyes aglow in the growing darkness of the forest. 

"Can you smell that?" Suho asked, taking a deep breath before cringing his nose. 

"Burned wood?" I guessed, my muscles tensing up. Suho must've sensed it and carefully placed his hand subtly over mine. 

_Guys, she's here,_ Luhan nearly growled.  _She's with someone, but I can't see who it is. Anyone have a visual? Kai?_

_Nope. Sehun?_

I felt like I had a walkietalkie embedded in my head and I was playing war with the neighborhood boys. Except this wasn't pretend. They really saw her as a dangerous threat and treated all of this with utmost care and seriousness. 

_He has a familiar smell,_ Sehun noted. 

_Guys..._  D.O. started as Suho and I looked at each other. 

_What is it, D.O.?_ Suho pressed. I could almost hear D.O. gulping. 

_No way,_ he said.  _Guys, you're not going to believe-!_

"Uwah!" I startled when the doorbell rang, my hand on my chest. 

"Jae, baby, could you get the door?" Dad called from the kitchen, while I was staring at Suho, eyes wide. 

"Yeah, I'll get it!" I called back, but every fibre of my body refused to move. 

"Calm down, I'm here, Jae," Suho told me reassuringly. "And the others are right outside. Stick to the plan, right?" 

I nodded, fidgeted with my fingers again, tugging a bit on the dress and feeling uncomfortable in it. "Okay, um..." I took a deep breath. "Come with me?" I asked, resenting how vulnerable my voice sounded, but I could not smile and pretend like nothing was going on by myself. 

Suho extended his hand and I gratefully took it. "I'm right here." 

We walked together into the foyer and it was extremely comforting to have Suho stand behind me. It gave me some courage to just open the freaking door. 

_Alright. Here we go..._

"Good evening," a silken voice sounded that nearly made my skin ripple with goosebumps. "Oh my, you must be Jae! The picture on your father's desk doesn't do you any justice, darling. You're so beautiful!" the woman stated in a tone as though we were long lost friends meeting at a reunion and this had me on edge the entire time. I don't know if I can handle the stress and pressure, especially when I felt my entire body freeze up when she shook my limp hand and gave me a kiss on each cheek as a greeting. 

Her hazel green eyes then directed themselves towards Suho, whose smile was not nearly as warm as it had been when he was speaking to my parents. "And who is this? Your boyfriend?" she beamed, extending a perfectly slender, manicured hand towards him. 

"My date, Suho," I answered as Suho shook hands with her, sensing the growing tension in the air. 

"Wonderful to meet you both," she purred and I noticed the thick, black fur coat she was wearing. It reached her waist only, revealing her long legs and short pencil dress. 

"Did you come alone, Miss...?" I asked, playing my part. 

"Kumiho," she finished, her ruby lips shining a smile my way. "And I see my date is still trailing behind. He's such a straggler," she said. "You can close the door, darling, he'll ring the doorbell once he gets here," she told me and I complied. Just as I was about to close the door, a hand stopped it and pushed it back open. 

"Whoops, don't forget about me now," a deep voice chuckled lightheartedly and I blinked in bewilderment, my eyes wide. "Whew, glad I'm on time. Sorry, about that, I realized I forgot to lock my car so I went back and then of course, it turned out it was locked all along so, yeah," he chatted as I was still staring at him, mouth agape. I wasn't looking at Suho, but I'm pretty sure he had a similar expression on his face. 

"Wow, can you believe the weather outside, by the way? Talk about chilly- which is weird since the island never gets this cold, you can even tell by the flora and fauna that they're all confused," he continued, still wiping his shoes on the doormat, unaware that we were staring at him. Miss Kumiho, however noticed. 

"Don't mind him and his gibberish, he's a part-time school teacher, tends to blab," the woman whispered into my ear as though she was sharing a secret with her girlfriend. 

"Mister...Tabi?" 

It was Suho that found his voice before I did and this finally got the man's attention. His eyes went wide when he saw us before he broke out a broad smile of surprise. 

"Suho? And Jae! Well, this is a pleasant surprise," he chuckled in that low-timbre voice of his, closing the door and shaking our hands cheerfully. "Or not," he continued  with a grin when neither of us really reacted. 

"Jae, is everything alright?" 

Dad was my bell and he just saved the day when he entered the foyer. The adults' attention went to each other, giving Suho and me the time to process what just happened. 

_Mr. Tabi?!_ I squealed in my mind.  _How does he even know that woman?_

_Oh man, great. So, what the hell is going on now? Mr. Tabi's girlfriend wants to kill Jae?_ Kris grumbled in annoyance. 

_What even is this situation?_ Baekhyun added in confusion. 

_Now I'm sure I've seen this in a Korean drama before..._  Lay murmured quietly in the background. 

_Everyone relax. This is nothing to worry about. Mr. Tabi most likely doesn't know what's going on, my guess is that this woman is putting up a front for him too. You know how he has a weakness for beautiful women,_ Suho tried to reason, but I didn't feel at ease at all.  _Let's just see where this is going. Let's save panicking for when we actually have to panic._

Suho held my hand when we walked back to the living room, almost as if he could sense that I was a flight risk and would rather run away right now. None of this felt right to me. Everything was out of wonk. I squeezed into Suho's hand when I felt a throbbing pain in my chest.  _Oh man, not now..._  

_Jae? What's wrong?_ Suho asked, trying not to draw too much attention. 

_That energy,_ I winced trying to mask the pain.  _Can you sense it, too?_

_It's her, isn't it?_ Suho said, hissing.  _I won't let her near you, don't worry. We'll figure this out._

I nodded, feeling one of my infamous and oh-so-convenient panic attacks coming up. This is going just great! It's going to be a long night... 


	59. ~ Mayday!! ~

***

"The world is such a small place, isn't it? Who would've thought that you taught Jae and Suho Biology, Mr. Tabi?" Mom said, making pleasant conversation during dinner. She sat at one end of the table, with Dad sitting at the head, of course. I sat next to Suho, with Mr. Tabi opposite of me and Miss Kumiho opposite of Suho. I did not envy him, but he was handling everything quite well. That is to say, a whole lot better than me. 

I had hardly spoken a word since Miss Kumiho and Mr. Tabi came, and at this point it seemed more believable that Suho was the son of the house and I the visiting date. He made it look so easy to be sociable, the way he carried on making small talk and keeping a charming smile on his face, even when interacting with that creepy woman. On the surface there was no reason to dislike her. She was well-mannered and graceful, witty and pretty to look at. I suppose I could understand why Mr. Tabi would want to date her, though something told me that the man seemed rather uncomfortable himself. 

"I'm still thinking about how I didn't know you were my daughter's teacher, Seunghyun. We've been working with each other for a while now," Dad mused. 

"Wow, you work at E.T. Corp, Mr. Tabi?" Suho asked before I could. 

The handsome teacher lifted his shoulders humbly. "Well, I did say I only teach part-time, right?" he answered amicably. "And my apologies, Boss, I should have known beforehand. I had my suspicions that you were Jae's father, but I hadn't been able to inquire due to our- uh, little project - that we've been working on." 

Suho and I exchanged glances, my father nodding in understanding at Mr. Tabi. 

"Oh, and what little project is that, Mr. Tabi?" Mom asked, sipping from her wine. The biology teacher widened his almond-shaped eyes, glancing over at my father, his employer, while I was still trying to adjust to the awkward situation - but I failed. This was a level of awkwardness too high for even me to get used to, so I just listened to the adults having their conversation, playing around with my food and absently eating it. 

"Nothing important, sweetheart, company business," Dad dismissed, and Miss Kumiho suddenly let out a throaty laugh. 

"Men and their secrets," she purred conspiringly at my mother. "Always trying to maintain some mystery to keep us intrigued," she commented with a sweet smile on her face, but Mom was smart. She didn't fall for it, and neither did I, for that matter. In fact, Miss Kumiho spoke suggestively, as if she purposely tried to make my Mom feel uncomfortable. 

"Yep, that's my dad, International Man of Mystery," I blurted, unable to tone down on my sarcasm. 

"Wow, like James Bond!" Suho added jokingly, and thank God for him doing so. 

"Well, maybe more Austin Powers or Johnny English than 007," I quipped and this actually got the adults laughing. 

"Hey, watch it, young lady," Dad remarked playfully, winking at me. 

"I see Jae-sshi has her father's wit and mother's beauty. A wonderful combination. Suho-sshi must feel very lucky," Miss Kumiho raised her glass at us and she winked at me as she took a sip, but under her gaze, I felt sick. Literally. I was smiling, but I wasn't feeling well at all. 

"Yes, about that, it's good to see the two of you get along. I hope Suho is helping you feel welcomed, Jae," Mr. Tabi noted, putting the attention to us. 

"Oh, uh, yeah. I mean, everyone's been really nice so far," I said, carefully not mentioning that I've been hanging out more frequently with the other eleven guys that make up the Majestic Twelve. 

"That's good to hear," he said, nodding. 

"Jae had a bit of a difficult first day at the new school," Mom suddenly stated, that playful look in her eyes again. "But it's nice to see she's making friends," that last part was directed at Suho, who blushed furiously. If only my parents knew what part he played in making things difficult for me the first few days, they probably wouldn't misinterpret his embarrassed behavior for shyness.

"Better take good care, Suho. You know it's difficult to catch a Common Jae," Mr. Tabi quipped, making the boy chuckle nervously.

"Oh?" Dad chimed in, tenting his fingers. "What is that supposed to mean, Seunghyun?" he asked authoritatively, startling the young teacher.

"Ah, n-nothing, Boss! A Common Jay is a butterfly, difficult to catch. Actually, Jae helped me catch one, her first day at school," he rambled, and I suppressed a chuckle. 

"Aha, I see," Dad mused, obviously to tease the poor guy but we still smirked when Mr. Tabi pulled a face of relief when he was let off the hook. 

"Don't pay my husband any attention, Mr. Tabi, he's mentally five," Mom commented. 

"Eight, actually, ma'am," Suho responded automatically, making her chuckle.  

"Heh, impressive," Dad mumbled, smirking at him. Mom got up from her seat then, off to play hostess.

"Would you like some more wine?" she asked Mr. Tabi and Miss Kumiho.

"Yes, please," Mr. Tabi replied.

"I'll go get some more," Mom collected his glass and blinked when Miss Kumiho rose to her feet as well.

"I'll help you, Mrs. Miyano," she offered sweetly. "Wine for the young lady and gentle sir?" she teased oh-so-pleasantly, but my toes curled and I forced myself to keep it together. It was not helping that I felt like I was going to throw up any second now. What is up with me feeling like this all of a sudden? I felt like I was being seriously betrayed by my body, failing me the moment I needed it to keep things composed the most.

"Just water for me, ma'am," Suho replied politely.

"Same for me, please," I answered a little shakingly. I noticed that Mom had noticed, but she didn't say anything about it. Instead, she just shot me a concerned look for a moment. 

"Coming right up," Miss Kumiho said, helping Mom picking up the empty glasses. 

"You're very considerate, Miss Kumiho," Mom said, as they both chatted on their way to the kitchen. When they were gone, I was left with the men, but it felt considerably less awkward. I felt like I could breathe for the first time since dinner started. 

It was quiet for a moment before Dad started talking to Mr. Tabi and I concentrated on my food again, still feeling a bit woozy and a headache coming up. Was Miss Kumiho doing this to me? Or was this some effect she had because I knew who she was? She couldn't be doing this to me consciously, unless she knew who I was as well, but so far, there seemed to be no indication that she knew. Maybe it was just the stress building up in my head, causing my body to respond. I've had those weird panic attacks before, just not this visceral...

_Are you okay, Jae? Keep breathing, huh, you're doing fine,_ Suho said softly, so not to startle me, but I still jumped a little. 

_I'm fine,_ I lied, biting my lip. _Does Luhan know something more about that woman? Can he read her thoughts?_ I wanted this dinner to be over as soon as we got what we needed from her. How could a woman like her be the energy the boys have been hunting since forever? Was  _she_  the energy, or did she carry it with her, somehow?

_Luhan can't hear anything that's remotely suspicious,_ Luhan suddenly sounded, speaking in the third person, and I flushed involuntarily.  _Her thoughts are mostly concerned about making a good impression on your mother, actually. But, I don't like it... It almost feels as though her thoughts are layered, somehow._

_What, like an onion?_ I mused a little skeptically. 

_If so, it's one hell of a stinky, rotten one,_ Luhan quipped.  _Either way, you two should be focusing on the conversation between Mr. Miyano and Mr. Tabi. It seems like our favorite teacher isn't fond of Miss Kumiho either._

Neither of us needed to be told twice. I suddenly saw an apologetic and frantic Mr. Tabi, conspiring with my father and saying something about him trusting in me and Suho to be discrete. 

"I'm actually not so sure what happened, sir. One moment I was going home from work at the school to pick up some stuff and head over to the lab, then Miss Kumiho appeared when I wanted to start the nightshift, pushed this outfit in my hands, told me to change and drive her to your address. She seemed nervous and a little helpless, so I couldn't even get it over my chest to refuse- even if she had given me the chance to do so," Mr. Tabi chuckled and I felt a little relieved. I liked him a lot as a teacher, so to associate him with a woman that gives me the creeps was weird. One thing was for sure though, if a pleasant, easy-going guy like Mr. Tabi had his doubts about Miss Kumiho, the woman had to mean bad news. _Right?_

"It's no problem, Seunghyun, no need to fuss. Relax, all is going well so far," Dad answered, but something told me he was holding back, as though he reminded himself that Suho and I were present as well. My dad really did not like this woman, which was enough reason for me to be wary of her. Then, thinking about my mother being alone with Miss Kumiho in the kitchen, I tried to focus, using my enhanced wolf abilities to listen in on their conversation, just to make sure that everything was alright. Suho knew what I was doing and casually started asking the two scientists whether there had been any recent interesting developments in the scientific world. I'd nearly forgotten that Suho himself was somewhat of a science nerd, so the three of them had something in common. 

_"You have such a lovely home and family, Mrs. Miyano. Your daughter is a beautiful young lady. I can't imagine how much you must care and worry for her. I bet she has a lot of boys chasing after her,"_ Miss Kumiho said in a breathy voice, my mother laughing at her statements. 

_"Thank you, Miss Kumiho. Jae would probably laugh as well if she heard you say that. She doesn't seem to be very interested in finding a boyfriend right now, but I love teasing her about it. I was actually quite thrilled that she took me seriously when I told her to bring a date,"_ she confided and I nearly slammed the table in indignation. I mean, seriously,  _whoat?!_  Man, if I survive this dinner, I'm gonna need to punish my mother. 

This Kumiho woman, though, talk about over the top. She was a little bit too much in exaggerating her compliments towards me. It was making me even more uncomfortable because it didn't seem very sincere. What was it about this woman? Who was she? 

I tried to listen in on their conversation some more, but got distracted by Mr. Tabi's low voice. "I actually don't know Miss Kumiho very well. She's not the type to talk much about herself either," he said, but that statement didn't surprise me much. What did surprise me, was Luhan, suddenly giving a short hum in my mind.

_What is it, Lu-hyung?_ Suho asked, being faster to respond than me again. 

_Hm? Oh, it's nothing. Probably nothing,_ he answered quickly.  _Jae, are you feeling alright? You seem a bit unsteady,_ he then noted and Suho watched me. I started to shuffle with my feet. 

_I'm fine,_ I lied again,  _I just feel a little-,_

_"Tell me about your daughter, Miss Miyano, she seems like such a bright child."_

Wait. What? Why did I hear Miss Kumiho's voice? I hadn't consciously listened for her... 

_Luhan?_ I tried again, _Can you hear me? Suho? Guys, there's something wro-_

I flinched when it went white before my eyes for just a second, as if lightning flashed right in front of my nose, but no thunder sounded after that. I heard my father guffawing with Mr. Tabi, but the volume was so loud I nearly wanted to cover my ears. 

_"Such a bright, and special child..."_

Miss Kumiho's voice echoed in my head, along with what seemed like a hundred- no thousand more. I balled my fist under the table, but I couldn't move anything else. In between the rapid flashing of white light, I saw images. Images I couldn't explain. A shadow slithering over a green field, that whithered once the shadow passed by. A crystal lake turning muddy and dirty, fish floating up, dead and rotten. I heard the cries of people as well, wailing frantically for help. But for what? From what? And then, after a series of images that resembled the freaking apocalypse, the pain came. It shot up slowly, like poison being injected torturously slow through a needle, digging into my skin like the bite of a snake. I couldn't fight it off. I didn't even know where it came from. All I knew was that I wasn't in the dining room in my house anymore. I was lying in a patch of green and gold, a peaceful meadow amongst chaos and destruction. Tears fell from my eyes as I looked at the blood red sky, holding something close to my chest, but it was causing me more pain. However, nothing hurt more then slowly seeing twelve stars shiver and flicker in that sky, and seeing them fall again. They plummeted mercilessly in a cocoon of fire, leaving my sight forever. 

I lay motionless on the ground, only moving my head to the side upon seeing that shadow, slithering towards me, covering the earth in darkness. I didn't know why, but I felt like I didn't have much time left and the feeling was suffocating me. I threw the object in my hand away, as far as I could. All my strength left me when the shadow approached, a dark hand reaching out to tell me that it was over. I lost. 

"Ah!" I gasped, jumping a bit in my seat, only to find that I was back home, sitting at the table with a bunch of adults looking strangely at me for having interrupted the conversation. My eyes were undoubtedly wild from panic and I feverishly wished I could redo the last couple of seconds. As I looked over to Suho, I recognized a glint of the same panic in his eyes as well, but he was obviously more composed than I was.  _Crap. Did they notice? Was I spazzing out at the freaking dinner table?! What even happened just now?!_

"Whoa," I startled again when I turned to mumble an apology to my father, only to see that Miss Kumiho was standing between us, as she was ready to place my glass of water by my side. 

"Honey, is there something wrong?" Dad asked, looking concerned. "I think you just spaced out there. Dinner  _that_  boring to you?" he attempted to joke, but the concern in his eyes was real. I swallowed, trying gather my wits. It doesn't look like they noticed anything. 

"I'm okay," I said quietly, trying to recover. 

"Are you sure about that?" Miss Kumiho asked, putting the glass down as she inspected me. "You don't look very well, darling," she said.

"Are you sick, sweetheart? Do you need anything?" Mom chimed in, and I could tell she didn't like Miss Kumiho standing so close to me, which I agreed with, but I couldn't very well ask the woman to go back to her seat and mind her business, now could I?

I shook my head, still feeling woozy. "I'm okay," I repeated with a weak smile. 

"I'm not an expert, of course, but perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad idea to lie down for a while?" Miss Kumiho then suggested and I nearly winced and shrieked when she put her hand on my shoulder. "Wouldn't want you to get sick," she added, but there was something in her tone that I didn't like. Especially when it felt as though her hand was burning my skin underneath my clothing. Her touch literally hurt me, like I was being branded by acid! Did this woman even know what she was doing to me? Was she doing this on purpose? 

Biting through the pain, I forced myself to look directly at her, but saw to my dismay that her eyes weren't glowing. She wasn't doing this? She's not doing this on purpose?  _Then why touch me for this long?_

I found the strength to casually move away from her, though the touch still burned, and my vision suddenly got a little blurred. I inhaled for breath, doing my best to keep up appearances, though I noticed that Suho had gotten tense for some time now as well. I needed to get out of here. 

"I, uh- think that wouldn't be bad," why was talking suddenly so difficult? I was out of breath.  _What did she do to me?_

"I'm sorry, I think I'd like to go to my room for a moment," I then said, getting ready to be excused. "I suddenly don't feel so good," I added redundantly. The adults had no problem with this. Mom urged me on, while Mr. Tabi amicably told me to take care of myself. 

"Suho, would you mind accompanying Jae? She looks a bit unbalanced, I don't want her to hurt herself while going up the stairs," Mom then asked, winking at him so he wouldn't be left alone with the adults. Suho nodded understandingly and he immediately obliged. 

"Of course, Mrs. Miyano. Here, you can lean on me, Jae," he offered his arm and I took it. I felt a light sense of relief through the pain and sickness when we excused ourselves and finally walked out of there. 

Suho and I didn't speak until we were on the second floor and standing in front of my bedroom door. I leaned against it for a moment, while Suho watched me in concern. 

"You're really not feeling right," he stated, rather than asked, though he sounded a bit breathless as well. I felt a cold sweat coming up and I opened the door. 

"What gave it away, Sherlock?" I piped up, gesturing a bit soullessly at my room. "Help me get inside for a moment. I feel like the room sprouted a pair of legs and is running around me to taunt me." 

"Oh. Oh! Ah- um, yes. Yes... Uh, is that okay?" Suho suddenly asked, looking shy. 

I propped up an eyebrow at him. "Really? You're making a fuss over taking me to my own bedroom?" 

"Well, it's not that, Jae, I mean, it _is_  that, but, all I'm saying is-, a-a-am I allowed to?" 

I rolled my eyes - which was a really bad decision on my part as the spinning became worse - but still thought that his hesitation was a teensy bit adorable. Annoying. But, adorable. 

"Suho, my mom wouldn't have asked you to help me get into my room if she thought it wasn't allowed," I replied. "Now get over here and help me get to my bed so I can sit down," I ordered him and he finally complied. Suho got me to my bed and I immediately dropped myself on it, trying to steady my breathing and to control whatever panic attack this was. Or, was I having a weird seizure of some kind? Should I call the ambulance? 

"What happened back there?" Suho asked, standing near the door, as though he was still a bit afraid of having to explore the world of girl's bedrooms for the first time. 

"Close the door first, just in case," I instructed, hissing though my teeth when I made the mistake to touch the shoulder that woman had touched. 

"O-oh-kay," he closed the door and leaned against it, refusing to step further inside. Well, I'll hand that much to him, Suho was a gentleman. 

"I was trying to eavesdrop on Miss Kumiho and my mom." I started to explain, taking deep breaths. "But then this sharp pain came out of nowhere and nothing made sense anymore. I tried calling for you and Luhan, but none of you seemed to have heard me," I brushed the hair from my face, and rose again to open my window, letting in some fresh air. The dizziness was lessening, but my shoulder hurt like hell.  

"I blanked out," I continued, an uneasy feeling pounding against my chest. "You probably won't believe me," I murmured quietly, finally seeing Suho move towards me. He knelt before me when I sat back down on the bed, holding my shoulder and squinting my eyes to fight off a massive headache. 

"Try me," he said gently. 

Suho's eyes were warm and bore no judgement in them. He waited patiently for me to answer him, even though I was still processing everything. I felt like crying, I was inexplicably sad just thinking about what I saw. But then the nausea and the pain kicked right back in and I gasped to catch my breath. I grabbed my stomach and toppled over. 

"Jae!" Suho called, carefully touching my shoulder to support me, but that wasn't helping either. 

"Ah, don't, please!" I warned, Suho immediately retracting his hand. 

"What is it?" he asked. 

"It hurts," I told him, sighing in exasperation. "Everything hurts," I mumbled a little angrily and then moved to show him my shoulder. "I don't know what happened, but when she touched me, it felt like I was being burned by acid. Do you think she knows?" 

Suho's eyes widened and I saw now that the touch left an angry red mark on my skin, almost like an allergic reaction. "Oh my God, Jae!" he called out again. "How- she didn't even- I mean, we didn't even- ah!" he panicked again, not sure what to do. 

"Suho, calm down, it's okay. I didn't sense anything either, I mean, not really," I tried to ease him, but his eyes told me that he was on flip-mode. 

"Oh man, this is my fault! I'm so sorry, Jae," he apologized, but I shook my head. 

"Suho, this isn't your fault, it's that woman. Just calm down, I don't need the others to suddenly know and fuss over me, I'll be alright." I wasn't sure whether I could vouch for that, but there were more important matters to discuss right now. I did notice, however that Suho suddenly became quiet and pursed his lips guiltily together. 

"Suho?" I asked in suspicion and he flinched. My eyes widened. "You didn't!"

"Sorry, I panicked," he hadn't even properly finished the sentence or I saw a swivel of black smoke appear in my room. I jolted back when eleven boys suddenly appeared, looking dazed while waving the smoke away. 

"Jae-noona! Are you okay? Suho-hyung said you were hurt!" Sehun called out in concern. 

"Want me to deal with her, noona?" Tao asked boisterously, looking like he was seriously going to Kung Fu something into oblivion. 

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, everyone shut up!" I called out, as they started to voice their anger and worry. Feeling panicked myself, I bit through the pain and rose to my feet. "You guys cannot be here! This is my room! My parents are right downstairs! Kai, get everyone out!" I shooed, but of course they didn't listen, Kai least of all. 

"Dishing out orders again, noona?" he replied defiantly, not planning to move a muscle as he leaned against my desk. 

"Wah, you have a nice room, Jae-noona," Chen cooed as he looked around. I had a big room, but with the twelve of them being here, it felt very crowded. This wasn't happening. I can't take this anymore. 

"Shouldn't you be outside to keep an eye on things? My parents and Mr. Tabi are still with that woman, you know! I-," I grabbed my head and if the boys were having fun teasing me by coming into my room uninvited, they weren't now. 

"Lay," Luhan called over as he and Kris got me to my bed. Lay quickly touched my hands and it was like the pain was being sucked away. He was concentrating hard, but I didn't want him to push himself. He was still on the mend himself. 

"I feel better," I said, but Lay only smiled as though he could tell I was lying. 

"Just relax, Jae-yah, you had us startled. We'll take care of you like we promised," he said in a soothing voice and I felt my muscles relax under his touch. 

"What happened, Jae?" Luhan then asked. "We lost you there for a moment," he said, looking a bit pale himself. In fact, as I was slowly feeling better and more in control of myself, I noticed that all of them looked a bit flustered. Did something happen? 

_Gah, I'm getting so sick of this..._

"I saw something," shaking my head and hissing through my teeth when Lay touched my shoulder. He startled as well, but continued anyway. "It seems so incredible, but I could've sworn I saw images, or something? I told Suho how I tried to contact you, but you didn't hear me. It's insane, but I think I saw a-,"  _yeah, a what, exactly, Jae? Premonition? Vision?_

"Memory," Xiumin suddenly filled in, though he looked like he hadn't meant to say anything. He swallowed, looking out of place. "A memory?" he asked and I nodded. 

"How did you-,?"

"Me too," Xiumin never wasted time in using a lot of words to say what he wanted to, but even then whatever he said made impact. "When I couldn't hear anyone, I thought it had something to do with someone breaking the connection, but then I realized that wasn't the case. I saw what Jae had seen in her dreams, a world being destroyed by some kind of force. I was right in the middle of it, but things went so fast. Last thing I recall was-,"

"Fire," Chanyeol finished, looking spooked when Xiumin nodded. I felt breathless all over again when the silence fell, the brothers looking at each other, stunned. 

"Wait a minute. We all got a new memory at the same time?" Kris asked in disbelief, running a hand through his hair. 

"I thought I was the only one," Suho sank down to sit on the ground. "I never had any other memory then the one I told you about," he reminded us and I felt a shiver run down my spine. Lay was still quietly healing my shoulder, but his eyes were fixed on the others, tentatively following the conversation as well. 

"Were-," I mumbled and cleared my throat. "Were you all lying in some kind of meadow, as well?" I questioned. 

"I was in the forest, running from something," D.O. answered while directing himself towards Kai. "You were running ahead of me, pulling me forward," he said to his younger brother, whose eyes widened and he peeled away from my desk. 

"I couldn't teleport," Kai said in a whisper. "All I knew was to get to Suho-hyung," he replied. 

Lay may have been healing me, but I felt my stomach turning all over again. I placed a hand over my mouth as the boys continued telling what they saw, the moment I got my memory as well. 

"I was waiting," Suho nodded. "Near a tree, like the one in Jae's dream."

"I saw you," Luhan then said, "I was standing behind Suho with Lay. I was supposed to get something. Something important." 

I saw Lay nodding beside me, his hands still over my shoulder. "The energy, gege," he mused and I twitched when I felt my heart thump in my chest. 

"No, that wasn't it. Luhan-hyung showed it to me," Sehun then added, sitting comfortably next to Suho. "It was something silver, a weapon, I think?" 

"You wanted me to stop time so we could save it," Tao told Sehun. "But I was afraid my power couldn't reach that far with Kris-ge and Chanyeol-hyung so far away." 

"Yeah, we were in the sky together. It was so red," Kris nodded whilst looking at a bewildered Chanyeol, who grasped his hair in confusion. 

"Baekyhun was protecting us," Chen mumbled softly, looking on in concern at his brother. "Xiumin-hyung and I carried him away," he added breathlessly, no trace of his playful smile to be found when he saw that Xiumin was nodding. 

"Omo," Baekhyun breathed, sinking down on my deskchair. "My light went out."

"So, we all had different memories about the same event? How does that make sense?" Kris asked, sounding a bit frustrated. 

The boys started their speculations and discussions, but I zoned out again, letting the information sink in. Basically, all of us got a new memory at the same time, but none of them were feeling as ill as I was feeling... I don't understand any of this. What did this mean? What caused this? Was it Miss Kumiho? Did she secretly instigated something because she did know who I was after all? But why target the boys as well? She didn't know about them, did she? But, her eyes weren't glowing, there was nothing remotely magical or 'wolf-like' going on. 

I tensed up when something unsettling dawned on me. 

"You remember each other," my voice sounded frail and I think only Lay heard me. It had quieted down somewhat and I swallowed, my mouth dry. "You remember each other," I repeated when I had their attention. 

"Well, yeah, that's what we established, noona," Baekhyun stated matter-of-factly, but I felt like I was going crazy. 

"I was alone," I told them, the shock evident on their faces. "I didn't remember you, I didn't see you..." Why did I feel so darned sad about that? Seriously, I can get dramatic and I tend to overreact, but I was never one to be emotional, and still, this little piece of realization sunk in like a bomb had exploded in my heart, shattering it to bits. I was at the verge of tears because  _damn it,_ I didn't know what any of this meant! "Does this mean that I don't belong with you? I'm not one of you?" I held back a sob, feeling like a wreck. 

"No, of course not, noona!" Chen responded quickly. "I'm sure there has to be an explanation." 

"Yeah, you're one of us, Jae," D.O. said calmly and with so much confidence I really was inclined to believe him, but I wouldn't let relief wash over me that easily. 

"Then why don't I remember any of you? Why-," I paused when I felt my bottom lip quiver.  _God, get it together, Jae!_ "Why don't you remember me?" 

I wasn't expecting that they have an answer because they were just as lost I was, but still, at least they had each other to cling onto...

"What if..." the frightening thought had entered my mind before I could even stop it, and now it wouldn't leave. "What if I'm one of the bad guys, somehow? What if Miss Kumiho knows me because I'm like her?" I shook like a leaf, my eyes blurred with tears.  _God, I hate this!_ I hated feeling so panicked and out of control. I'd give anything to have things go back the way they were right now. It was like my worst nightmare, my worst fear was coming true.  _You never belonged anywhere, did you, Jae?_

The room was awfully silent. Lay had one hand on my injured shoulder, while the other was rubbing my back gently, wordlessly attempting to comfort me. 

"I'm sorry, Jae," Luhan broke the silence and sat in front of me, his sober look making want to cry right on the spot. "But, I think..." he started seriously before suddenly smiling at me, "that that is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard." Luhan gently wiped a stray tear from my cheek with his thumb. 

"She said that she was an old friend, the night Lay got shot," I continued, needing a bit more convincing. 

"Well, if she's the ghost wolf from before, then she said that to taunt you, noona. It doesn't mean you're evil," Sehun dismissed the notion. 

"Yeah. If you were bad, you think we wouldn't have done something about it?" Kai added a little sinisterly, but it got me to chuckle either way, especially when I saw him flash me a smirk. 

I sniffed and pulled myself together. "Then who is she? And what do these memories mean?"

"We can't tell who this woman is," Suho said. "But I suppose that these memories confirm that we are connected, somehow. I don't have all the answers, but this is a start. And just because we don't remember you and you don't remember us, doesn't mean that you're evil, or bad, Jae. It just means that we're not done searching yet," he said with a firm nod. The others nodded their heads while grinning encouragingly my way.

"It'll be alright, noona," Chanyeol sounded so sure of it, and I couldn't help but return the bright smile he shot my way. 

Feeling a little embarrassed, I calmed down. "Thank you," I said softly, avoiding eye contact. 

"So," Suho then breathed. "At least we know that there was something we were supposed to do, wherever we were," he then started to wonder, pacing around a bit. "You said something about waiting for something important, Luhan?" 

The teen in question nodded. "But I don't know for what." 

"That thing, hyung," Sehun then piped up. "Something silver. I know, because you showed it in my mind." 

"Did you get it in the end, Luhan?" Kris asked, but Luhan shook his head. 

"The last thing I remember was the same as Xiumin. Fire. Fire everywhere," he explained. 

"Not  _my_  fire, mind you," Chanyeol added quickly. "But it was surrounding us." 

"Do you remember what the silver thing looked like, Sehun?" Suho inquired, but the maknae gave an apologetic look. 

"I thought it was a weapon, but that could be anything," he said. "It was small, I think."

"Maybe it was a key?" Lay suggested, his hand still on my shoulder. He was taking surprisingly long to fix that, then again, he was still on the mend himself. "You know, something that could unlock all of this confusion," he prompted. 

"No, it was bigger than a key," Sehun answered. 

"What, like a gun?" Baekhyun guessed. 

"An axe?" Chen suggested. 

"A bazooka?" Tao suddenly exclaimed, getting skeptical glares from his brothers. "What? It's a weapon," he argued. 

"Not a silver one, you  _pabo_ ," Sehun retaliated. "And no, none of those." 

While they speculated over the item that Sehun saw and that Luhan deemed to be important, my mind drifted off as well. Why did it feel like the answer was on the tip of my tongue?

"Maybe it was a sword? Or a pair of mystical nunchucks, or something?" Kris then proffered, but Sehun still shook his head and I don't think I've ever seen him think this seriously before. 

"It wasn't that big, hyung," Sehun crunched his face and I could tell that he was trying hard to remember. "It was elegant, small. It could fit your hand...maybe a knife, of some sort? Or..." 

I gasped as something clicked in place. "A dagger?" I looked at Sehun in anticipation for his reaction and he didn't disappoint. 

"That's right, noona! I think it was a dagger. Why would something like that be important, though?" he then questioned, looking at his brothers. 

I felt a little queasy, but also a little excited because this piece of information might bring us closer to all the answers. While the boys were lost, I placed my hope in Sehun's memory. 

"Because E.T. Corp has it," I announced, seeing jaws drop around me. 

"Ehh? Say what, Jae?" Kris asked, dumbfounded. 

"A dagger. If Sehun saw a dagger in his memory, and if it's a dagger Luhan was supposed to wait for, then I think E.T. Corp has it. I remember my dad bringing it home one day, but he wasn't allowed to show us what it was. I caught a peek of it anyway and I couldn't understand what was so important about a dagger, but- what does it have to do with Miss Kumiho? What does it have to do with us?" 

"And something a little more important," Lay suddenly interrupted, looking out of sorts. 

"What could be more important at this moment, Lay?" D.O. asked in disbelief. 

He looked at me, biting his lip as if he was preventing himself from panicking. "I can't heal this," he pointed at my shoulder in desperation. I gazed at the wound and now that he mentioned it, I felt that the pain was eased somewhat, but it hadn't disappeared. Most of the redness was gone, but a light black scar of some sort was etched in the skin, thin black branches that followed the pattern of the veins underneath my skin. 

"What the hell?" I murmured, hissing as it stung when I touched it. 

"I don't get it," Lay said helplessly, staring at his hands. In that moment I saw a younger version of him again, looking so upset when he hadn't been able to heal his mother... I placed my hands in his so he'd look up to me. 

"You're still recovering yourself, Lay. Maybe you just ran out of energy. It's okay though, I don't feel sick anymore." Which was true. Other than the shoulder, I felt a whole lot better than moments before.  

"But...your shoulder, Jae-yah..."

"Don't worry about it, I think it'll go away on its own." Like I have any knowledge about that, but Lay didn't have to know that. I quickly smiled and then looked at the rest of the pack. "So, what happens now?"

Suho opened his mouth to answer, but was rudely interrupted by the sound of crashing thunder outside. Automatically, all heads turned to Chen, who scoffed in indignation, lifting his hands in the air. 

"Yah, that wasn't me!" he snapped, walking to the window to look outside. "Wow, I think we might get another sto- whoa!" Chen steadied himself when another rumbling sound was heard, but this one came from beneath us. "What the heck was that?" he asked. 

An eerie silence fell, one filled with tension and anticipation. We looked around, and I tried sensing for something that would stand out. But before I could even properly focus, I suddenly found myself being grabbed by Lay and Luhan, when the room shook with a terrifying quake. Kris, Xiumin and Chanyeol had fallen to the ground, Suho was slung onto the bed, while the others managed to steady themselves. 

"What in the-, D.O.?" Suho looked at his younger brother and D.O.'s big eyes became bigger at the accusation. 

"As if!" he spewed, looking startled himself. 

"Jae?! Suho?! Are you kids alright up there?!" Mom's voice sounded from the hallway and I started to freak out when I heard her running up the stairs. 

"Oh my God, quick! Get out of here!" I told them, waving them away. I was having a tough day as it were, and I did  _not_  need another stressful situation to add onto the pile. If Mom saw me being alone in my bedroom with not just one, but  _twelve_  guys, she'd have a cow- and probably will force me to teach it how to dance before she'd make me eat it as punishment. Luckily, the boys didn't need to be told twice this time as they huddled together so Kai could get everyone out, leaving me with Suho. I stopped any attempts they made to stall. 

"If my mom catches you being here, I'm not the only one she's gonna kill, just go already. We'll discuss everything later," I warned them and finally, Kai zapped them away, right at the moment Mom opened the door. I moaned out of relief as I plopped down on the bed.  _Honestly, why does everything have to cut it so close?_

"Oh, thank goodness you're both alright," Mom huffed out, a hand on her chest before she suddenly blinked at us. "Hope you two didn't make yourself too comfortable," she then commented and it was then that I realized that I hadn't so much plopped down on the bed at all, rather, I miraculously - and mostly stupidly, -landed on Suho's lap. _Score over 9000 for Lacking Grace and Elegance, big, fat K.O. for Jae..._

I grinned sheepishly at my mother, Suho attempting to do the same with a glowing red face, while I was wondering when God will grant me mercy and take me by way of that aneurysm that's sounding more attractive each passing day.

Yep, this dinner was a _great_ idea...

_How am I still sane?_  


	60. ~ Insidious ~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys~! This is a short intermezzo chapter while I get my head on straight for all the rest that's supposed to come up xD

***

A shadow walked the clean halls of the brand-new E.T. Corp research facility, quietly, poised. Since work-hours were long over, not a soul was present, save for a lonely, overzealous scientist or two. 

The man responsible for casting such a dark shadow in the halls wasn't interested in any of them. He easily moved through various floors, barely casting anything a proper look until he got to the elevator. 

He was a patient man, but this time, his curiosity won over. He wasn't daft, he wasn't ignorant. The dagger was waking up - finally. It was setting something in motion that he had intended to do himself, but seeing as he didn't have to now, all that remained was to unlock the object itself. Time was of the essence. He didn't like it much, but he had to trust his little fox. She would take care of it. 

Taking a deep breath, Mr. Yok moved to the office of the CEO, adjacent to the special laboratory where he could simply sense the dagger pulsating angrily. No-  _desperately_. His mouth twitched into a sadistic sneer. How ironic that an endless amount of life force needed a life force on its own to survive... 

Gaining entrance to the sealed office with ease, Mr. Yok took a deep content breath, letting his eyes wander over the shelves of books, the elegant paintings on the walls. Mr. Miyano had a refined taste which he found rather surprising, since he thought the man to be somewhat of a boor and simpleton when they first met. 

"Fine taste in women, though I cannot imagine anything attractive about this species," he snarled, looking at the picture on the desk. His fingers moved over the glass of the frame, frowning when he saw what he presumed was the CEO's daughter. 

"Hm," he mused, shaking his head. "Such a pity..." 

He looked up when he could feel the dagger pulsating powerfully, as though it was irritated and Mr. Yok chuckled to himself. "Come now, still upset, are we?" he spoke out loud, walking towards the laboratory, going straight to the vault where he could sense the dagger was placed. He opened the door without breaking a sweat and clasped his hands in childish delight at seeing the dagger. The green heart at the tip of the hilt pulsated, the silver shining as though a dozen lights shone upon it. 

"This will all be over soon," Mr. Yok hushed, his hand slithering over the weapon, jolting back only slightly when the green energy turned red. "Still rejecting me? Well, I'm afraid you don't make the rules. The scientist will soon uncover your secrets and when he does-," he reached to the dagger to touch the hilt. "You shall be mine and this world shall be my playground," he exclaimed.

Mr. Yok yelped in pain when the dagger gave off a red shock that knocked him back against the wall. A loud thunder crashed outside, as though the dagger replied to him. The man growled and rose to his feet, his eyes glowing furiously. 

"You have no choice! This world works on balance as does any other. Our presence alone is already disrupting the natural order! Without you unlocking your secrets this world will die with you. I need you as much as you need me," he spat. Mr. Yok proceeded to laugh when the building shook on its foundation, the rumbling of the earthquake nearly shattering the windows. 

"Feeling a bit ill, are we? Already taking the island with you?" he mocked. "I caught you when you fell from the heavens, remember?" he then continued, straightening his clothes and patted the dust from the shoulders. "My personal Yeouiju... Nothing will stop me," he whispered, quickly steadying himself when a second earthquake shook and Mr. Yok look behind him when he heard glasses falling from the shelves. He sensed something, but then scoffed and dismissed the feeling. 

He turned to the dagger to continue his monologue, knowing very well that this animate object could hear him. "Just like last time, remember? The sky so red because it reflected the fire and the blood that spilled on the earth that day. It was glorious! Except, this time, I'll make sure to succeed in full," he promised himself and the dagger that briefly pulsed red again. Mr. Yok gave a lopsided smirk. "Of course. How could you forget?" he taunted. 

As he was about to reach out to the dagger once more, he was interrupted by the sudden vibration of his phone. Clacking his tongue, he went to check on the message. 

_Sir, the plan is in motion._

"Ah, little fox," he murmured. 

_And they were none the wiser?_ he replied. 

_Surprisingly so, sir._

He went quiet when he read the message, until a devious grin was plastered on his face. "Then that must mean that they don't remember...Ha!" he blasted out. 

_Splendid! Now, are you certain of this little plan of yours?_ he then proceeded to ask. 

_Do you trust me, sir?_ came the answer. 

Mr. Yok scoffed. "No," he purred. 

_Yes, of course,_ his message read. 

_It will work,_ she sent.  _Don't worry._

_Darling,_ he typed rather vigorously,  _I never do._

He put his phone away, feeling giddy at the future prospects that awaited him. He closed the door of the vault after gazing at the dagger one last time for good measure and calmly walked back into the office. 

"Hm, this is going rather marvelously," he stated, feeling absolutely content. "Fun times are neigh," he smiled widely before leaving. Had he been more cautious about his surroundings, then he would have noticed a terrified, young scientist hiding behind his desk while clutching onto a clamp and banana to arm himself with. 

Dee had become an unwitting witness to the strangest, most creepy, one-sided conversation ever and he wasn't sure what the protocol was for this. He was startled enough when he had seen a shadow move from the corner of his eyes and felt even more frozen in fear and panic when he saw that it was Mr. Yok himself. Deciding wisely to not interrupt the man with his presence, he ducked down and held in his breath as he listened to the man. 

He thought him absolutely out of his mind at first, but now, Dee wasn't sure. He took deep, steady breaths, slowly getting to his feet as he stared at the vault that hid the dagger. He sighed and brushed his bangs from his face, allowing his mind to process what just happened. It was lucky that Mr. Yok had thought the breaking glasses to be the result of the freak earthquakes they experienced. If he had seen that it was Dee, who had initially tried reaching for his cell phone, that accidentally knocked them over, Dee would've been in trouble for sure. 

He looked at all the data and research on his desk, while glancing over at Seunghyun's station. He tilted his head in interest as he walked over to the petri dish that had sprouted its own mini jungle, its source being the small sample Seunghyun had took from the green seed on the dagger days before. The specimen had fascinated him for a bunch of reasons. Dee was simply amazed how the plants that grew from it had no need for water, nor sunlight to stay alive and to grow. It was healthy, and the tests Seunghyun had performed on it, indicated that it could continue to survive this way for many years. Knowing what an expert Seunghyun was in this particular area, it therefore worried Dee when he noticed that some of the plants and roots had started to shrivel and blacken, as though they were recently burned. 

Dee touched a leaf with the tip of his finger and stepped back when the green leaf shriveled under his touch in a matter of seconds. It was dying.

" _Aish,_ " Dee breathed, stealing another glance at the freaky dagger, goosebumps covering his skin as he thought to the crazy Mr. Yok. All this time he thought he'd been truthfully working on something important, on something that could actually contribute to the world. He thought he was working on something good.  _But now,_ Dee thought dejectedly,  _I'm not so sure anymore..._

He sighed disappointedly. "What did we get ourselves into, Seungie-hyung?"


	61. ~ Games ~

***

The second quake nearly got Suho sandwiched between my mom and me when we were going down the stairs. After so painstakingly and embarrassingly having explained that me landing on his lap was an honest accident, she asked how I was feeling, and when she could tell that I was doing better, Mom told us to join them downstairs, just in case another earthquake would hit. 

"Are you alright, Mrs. Miyano?" Suho asked as he helped her steady herself and she gratefully grabbed his arm. 

"Yes, thank you, Suho- oh. You're a strong one, aren't you?" she asked while squeezing into his bicep as I groaned out of humiliation. Of course, leave it to my mother to be able to notice these things during alarming situations.

"Mom," I called, forcing her to focus again. 

"Oh! Yes, come on, kids, to the dining room," she ushered us away where I saw Mr. Tabi peering out the window with my father, Miss Kumiho standing behind them. Being in the same room with that woman nearly made me want to puke out of utter reluctance, but I had a role to play. I stood near Suho when we entered the room, but I made sure to keep a healthy enough distance. My shoulder was pinching me where she had touched me before. Could it be that I was allergic to her after all? Could wolves be allergic to other wolves? How would that even work?

"This is not normal," Mr. Tabi mused, pushing up his glasses while looking outside. "Why weren't we warned about seismic activity today?" 

"I hope no one got hurt," Miss Kumiho mused in concern, but I swallowed the bile upon hearing it. Suho turned to look at me as well and took hold of my hand without asking. The way he gripped it told me that he didn't care whether he was embarrassing himself or not, despite the fact that his hand was a bit clammy and shaking. 

_I do not like this woman,_ it sounded in my head. I glanced at Suho when he said it, but his gaze was fixed on the woods.  _She knows something. The sound of thunder, those earthquakes- they're no coincidences._

_You don't suppose that she's the one who...?_

Suho shrugged subtly.  _I'd keep my options open concerning her. If she's a wolf like you said, it wouldn't be strange for her to have some powers as well._

_Great. No worries then, eh?_

I flinched lightly when Suho squeezed my hand a little tighter at hearing my sarcasm and I sighed, feeling jaded beyond relief. How could anyone expect a teenager to cope with _all_  the things that I went through? Just summing everything up in my head was giving me an ulcer. And still, the worst part of all of this was that my parents were still in the dark. My parents, whose greatest concern right now was hoping that there was no damage to the car due to the earthquakes. I seriously envied them for a moment. How pathetic is that?!

I vaguely heard the adults talking about what they should do and whether they should call for help. They all looked outside when a bunch of car alarms went off.

"Honey, I'm going to check on Mrs. Sinar next door. She's an old woman and I just have to make sure that she's not injured," Mom told my father, already wearing her jacket. 

"Maybe you should wait a while longer. We don't know what's going on right now. What if more earthquakes are coming?" Dad asked, stopping her before she'd race out the door.

"More reason for me to check up on the old woman. She's all alone, Ryo, she must be frightened," Mom argued and I felt a little pang of pride well up in my chest.

"Alright," Dad conceded, a tender look in his eyes. "Should someone come with you?" he asked. 

"No, if I need help, I'll let you know," she assured.

"I can go with you, Mrs. Boss," Mr. Tabi then offered. "It's no trouble, it'll give me an excuse to go check on my car as well," he added quickly when he saw that Mom wanted to decline. Dad was nodding his head at the suggestion and Mom eventually agreed. 

"That's very kind of you, Mr. Tabi. Miss Kumiho, I won't be long, I'm sorry that I have to borrow your date," she excused herself. Miss Kumiho greeted her with a smile. 

"Not at all. I'm glad Seunghyun can make himself useful," she replied, causing poor Mr. Tabi to grin a little nervously. 

"I'll go get my jacket," the teacher said. 

Mom then turned towards us. "Suho, Jae, I want you two to stay inside the house. Suho, you're our responsibility for now, so please stay safe and allow Jae to pamper you if necessary- but no monkey business, you hear?" she instructed, briefly more General than Queen at the moment, but she looked like a hero to me. _Look how calm and in control she was in moments of true emergency..._  I wish I could be more like that. 

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you," Suho bowed quickly and I knew she saw his hand wrapped around mine, but she didn't comment on it. She patted his shoulder and winked at me. 

"Mom, be careful," I said. 

"Don't worry, baby, I'll be right back," she waved and quickly went on her way with Mr. Tabi. I glanced at Miss Kumiho just for a moment, since what Suho said bothered me. If she was responsible for all of this, she better not think of creating another earthquake or so help me God, I'll rip out her pretty, little-

_I've asked D.O. to keep an eye on her, Jae. Nothing will happen to her,_ Suho interrupted and I smiled gratefully at him. 

_Thank you. And you guys, too. I know you're all listening,_ I directed at the pack for good measure. 

_No, we weren't!_ came Chen's panicked reply, followed by a yelp. 

_Idiot,_ Xiumin piped up, sighing. 

_Oh, oops. I mean, no, huh? What? Listening to what, noona?_ his childlike laughter made me chuckle softly, while Suho only rolled his eyes, trying to hide his annoyance. 

"I can see why you love her so much, sir," Miss Kumiho suddenly said, which surprised more people than just me. "I'm sorry if that seems rather bold on my part, but she is an admirable woman. Your love for each other is strong. Not many people can revel in such a bliss." 

...Okay. Awkward. I could tell that my father wasn't really sure how to respond either, but what surprised me most about her sudden statement was that, unlike how she had been behaving throughout the evening, she actually seemed sincere when she said this. Almost - longingly? Was that the word to describe it? I haven't been able to read her at all, until just now. Just a little, though, as though she had briefly put her guard down, showing a vulnerable side to her. 

Then again, it could just as easily been a ruse. 

"Well, to be fair, Yoona is very easy to love. I'm afraid I'm completely stuck to her," Dad finally answered, though it kind of looked like to me that he was trying to make a point. 

I cleared my throat when the atmosphere was becoming awkward again. "So," I started, quickly trying to think of something to say when all eyes were on me. "Uh, what should we do?" I asked. 

"Nothing, sweetheart. We'll just wait it out and see. I'm gonna check on the car in the garage. Why don't you take our guests and see if the TV works. Maybe there's a news report on this," he instructed, but every fiber of my body was screaming 'no'. Was he seriously going to leave us with this woman? 

"I'll be right back," he promised,  _actually freaking leaving us with this woman._  Dad was such a scatterbrain at times. He looked so preoccupied just now. Even Suho stiffened next to me. 

"Well, this is all very exciting, isn't it?" Miss Kumiho remarked. "It's been a while since I last experienced an earthquake." 

Why was it that every time this woman opened her mouth, big, fat lies dropped out? There was a part of me that just wanted to skip the act and asked her what the hell she wanted from me, and who she was, and if she could explain what was happening to us, and where the earthquakes came from. She was obviously hiding something, she obviously knew something. That taunting, provocative look in her eyes said enough. The one thing that prevented me from confronting her head on, was the miniscule chance that we were wrong about everything, wrong about her. Not to mention that if she was the one responsible for the quakes, who knew what she might do if I managed to piss her off? 

"I wouldn't necessarily call it exciting, Miss Kumiho. I'm actually rather curious about the fact that the warning center didn't announce this," Suho corrected ever so amicably, forcing her attention away from me. 

"Hm. Well, Mother Nature is fickle, Suho-sshi," I didn't like the tone of suggestion in her voice. "Difficult to tame, no matter how much strength you think you possess," she nearly purred. _Yeah, keep it up lady, you're not suspicious at all..._  

"But, perhaps you'll get your answer once we check the TV," she then said, looking expectantly at me, as though that was my cue. 

"Oh. Ah, yes, um-,"  _whoo! Way to show this potentially dangerous woman how eloquent and not easily intimidated you are, Jae!_ I mentally smacked myself. I recovered and opened my mouth, suddenly surprised that the sound of a ringtone came out of it. It took another second to realize that it wasn't me and Suho frantically reached into his pocket for his cell phone. 

"Oops, sorry," he apologized, flustered. He bit his lip when he read the caller ID and quickly looked at me. I stood a little closer to him when he let go of my hand. 

"Ah, it's my dad," he muttered. 

"You should answer, Suho-sshi, he's probably worried about you," Miss Kumiho said, but Suho was reluctant to do so. 

"It's okay, I'll call him later," he replied, putting the phone away, when it rang again. 

"You should answer," I then nodded, but he signaled with his eyes at me. 

_Are you crazy? And leave you alone with that woman?!_

_What could she do to me with you in the next room and Dad in the garage? It's fine. We don't want to raise any suspicions, do we?_ I told him firmly and I could tell that he resented it that I made a valid point. 

"Yeah, okay," he gritted through his teeth, though there was a smile on his face. "Excuse me. I'll be in the kitchen." 

"And we'll be in the living room," I replied. Suho nodded and I heard him tell Kris to keep an eye on me before he picked up his phone. 

"Apparently the whole island shook," Miss Kumiho mentioned before gesturing towards the living room. "Shall we?" 

Swallowing, I lifted my chin and nodded. Alone with this woman. Right. No problem. It's just for a few minutes. What harm could she do, right?  _Right?_ I winced a little when my shoulder pinched me again and I gently rubbed the pain away with my hand. Miss Kumiho sat down on the couch with ease, while I felt like a stranger in my own home, fumbling with the TV. Seconds passed without a word being uttered between us, until I started hitting the remote with my hand in frustration since the TV wouldn't be turned on. 

"Perhaps there's an outage," Miss Kumiho answered, watching me in amusement. "It's not uncommon after an earthquake. Why don't you let that rest for a while, darling, and come sit here. You must still feel a bit ill, after what happened during dinner. You should rest," she said in a honeyed voice that trickled over my skin, producing goosebumps. 

"Oh, uh, n-no, that's okay."  _Sheesh, turned into a meek little puppy already, Jae?_ I scolded myself, chewing my cheeks while focusing on the remote, smashing buttons. 

"Well, here, allow me-," Miss Kumiho suddenly reached her slender fingers towards the remote in my hand and just a brush of her skin against mine made me jolt and drop the device on the floor.  _Smooth, Jae. Smooth. You're doing great!_

"Oops," she chuckled at my clumsiness. We both reached for the remote, but she got there before me. I stepped back then, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. Miss Kumiho only smiled at me, but her eyes didn't smile along. I didn't look at her, even though she was staring. 

"I get the feeling that you seem to be a bit...frightened, around me, Jae-sshi," she then mused and this finally caused me to look straight at her. A look of satisfaction graced her face, but I wasn't going to look away again.  _Remember, you've a role to play. Stop letting this woman get to you so easily!_ I reminded myself and forced a polite smile on my face. 

"Frightened? No, not at all," I replied, feeling thankful that my voice was steady and strong. "It's just that I don't quite know you," I added when I read the skepticism off her face. 

She smirked like a cat who was about to scratch the curtains to smithereens. 

"I see, stranger danger. Your parents taught you well," she sounded like she was joking, but knowing something about this woman, she probably wasn't. "Still, there's no need to be so tense around me, Jae-sshi. We are no strangers, after all." 

I blinked my eyes at her, feeling trapped and panicked. "Right. You work with my father and you're dating my Biology teacher," I nodded, still playing pretend even though I already felt like I was being driven into a corner. 

"Exactly," she said lightly. "No need for so much caution," she coaxed, making herself comfortable on the couch as though that would make me relax as well. 

"Still," I continued, clearing my throat. "Doesn't mean I know you," my statement must've been the equivalent of a puppy bite compared to all her evil majesty, especially when she let out another throaty laugh. 

"You don't like me much, do you, Jae-sshi?" she then stated, a twinkle in her eyes. "That is why Suho-sshi stuck to you for the entire night. This is the first time I've seen you without him," she continued and I hated that she made me feel so uncomfortable. 

"It's sweet, though, the way he protects you, but I suppose that's to be expected," she continued and I started to panic. Did she know after all? Was she waiting for the opportunity to be alone with so she could- what, exactly? 

_Stay calm, Jae. Don't accidentally expose yourself. Don't give her that pleasure. We're here,_ Luhan's voice sounded, soothing over my nerves. 

_Can you get a read on her at all?_ I asked, my fingers twitching near my side. 

_She's thinking multiple things at the same time. Everything is jumbled,_ Luhan explained in frustration, but all I could think about was who would do that, think multiple things at the same time. The sense of dread froze the blood in my veins.  _She knows_. 

"Um," I hummed since I took too long to answer. "I-I don't...k-know, uh..."  _goodbye, little shred of confidence I had left._

I stepped back when Miss Kumiho rose from the couch, walking towards me like she was gliding over the floor. "Don't know what, darling?" she mused, handing me the remote I dropped. 

"Nothing. Never mind," I answered, grabbing the remote while making sure that I didn't touch her. 

"Oh, the little comment about Suho-sshi," she then snapped her fingers, grinning at me. I resented how amused she looked. "Well, what I meant to say was that it was expected of a guardian," she elaborated, but her suggestive tone made me on edge all over again. I nearly hissed when the pain in my shoulder stung fiercely, but I kept from touching it. 

"Guardian?" I questioned, pretending that everything was fine and dandy. 

"Why, yes, of course," she stared at my eyes intently, making me want to jump out of my skin. "His name," she mused, that feline smirk on her lips again. "It means 'guardian'," she explained simply before laughing in mirth when I visibly relaxed. 

_God damnit. Was this woman playing me?!_

Despite shooting her subtle glares, I managed to chuckle soullessly now and then, but I knew that I was treading on thin ice. She noticed, of course, that I wasn't letting my guard down and that I obviously did not trust her. Something in her hazel green eyes snapped then, and I stepped back to create a little distance between us.  _What was keeping Suho?_

"Do you enjoy playing games, Jae-sshi?" Miss Kumiho asked out of the blue. 

My mouth was dry when I answered. "Depends on the game." 

"Ah, a cautious player. I bet you're the kind of person who won't play a game if they know that their chances of winning are slim," she guessed and I frowned at her. "Me, I enjoy playing games. All sorts. I'll even go so far to admit that I'd play dirty, if I had to," she giggled before pretending to be serious. "If you were worried about me possibly showing a romantic interest in your father, you needn't worry, Jae-sshi. He's not the one I'm after." 

Okay.  _Okay._ _This_  is the sentence that I was not eager to hear. Of all the ways she could have phrased that, she opted for this way, as if she purposely gave me no other choice but having to reply with 'oh, well, gosh diddly darn it,  _who_  exactly are you after then, ma'am?' and you know what? I'm not playing _her_ game- she's gonna play _mine_. 

"Oh, don't worry, Miss Kumiho," I started, as my anger reignited my confidence and bite. "I wasn't worried about that at all, actually, considering that my father would never go for a woman like you. You see, he prefers women who leave some things to the imagination," I explained in a sugar sweet voice while suggestively appraising her scant attire so she'll know exactly what I mean. "That is to say, - while we are playing the guessing game -, that you appear to be kind of person that would _easily_ do anything to gain the attention she desires. I suppose a strategy like that will guarantee many _easy_  wins." Alright. So I went a _little_  overboard, but it wasn't like she wasn't asking for it! 

Miss Kumiho glared, that twitchy smile still present before she scoffed as though amused at my attempt to insult her, but something told me that I hit a nerve. Whether I was thrilled about that was a different matter entirely. What I did know, however, was that we acknowledged knowing something about each other without having to say it out loud. If this was her way of telling me that I should be prepared for whatever 'game' she was going to play, then I should let her know that I wasn't going to be scared away so easily- even though I felt like I was going to need new underwear somewhere between now and the near future.  _Gimme a break, okay? I'm in a very conflicting position at the moment. You try being stuck between playing the hero while knowing that the enemy might have more dirty, more powerful tricks up her sleeve!_

I braced myself for a retaliation from the woman, and oh man, did it come. She stepped towards me with a scowl that could still be mistaken for a cold smile and stood still when she stood right in front of me. I locked my jaw, lifting my chin slightly to show some defiance, whilst my toes were curling at the ground. 

"One word of advice, if I may, Jae-sshi. A cautious player such as yourself won't stand a chance in the games I play," she stated, nipping my nose derogatorily.  

"I think I'll manage," I replied, moving away from her touch. "I bet I'll even win without having to play dirty, though I understand from this conversation that playing dirty is your favorite gaming strategy," I beamed, just like she did after hearing my response. 

"Is that so?" she asked, obviously entertained. 

I met her gaze steadily, accepting the challenge by giving a firm nod. I probably shouldn't have done so, based on the huge smile that appeared on her face after I said it. She leaned a bit forward to whisper to me. 

"Then tell me, Jae-sshi," the words flew from her mouth like silk drenched in arsenic. "How is your shoulder feeling?"

I didn't want to show her that I was startled, but my wide eyes most likely gave me away. Miss Kumiho smirked then and I mustered all the self-control I had to prevent from asking her right on the spot about who she was and why she was doing this. 

She winked at me. "Let's play, shall we?" 

Neither of us flinched when the front door opened and Mom came in with Mr. Tabi. I wasn't even feeling relieved at hearing her chat about Mrs. Sinar and the mess outside. All I did was glare at Miss Kumiho, wondering to myself why the heck I wasn't shoving my shoe in her face already. 

"Ah, Mrs. Miyano! I'm glad you're back," Miss Kumiho greeted while my stomach twisted into a knot. "I was worried something might have happened. We'd all be devastated if you were injured," she oozed, though she winked at me again. I balled my fists and felt my own nails digging into my skin while I trembled. Did she just threaten to hurt my mother? Did that just happen? 

"Thank you for saying so, Miss Kumiho," Mom replied casually. "Where is everyone?" 

"Mr. Miyano is in the garage and Suho-sshi is in the kitchen talking on the phone with his father. Jae-sshi and were just getting to know each other a bit better. It turns out that we're both fond of games, though currently I'm at the lead," she taunted and I could literally feel the slumbering wolf inside of me perking its ears in agitation, opening one eye before awakening with a vengeance. 

_Oh, that is it! I'm gonna bite her!_

_No, you're not!_ Suho suddenly came running into the living room as if on cue, smiling apologetically for startling Mom. 

"Ah, Suho, there you are. Is everything alright? Does your father know you're safe with us?" Mom inquired.

"Yes, ma'am, he told me to take care and sends his thanks and warm regards to you and Mr. Miyano," he said. 

"It is no problem at all, sweetheart," Mom answered amicably and suddenly looked at me. "Jae, baby, is there something wrong? You seem annoyed," she noticed and I grunted. "Come now, don't be like that. Whatever game you were playing with Miss Kumiho, it is just a game. Don't be a baby about it," she scolded good-naturedly before going to the kitchen again. "While we're waiting around anyway, I'm going to do the dishes," she announced. 

"I'll help you, Mrs. Miyano," Miss Kumiho called after her. She patted my hair and I was inclined to follow, except that Suho stopped me. 

_Traitor! Let me go, I'm not leaving that woman alone with my mother!_ I growled, hardly reacting when Mr. Tabi excused himself to make use of the toilet. 

_Not before you calm down!_ Suho growled right back.  _Why are you letting her get to you so easily, Jae?_

_Because she knows, Suho. She knows! She may not have confessed it out loud, but she doesn't need to. My shoulder, where she touched it, she did so on purpose. She asked me how my shoulder was feeling, why would she ask that if she hadn't known that it was injured?_ I sprouted angrily before taking a deep breath. _On top of that, she mentioned that she was after someone, most likely me!_

Suho listened patiently to my tirade and inner freak out, rolling a hand over his face.  _You're sure about this? What prompted her to say such things?_

_How should I know how a psychopath thinks, Suho? All I know is that I don't like that woman knowing who my father is, who my mother is, how you look like and that she's in my freaking house doing the dishes with my mother, right after she sneakily made it clear that she was aware who I was all along! This was a mistake, a bad idea from the start! She played me, Suho! Worst case scenario just became reality!_

I desperately grabbed Suho's shoulders. "What am I supposed to do now?" 

Suho's look of sympathy and concern was the last thing I wanted to see right now, but when he was obviously pondering about something, I waited. He furrowed his brow, lost in thought, gnawing on his bottom lip. 

_I can't think of anything- except..._

I shook him. "Except what?" I whispered. 

He looked reluctant just having to say it out loud and the sudden sound of protesting voices from the others in our heads told me that I was probably not going to like what he thought up. 

"A direct confrontation," he uttered softly.  _We'll follow her around whenever we can, get to know her, see what she's up to. If that doesn't clear things up, we confront her. Demand she tells us who she is and why she's after you. If we don't like the answers, well..._ he cleared his throat. 

_Well, what?_ I asked. 

Suho looked me soberly in the eyes.  _She's a threat, Jae. We're wolves. We protect our own. At all costs._

I startled lightly at the statement. _He wouldn't mean... would he?_ I shivered. _What do you mean 'at all costs'?_ I then asked, hoping that it didn't mean what I thought it meant.  _You're not gonna- you know,_ I slit my throat with my finger and I don't think I've ever been more than relieved to see Suho's astonished and shocked face. 

_No, no, no, not that! I was more thinking in the lines of having Kai teleport her to the Arctic or some desolate place on the planet where she wouldn't bother us anymore,_ he explained and I chuckled. 

_Good, because she's not worth all that trouble anyway,_ I said, to which Suho agreed. 

_Don't worry, Jae. We'll take care of this together, figure it out together. We won't allow that woman to do anything harmful. Game over._

I smiled sadly at him.  _No, Suho. I'm afraid that the game has just begun._


	62. ~ Jaeded ~

***

_The moon is rising soon, the moon is rising, the sky is brightening._

_Don't ask if this is a dream anymore._

_I'm waiting. My heart is burning. Time is being wasted._

_The new white light is becoming even brighter. The gray skies shake and split._

_Two different space-times – don't know._

_There's no time to explain – we gotta go._

_Hurry, hurry! The parallel way into four dimension only opens today!_

_In my new world, I won't be the same as yesterday._

_There are two moons today, two moons at night, and you..._

_Are the chosen knight._

 

_So_... I blinked my eyes open to a brand new day.  _Let's recap, shall we?_

Just a measly few weeks ago - yes, unbelievable how it's hardly been a month, even though it feels like years in my opinion -, we moved to the remote island of Ookami Shinro, to an itty bitty town named Hanwol. Nothing peculiar or strange about that - until I went to school. That's where I started developing high blood pressure and fervently wished I could go back to my average, unexceptional life and peaceful, mundane meadow with twelve stars back home. 

So far, while moving to this sleepy, but not as sleepy as the brochures make you believe it to be ( _false advertising right there, I feel like I should sue!_ ), I've been mistaken for a boy, intimidated and looked down upon by twelve ridiculously good-looking idiots, seen those same idiots practically naked ( _don't even mention the term 'bacon' and 'junior' in the same sentence, please_ ), been groped by one of them, followed them into the woods during a full moon and suddenly running away on all fours myself-, _let's see, what else?_ Ah, yes, I turned out to be able to shape shift into a wolf myself, - that was a pleasant surprise ( _no, it really wasn't_ ) -, I got buzzed by an electric fence from my father's company, joined a pack of wolves, got stalked by them, I flew, apparently I could connect with others like some kind of freaking powerbank, got attacked by another wolf... _what am I missing?_ Oh yeah, my father shot my friend while we were wolves, coaxed by his coworker who very well could have been the wolf that attacked me before. She came over for dinner last night, which was nothing short of an emotional and mental breakdown for me ( _one dinner, six people, a physically sick teenage girl, two parents left in the dark, twelve overprotective wolves, thirteen new memories, one earth shattering thunderclap, two earthquakes, and a partridge in a pear tree_ ). 

If that wasn't enough, I wasn't even given rest while sleeping at night. I was plagued by vague dreams and a persistent voice narrating the swirls of images in my mind. I'm not even going to bother to try to figure out what the dream had meant. I was tired. Up to the point that I honestly didn't even care anymore what _any_ of this meant. 

The only thing I was still concerned about was Miss Kumiho. After last night, Suho wanted us to figure out what her deal was and why she was after me. I regretted not asking her last night. I mean, what could a woman like her possibly want with someone like me? 

_Wake up,_ that's what the ghost-wolf told me the night it attacked. Luhan had said that it may not have been directing itself at me, but at something else.  _At what, though? Mother Nature? Was that the reason for the sudden storms and the earthquakes? Or was that just her? The mysterious Miss Kumiho?_

Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I walked past my full-length mirror and tried to ignore how I looked in the morning. Except, something was rather off. I turned around to check my reflection and saw something thin and black sticking to my collarbone. Frowning, I licked my thumb and went to rub it over my collarbone, but as soon as I touched it, it stung like a son of a - 

"Preacher man! Ow!" the thin black branch paled when I pressed it, but reappeared just as easily. "What the-?" I removed my shirt and hissed through my teeth at seeing several black branches sprout over my skin like an ugly tattoo. I knew something was up with my shoulder - Miss Kumiho had even more or less taken credit for this - but how - "Oh my God, what did that woman do to me?" I flinched when I touched it, but it doesn't look to be all too bad. Yes, it was black and seemed to be sprouting branches under my skin like it was turning my veins black, but it was small-ish ( _how am I doing at trying to be in denial over the severity of this to keep myself calm?_ ). 

"Ugh," I breathed, walking to the bathroom. If Lay was up for it, I'll ask him to take a look at it. He hadn't been able to heal it yesterday, but maybe he was feeling better today. 

Just the mere thought of having to go to school made feel sick all over again. This whole double life thing was taking its toll on me, and I wasn't sure how long I could keep up. There was the feeling of dread all over again, when I allowed myself to think what all of this meant. What game had I started playing? Could I even win? 

I looked at the reflection in my mirror and sighed. "Not with that hairdo, girl," I commented, preparing myself for school. 

I wasn't paying a lot of attention for most of the day. Classes came and went, and I think I may have even fallen asleep during third period, waking only when I had the same dream all over again, the one I had this morning. That voice saying that little chant...  _chosen knight?_

I think the only time that I actually started paying attention, was when classes had finally ended and I was walking with Lili on the school grounds. A group of students had huddled around the announcement board on the track field and we went to see what was on it to cause the students to create such a fuss. 

"No! I can't believe this! That is so unfair!" Lili then exclaimed amongst the uproar. "Jae-yah, look!" she grabbed my arm and I limply allowed her to drag me like I was some kind of rag doll. Honestly, I know I'm feeling a bit jaded and fatigued, but this wasn't like me. It was like I just ran out of ducks to give-  _That's right, ducks! And I freaking love ducks! The way they wiggle waggle when they walk on their flip floppity feet, and they quack so cutely! Donald Duck is my homie!_ Seriously, why was I feeling so... _empty?_

I vaguely rubbed my shoulder as I read the announcement on the board and frowned a little. 

_Special Announcement: Homecoming Dance has been suspended until further notice. Due to the earthquakes, the dance hall has been damaged. Check on the announcement boards throughout campus for updates on the situation. We apologize for the inconvenience._

Wow. The Homecoming Dance. I'd completely forgotten about that. The girls around me looked like the notice had announced the end of the world and again, I felt that pang of sincere jealousy that the suspension of the Homecoming Dance were these girls' only concern. _Why had I ever wished on those stars? Can I take it back?_

"Aww! And I had everything planned out perfectly! This year I thought for sure I was going to ask Luhan-oppa without backing out! I wanted to take him to the sports cafe and share some iced coffee together and then I'd let him talk about soccer all he wanted and then I was going to ask who his favorite team was and whether he could guess who my favorite team was," she rambled, telling me the details of her planned date with Luhan. "And when Luhan-oppa would ask 'who', I would open my jacket to reveal the school's team shirt with his name on it! I had designed mine with hearts and everything! He couldn't say no to me when I asked, right? I can't believe they suspended the dance..." she pouted and for the first time today, I smiled.

"That sounds like a brilliant way to ask him, Lili," I started, linking arms with the girl when her shoulders drooped down and she sadly looked at the announcement again. I pulled her gently with me and it was rather endearing when she gave a devastated sigh before leaning her head against my shoulder. "And you should definitely save it for when the Homecoming Dance is back on schedule. I mean, it's only suspended, not canceled, right?" I tried cheering her up and you know what? It felt good. For the moment, I was just Jae, a girl trying to comfort her friend who was going through a teenage crisis. It was perfectly normal and I loved it. 

"I guess so..." she sighed dramatically while we slowly walked back to the main building. "Oh! I've been meaning to ask, who are you actually planning to ask for Homecoming, Jae-yah?" she piped up in her excitement, the disappointment of the dance having been suspended long gone. "I think Minho wouldn't mind to be asked by you," she suddenly nudged, giggling when she saw the blushes on my cheeks. "Ooh, ooh! Or maybe even Kris-oppa?" she gave an excited squeal and started shaking me. "Are you going to ask Kris-oppa, Jae-yah?!" 

I grimaced when she touched my shoulder and I gently pushed her away, rubbing the soreness. "Actually, to be honest, I wasn't really planning on attending," I confessed quietly, chuckling when I caught Lili looking shocked beyond belief. 

"You're kidding!" she exclaimed as we sat on a stone bench near the stairs that lead to the main building. 

"Nope, I'm totally serious. I'm not much of a dancer anyway and dresses and high heels make me chafe," I added, but Lili wouldn't hear any of it. 

"But, Jae-yah! This will be your first Homecoming with us," she stated, holding my arm. "You  _have_  to go! You don't even have to dance if you don't want to, but it's a lot of fun. Everyone is dressed up all pretty and they always decorate the dance hall beautifully. There'll be music and snacks, people get to vote for the Homecoming King and Queen, of course, and there's a photo booth- oh, and we can't forget about the after party, of course!" she explained, leaning forward to whisper in my ear. "I hear the school is planning to put up a fun park, just for the occasion. I think Suho's father may have had a hand in that," she winked shrewdly and I smirked. 

"Well, that does sound like fun. You think there's gonna be a roller coaster at the after party?" I asked, allowing myself to divulge in the Homecoming bonanza. 

"For sure! I'd be utterly surprised if there wasn't," Lili answered, before that twinkle in her eyes reappeared. "So? You're going now, right?" she asked in a sing songy manner. 

I chuckled again. "I don't know. I mean, who would I even ask to come with me?" 

"Well, as long as you don't ask Luhan-oppa, I think anyone will want to go with you, Jae-yah," she said frankly. "I mean, it's not like I'm forbidding you to ask Luhan-oppa, of course, but it's just that I've enough competition as is," she added sheepishly, scratching her cheek shyly. Lili was a sweetheart through and through and I did hope that when she would ask Luhan, that he'd say yes to her, if only to see that bright smile on her face. I'm pretty sure those twelve dudes will be drowning in Homecoming invitations. 

Hm. Maybe I should ask Minho... I bit my lip when a particular memory entered my mind, a bunch of dorks hiding behind bushes and in trees while following me around when Minho was kind enough to show me around town a bit and asked me to watch a scary movie with him, since we found out that we're both huge horror fans. 

_You're one of us, Jae. We protect our own._

I think I really hit rock bottom last night, suffering a freaking meltdown because I had that panicked sensation of not belonging anywhere again, times one thousand, this time. I was so stupid to think I could do this on my own. If it weren't for them, the Majestic Twelve, I don't think I would have made it through until this far. Thinking about them brought a smile to my face, and a sense of security. Sure, they didn't remember me in their memories, but I guess that's okay since I didn't remember them in mine, either. Still, despite of that we were a pack. A second family. We are o-

"Yoohoo? Jae-yah? Earth to Jae-yah? Hey, space-head, what are you thinking about?" Lili's voice woke me from my thoughts and I grinned apologetically at her. 

"Sorry, Lili, I'm a bit tired," I quickly lied. "Um, what were talking about again?" 

Lili laughed and slapped my arm playfully. "Oh, Jae-yah, you're really gonna make me repeat it?" she whined a little, but continued nonetheless. "I said that I was wondering, if it wasn't too much trouble and if it wasn't too awkward or anything, whether you could perhaps do me a little favor? Since I've noticed that you seem to be able to talk to Luhan-oppa without breaking your brain and you seem to be friends, I thought, maybe, that you could put in a good word for me to increase my chances for Homecoming?" she bit her lip nervously, gazing at me with big, puppy dog eyes. "Please?" 

Blinking, I watched the face of devastating cuteness before me and realized that Lili has some major  _aegyo_ -power. Gah, how could anyone refuse this face? 

"Well, uh, I mean, I can't really guarantee that it would work, or anything," I stammered, already feeling nervous when I imagined how that conversation with Luhan would be like. "In the end, he's the one that makes the decision, of course," I added, though I didn't see any harm in telling Luhan what a great girl she was, if he wasn't aware of it yet, already. 

"Oh, of course! But it would mean so much to me if you could mention me to him. If only it would increase the chance of him remembering who I am so I'll stand out a bit more," she stated and I poked her cheek endearingly. 

"Sure, no problem," I then said (aka  _caved_  because her face looked so freaking squishy I just wanted to pinch her cheeks. No one should be allowed to have this much cuteness!). 

"Wah! Thank you, Jae-yah! You're the best!" I was suddenly trapped in a warm embrace, with Lili nearly bouncing out of joy. I don't think I've met anyone this perky and cheerful before. 

"Now then, we should discuss who you could ask for the dance," she then said, becoming serious again. "Are you going to ask one of the Majestic Twelve- not including Luhan, of course," she winked, making me laugh a bit nervously. 

"Honestly, I really don't know. I haven't thought about it...Maybe I'll go solo, make a statement, or something," I rambled, enjoying the girl-talk with Lili. We started discussing options to be my potential date for the dance, and for a moment, I was genuinely having fun. It was great to not think about other matters going on in my life, and it was nice to pretend that suddenly having to find a date for something oh-so-important like the dance was my biggest concern- even if it was for just a moment. 

That precious moment of normalcy was rudely taken away from me, when I made the mistake to glance behind Lili because I thought I spotted something odd on the green, abandoned sports field. My eyes widened and my heart nearly stopped when I recognized the white dot amongst the green.

_Oh my God... The white wolf!_

I jolted when I distinctly saw the shimmer of emerald green and I gasped, being reminded how its claws dug their way into my flesh.

"Jae-yah? What's wrong?" Lili asked.

"There's a wolf on the sports field," I blurted, pointing behind her. Lili startled at the news.

"What?!" she quickly turned around to see for herself, and I leaned back when I saw it bear its teeth at me. If that was Miss Kumiho, she'd better not think about hurting Lili! Speaking of which, I frowned at the girl in question when she sighed out of relief and started laughing. 

I was suddenly slapped against the arm and she grinned brightly at me. "Yah, Jae-yah, very funny! You got me," she giggled. "I had no idea you were so playful- oh, you know, Chen-sshi might be a fun date for you, too. He pulls tricks on people all the time," she talked as if there was nothing going on, but I was absolutely astonished. Who was pulling tricks on who here, exactly?

"Lili, I'm not kidding-, i-it's right _there_ ," I pointed out,  the wolf standing perfectly still to gaze at us both. "You can't see it?" I breathed. 

"Jae-yah, there's nothing there. It's empty," Lili said with concern lacing her voice as she looked at me this time. "Hm, you weren't kidding when you said you were tired, huh?" she commented, but I shook my head. The wolf was there. Clear as day. Why couldn't she see it? 

"It's-, but..." I huffed. "You can't see it," I stated, suddenly hearing Kris' voice in my head when he told me that there was nothing there after I was attacked. There was no wolf. They hadn't been able to see it either.  _Ghost-wolf_. I don't understand. If that wolf was Miss Kumiho, why couldn't others see her? That wasn't her power, was it? And if so, why only expose herself to me?  _This is all presuming that the ghost-wolf actually was Miss Kumiho..._

Sensing my obvious discomfort, Lili rubbed my arm and got off the bench. "Come on, let's get out of here. It's been a long day," she said sweetly, taking my hand when I nodded vaguely, still looking at the wolf that wasn't there. 

_Who are you?_ I asked. There came no reply. I pretended that things were fine when Lili guided me away from the bench, but I still looked back from time to time.  _Miss Kumiho?_ I inquired, and for some reason, it responded. Except, it wasn't in the way I had expected it to. 

_I'm waiting. My heart is burning. Time is being wasted... Wake up!_

I froze and time seemed to have slowed down around me. A sharp, pressing pain traveled from my shoulder to my chest, until it had me gasping for air and buckling over. I faintly heard Lili's voice exclaim in the far distance, felt a pair of hands grab me, but it felt like a dream to me. 

_You don't have time. Wake up._

_Who are you?_ I asked, my voice a whisper, but still echoing around me.  _Tell me who you are!_

_You don't have time,_ the voice repeated. 

_Then speak quickly! Who are you?!_  I yelled, a pair of emerald eyes shooting fire my way. 

_You are a knight,_ the voice spoke, though there was an obvious bite of annoyance in its tone.  _And I,_ the voice said before my world slowly started to darken like a cocoon around me. 

_I need you to wake up!_ The voice said angrily, sounding so very far away. I winced and was plunged into darkness, wondering why a vicious beast suddenly sounded so desperately frail when it said,

_Please. Or you'll never wake again..._


	63. ~ EXO ~

***

I stirred in a dreamless sleep, before blinking my eyes open. When I did, I immediately shut them again. 

_Nope. Not happening. Forget it!_

I crushed my eyes shut, unmoving, because what I saw when I had opened them didn't sit well with me at all. I could only hope that this was another dream, but I felt like I was awake - drowsy and still a little drunk with sleep. I shivered when I felt the wind and the mist trail over my skin and I rubbed my naked arms. 

_I'm dreaming. That has to be it. This is a scary, vivid dream. That's all._

Opening one eye first before the other, I noticed that my school uniform had gone and was replaced by a simple, flowy brown dress, made of soft and light material. It shone like it was dipped in the sun when the light hit it in a certain way, but there was no bright light here. The cloth was easily picked up by the breeze and flowed in many layers when I got up on my bare feet. 

When I went to adjust my hair, it was flowing down in cyan green tresses like a waterfall over my back. I was in semi-wolf mode.  _Why?_  and perhaps more importantly -  _Where the heck am I?_

I stared at the vast landscape that looked so familiar, but was infinitely strange, while looking for any signs of life. In front of me was a crystal clear lake, rippling gently in front of a rocky mountain. The sky was a deep, azure blue, and amazing light peeked from the horizon, but never quite rose. Looking around now, it looked like the land was barren, but the water, dark trees and strange light made me think that that wasn't the case. The earth was darker here as well, sprouting natural rock columns at random across the land. 

One thing was for sure, though. I wasn't on the island anymore. Just looking at the sky was enough. I could still see the outline of what I thought was the moon, so big and so close by, unlike I had ever seen. For a moment, I thought that perhaps it wasn't the moon at all, but another planet. The stars were bigger here, too, both in size and numbers. It was a gorgeous sight, but I was frightened, because there was no one here, but me. 

I walked towards the water, trying not to startle when more rocks floated overhead, spraying me with mist. I shivered again when the breeze came, but I wasn't particularly cold. To be honest, it was rather pleasant. I stared into the lake, and as expected, my eyes were glowing amber gold, small fangs protruding from my canines. I didn't understand where I was, or why I was like this. I even tried to change back to normal, but it was like something prevented me to do so. The water rippled, distorting my reflection. This time, when I looked at it, I saw the image in the water change. 

I gasped upon recognizing a pair of green eyes, my face taking shape into that of a white wolf and I stumbled back. Upon hearing the soft rumble of a growl behind me, I jumped and scrambled backwards at seeing the white wolf right in front of me. 

_"S-stay back!"_ I warned weakly, reaching around the dark earth in hopes of finding something to use to defend myself with, but there was nothing but sand. 

The white wolf eyed me shrewdly, licking its lips while slowly approaching. I looked around to see if I could escape, but if I ran away, where would I run to?  _Why can't I change into a wolf?_

_How disappointing,_ I heard the wolf say out of the blue, starting to circle around me.  _You've forgotten completely, even though I've asked you - tried to force you - to wake up._ The wolf snapped its jaws at me again, making me flinch and move away, the sand chafing my skin when I slid back. 

_I won't hurt you,_ the voice then said and the wolf sat down in front of me as though it was scoffing, making fun of my panicked state.

_"Right, like you hadn't hurt me the last time we met?"_ I retaliated. 

_It's not my fault that you're stubborn,_ the wolf scowled and I swallowed. The animal stared at me, and I stared back, trying not to flinch or gaze away. Then it hit me. 

_"You're not Miss Kumiho, are you?"_ I stated, rather than asked, and the wolf flicked its tail in annoyance. _"Then who are you?"_ I asked when it didn't answer me. 

The wolf got up and walked towards me again. I flinched, but stood my ground. It really didn't seem like it was going to hurt me, but my guard was up. 

_Do you know where you are?_ the wolf inquired, completely ignoring my question.

_"Oz?"_ I guessed, unable to control my sarcasm. I let out a startled gasp when the white wolf growled loudly at me again. 

_Follow me,_ the wolf said, turning around to head over the tall, barren trees. 

_"Why? So you can maul me to your heart's content in peace?"_ I asked, feeling breathless. It wasn't really thinking that I would so easily trust it, was it? 

_Just follow me. I need to show you something,_ the wolf persisted and took off on a sprint. It stopped in the distance and turned its head towards me.  _Come!_

_"Wouldn't it be easier if you just tell me what's going on?"_ I then tried.  _"If you have the answers, please, tell me."_

_Come,_ the wolf sprinted off, leaving me with no alternative but to follow it. I grunted as I ran after it, still unable to change into a wolf, still unable to turn back to normal. It wasn't hard to keep up with the white wolf, even when the environment changed rapidly and I suddenly caught myself coming to a screeching halt upon seeing the wolf jump off a cliff and land on the water below- without falling in. The creature ran across the water as though the surface was solid and I hesitated. 

_Hurry!_ I heard it call after me and I growled myself this time before closing my eyes and taking the leap. My arms and legs flung about, the butterflies in my stomach causing me to squeal. I landed with a thud, the water below me splashing, but feeling strangely solid. Knowing better than to freak out at this moment, I quickly ran to follow the wolf before I lost it. The wolf was agile and fast. I wasn't sure how I kept up. 

We eventually ended up in a large, floating platform, one that was eerily similar to the one I had seen in one of my vague dreams, but the earth here was scorched black and a gigantic crevice stood in the middle of it. Something told me that something must've stood there before, but there was nothing there. Nothing but another small pool of black water. The wolf stood beside it and waited for me to join it. 

Panting slightly, I curiously looked into the black water, but saw nothing strange.  _"Why did you bring me here? What is this place?"_ I asked, still wary of the wolf and making sure there was a healthy distance between us. 

_There isn't much time,_ the wolf said again and I was seriously starting to lose my patience.  _It is taking me too much energy to wake you, and this is my final resort._

_"I don't understand,"_ I huffed out of frustration.  _"You keep saying how you want me to wake up, but I'm already awake!"_ I argued and then realized where I was and groaned.  _"Sort of, at least. I mean, this is obviously just a dream, but I'm awake on the other side-,"_ I started to ramble and quickly stopped myself. 

The wolf didn't seem amused at all. The animal snarled at me before it hunched over and leapt towards me. 

_Look there,_ it moved its head to the black pool of water and I sighed before reluctantly complying. 

_"There's nothing there,"_ I deducted and jumped when the wolf barked viciously at me. 

_Look closer!_

I inched forward, gripping the moist earth to steady myself as I stared into the water. After seeing my reflection again, the water rippled, startling me when I saw two serpentine figures, one black as the darkest nights, and the other a pure white, like freshly fallen snow. They looked like wingless dragons to me -  _huge_  wingless dragons. They coiled and slithered over a sphere, a planet, I think. The white creature seemed benevolent, the way it moved around the world as though it was guarding it, but the black one, the one that reminded me of a horrid snake, kept trying to bite the white one. 

The image swirled and in the middle of the world suddenly stood a mighty tree, the white Draconian creature swirling around it majestically as a variety of symbols floated in front of it. I knew I had seen those symbols before somewhere, but I couldn't place them. I watched breathlessly when the white creature roared, as though it was aching and a big shadow swept across the lands. I blinked at the water, watching the images move like a dream-like movie. I glanced briefly at the wolf before concentrating on the water again. 

The world burned, but rose again and this time, there was no sign of the white creature. The tree stood tall, and alone, surrounded by twelve stars. The wolf jerked its head when it heard me gasp at seeing those stars fall when another shadow covered the world. Except this time, it went straight for the tree. I pursed my lips in worry at seeing the tree fall, the shadow swallowing it up, leaving nothing, except... 

I shook my head, my chest tightening and my head aching. The memory of me lying on a field somewhere, while throwing something away as a shadow approached, had entered my mind again, but I didn't know why. I was stunned when the shadow shape shifted into the black snake I had seen before. It wrung its serpentine body around something silver that came from the tree, my eyes widening when I recognized the dagger. The black snake hissed as its enormous body slithered over the earth, engulfing the world in its darkness, leaving utter destruction in its wake. 

I continued staring at the black creature that hissing evilly, until it had faded away, and all I saw was the black pool of water. I inhaled for breath, feeling like I was breathing for the first time. 

_"What was that?"_ I demanded to know, my heart beating loudly in my chest. 

_You still don't know?_ The wolf asked quietly, but its tone seemed disappointed. 

_"Would I have asked?! Tell me what's going on!"_ I exclaimed, still sitting close to the pool. The wolf approached again, its green eyes staring intently at me. 

_It is the history of this world. The memories that remained where the Great One once stood,_ the animal elaborated, but I frowned. 

_"Great One? You mean that tree?"_

_The Tree of Life,_ the wolf corrected with a rumble of a growl.  _This is where it once stood, at the center of the world, where it could protect it,_ the animal continued while I looked around.  _That pool is all that remains of its majesty, and if you still refuse to wake up, it will be the fate of the world you call home, as well._

I snapped my head up at this, bewildered.  _"What?!"_ I sputtered, my eyes wide. 

_It has already begun. Darkness is seeping through, your world can't keep up to the disorder of balance. It will disintegrate and perish, along with everything and everyone living in it, as has happened here,_ the wolf continued gravely, not even giving me the proper time to digest what it had just told me. 

_"Wait, what?! Why would that even happen to my world?"_ I scoffed, feeling frustrated.  _"I don't understand any of this! Earth doesn't even have a Tree of Life!"_

_Which is exactly why it is vulnerable. The shadow you saw desires power, above all else. It will not stop until it gains this power, and right now, it wishes to devour your Earth as it has this world. You think the sudden thunderstorms and earthquakes are mere coincidences? Fluctuations of nature? You are running out of time!_

_"This is insane!"_ I shouted.  _"None of this makes sense! You're a figment of my imagination, and this is one crazy dream- a result of too much stress! Are you honestly telling me that there is a shadow creeping about, off to destroy my world, until nothing but a puddle of water is left?!"_ I splashed the water with my hand in frustration, but the wolf stepped back calmly. 

_Who says that that is water?_ it then stated and I startled once more. I slowly looked down at the black pool and gulped when I saw my wet hand. As I inspected the wet, black earth surrounding me, I flipped. Screaming, I scrambled out of the crevice while desperately trying to get rid of the blood. 

_You're running out of time. You must prevent the black snake from its spiteful attempts to become a mighty dragon, before it's too late,_ the white wolf pressed on, while I was still shuddering at the excess of blood that stuck to my skin and nails. 

_"This is ridiculous,"_ I still argued, refusing to believe such nonsense.  _"Look, I'm sorry about what happened to this world, wherever this is, but this won't happen to my world. And even so, why would it? Why now? Why me? This makes no sense!"_ I stressed again.

_It makes perfect sense, you stubborn creature!_ the wolf growled, suddenly leaping at me and pinning me down.  _Do you not understand? All of this is connected, it has everything to do with you! I am warning you, telling you to wake up to do something about this! Can you not see?! Time is running out!_

The wolf snapped its jaws furiously at me, biting through the fabric of the dress on my shoulder and pressing down on the ugly wound there. I hissed out of pain. 

_It has already begun. The world you know will end for certain, unless you-_

_"Wake up?"_ I guessed, breathing heavily to bite away the pain.  _"Let's say I believe you, how could I ever stop this?"_ I then tried, seeing as this beast wouldn't quit. 

_You'll have no choice,_ the white wolf started, growling as it pressed its snout at the wound on my shoulder and becoming quiet. It removed itself away from me, almost in regret.  _Find the heart. If you find the heart, you might save your home._

_"Heart? What heart? Whose? Davy Jones'? The heart of my firstborn? Will you stop being cryptic and just tell it to me straight?!"_ I huffed out of annoyance.  _"What am I supposed to freaking do?!"_ I yelled out loud, not caring anymore whether I would upset the wolf or provoke him to attack me. 

_Remember!_  The wolf nearly howled.  _Find the heart. Wake up. Save your world from a similar fate as this one,_ the animal pressed with a scowl.  _You don't have much time, but it is not too late._

_"This world,"_ I interjected, gesturing around me,  _"was it yours?"_

The wolf bowed its head solemnly, sitting down.  _Once upon a time,_ it replied, and I didn't know how to respond to such a grievous tone of voice.  _Take heed of my warning. If you do nothing, the shadow will come, it will succeed, and only blood remains._

I think the bomb of information managed to settle in my head, but it was a long way away from being properly processed. All this time I had feared the white wolf, but now it only appeared as though it had been trying to warn me all along. Don't get me wrong, I still don't like the creature, and I'm still not sure whether I should take what it said seriously, but I do know this; one way or the other, I was royally screwed once more. I had longed for answers since the beginning of all of this, but this wasn't how I had pictured it. 

_"What's going to happen from now on?"_ I suddenly asked, directing myself at the wolf. 

_That is entirely up to you. What would you do if you had been given the chance to save the world from impending danger and destruction?_

_"Hand the job to someone else,"_ I answered frankly, and if I didn't know any better, I thought for sure that the fearsome white wolf had smirked just now.  _"Who are you, really?"_ I asked again, but sighed when it gave me no answer.  _"This world,"_ I then started, looking around again.  _"Does it have a name? Or is it as nameless as you?"_

The wolf side-eyed me, green eyes glowing as it sat down. 

_Exo,_ it replied ever so softly, the name carrying tenderness as it was uttered. The wind picked up and played with the leaves and dust, the light of the horizon shining gently and just brightly enough to cast brilliant colors in the azure sky. The wasteland of rocky mountains and rough terrain looked beautiful then, as though the world's former beauty had never really died away. The wolf looked directly at me, its green eyes never once tearing away from my gaze. My eyelids became heavy then, and I started to nod off, my sight blurring, my senses numbing, floating on the wolf's voice before that too was no more but a whisper.

_That was its name,_ it confirmed. 

_This was once the planet named Exo._  

_Home..._


	64. ~ Change of Plans ~

***

Waking up felt like falling into a tank of ice cold water and then being dunked out of it again. The light poured into my eyes like the sun intentionally shone its rays that way and I gasped. Jack-knifing into a sitting position, my limbs were flailing around as though I was still falling. I tried to scream, but there came no sound. 

_Jae, Jae..._

"Jae!" someone called and my movements stilled. I was caught in something warm and secure, and it took me another sharp breath of air to realize that I was being embraced by someone, which just startled me all over again. 

"Shh, shh, it's okay, calm down, Jae, you're alright, calm down, you're safe," the soothing voice hushed, holding onto me tightly while gently rocking back and forth, rubbing my back to comfort me. My muscles were still tense as I tried to inspect my surroundings, feeling utterly disoriented. I inhaled the gentle scent of magnolias and relaxed. 

I pulled gently away. "Luhan?" 

I was met by a small smile as Luhan brushed the hair from my face and stroked it soothingly. "Hey," he greeted quietly and an immense relief washed over me as I allowed myself to lean back into his embrace again. I heard him chuckle, his chest vibrating warmly as he tightened the hug. For now, I didn't mind. I was just happy to be back. There was no sign of the white wolf or the empty world I was in before. I held up my hands behind Luhan's back so I could check on them and saw that they were perfectly clean. It appeared as though I was back in my uniform as well. 

"You gave us a bit of a scare back there," Luhan said, his voice still gentle and quiet, as if he was afraid that I'd be startled if he spoke in a louder volume. 

"Where am I?" I asked, pulling away from him, touching my hair to see that it was perfectly brown. 

"At school. The nurse's office," he explained, giving me some space as I sat up more properly on the bed. 

"What happened?" I then asked, trying to get used to my surroundings again. Luhan chuckled, shaking his head. 

"We were hoping you could tell us," he stated. 

"Us?" 

He frowned and moved closer towards me, suddenly placing his hand on my forehead. "What's your name?" he then asked, and I gave him a look of skepticism. "Oblige me," he urged and I sighed. 

"Miyano Jae-In," I retorted dryly, pushing his hand away. "I'm fine, I was just wondering what you meant with 'us' since there's only you here," I elaborated and found it in me to smile at the goofy look on Luhan's face as he realized that he was overreacting. 

"Ah, right, sorry," he apologized, scratching his cheek. "I meant the others," he quickly explained. "The pack," he whispered. "We came as soon as we heard. Lay tried to-, you know -, but there were too many people around, so we just had to wait until you'd wake up by yourself." 

I nodded in understanding and removed the blankets, attempting to get up. Luhan stopped me before I could swing my legs over the side of the bed. 

"You should take things slow, Jae. You were out for a good hour," he said, pushing me back. 

"I was? Feels longer," I murmured, rubbing my neck, thankful again that my hands were clean and that there was no trace of blood anywhere. I shivered. Luhan looked at me, cupping my face so I would look at him. 

"Jae, what-,"

"Jae-yah! Oh my goodness, you're alright!" a sudden squeal sounded and in came Lili with two cups in her hands, running towards the bed. To my surprise, she simply shoved the cups into Luhan's hands as he made way for her and attacked me with a hug so fierce I was flung back into the bed. 

"I was so worried! I didn't know what to do when you just, just- just fell like that! Don't ever scare me like that again, please!" she urged, hugging me tightly before she finally pulled back. "If Luhan-oppa hadn't been there with Kris-oppa and Xiumin-oppa and, oh  _all_ the oppas and dongsaengs- I wouldn't know what I would do! Jae-yah, what happened? You just dropped like that," Lili snapped her fingers for emphasis, her bright eyes gazing worriedly at me. I was still processing her hurried, panicked speech and exchanged a glance with an equally flustered Luhan. 

"Uh...I- I'm sorry," I started, chuckling lightly. "I'm sorry, Lili," I said in a stronger voice. "I didn't mean to frighten you. I guess I was far more exhausted than I thought I was." It felt a little nerve wracking to have to lie to her, with Luhan in the room, but he seemed a bit out of sorts as well with the girl around. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that he was being completely ignored at the moment, which I admittedly found just a teensy bit hilarious. 

"Jae-yah, you have to promise me to take better care of yourself. This isn't healthy," Lili said, taking hold of my hands. "You're my friend, Jae-yah, I don't want anything bad happening to you," she said, and I smiled at her. 

"Thank you," I murmured, squeezing her hands. "I'll try to do better," I said. 

"No, you have to promise me that you take better care of yourself," she said firmly, pouting a little to show me that she was being serious. 

I chuckled. "I promise I'll take better care of myself," I repeated, even though I didn't really believe my own words. I sounded convincing enough for Lili though, as she smiled brightly and gave me another hug. 

"Good," she said, when her eyes suddenly widened in shock. "Oh! Luhan-oppa!" she squealed, turning towards him as if she just remembered that he was there as well. "I'm sorry," she quickly apologized, deep red blushes covering her face as she took one cup from his hands. "That one is yours, oppa, I thought you might be thirsty," she said shyly and I smiled when I saw how shy Luhan was reacting to her as well. 

"Oh, thank you, that's very sweet," he said and flushed when Lili audibly sighed in awe at him. I prevented from snorting out loud and kept a straight face when Lili turned towards me and handed me the other cup. 

"It's water, you should drink, Jae-yah," she instructed sweetly, though her eyes were signaling excitedly at Luhan. "Luhan-oppa was so kind and heroic, Jae-yah," she swooned. "He waited with me all this time. The nurse wouldn't let all of us in. Of course I insisted to stay by your side until you would wake up, and then Luhan offered to wait with me," she regaled, stars in her eyes. I looked at Luhan who shuffled his feet and didn't look up from them. 

"Wow, that's very chivalrous of him," I exclaimed to tease him and I saw him closing his eyes out of shyness. 

"Yes! Luhan-oppa is a knight in shining armor," Lili agreed wholeheartedly and I bit my lip to prevent from laughing as Luhan suppressed a groan. 

"I'm just going to sit over here, near the wall. You girls talk," he relented, moving to a chair in the corner, far enough to grant me and Lili some privacy. I smirked. 

"You know, Jae-yah, the others of the Majestic Twelve are here as well. They're waiting outside. Minho is there too, he seemed pretty worried," Lili continued and I widened my eyes, quickly casting a look at Luhan and the expression on his face told me that he was listening in on our conversation.  _So much for privacy..._

"Minho is here?" I asked and Lili nodded. 

"He's waiting with the others. Came over as soon as he heard what happened," she explained. 

_Oh man, poor guy,_ I immediately sympathized with him. Poor Minho, a lamb in a stockyard full of wolves. I hope they were treating him alright. Based on what happened before, I was seriously having my doubts. I sent a quick glare of warning towards Luhan for good measure, and I didn't like how he just smirked. They better not be mean to him. 

"That's very sweet, but unnecessary. I don't mean to keep everyone from going home," I said, feeling a bit guilty. 

"Don't worry about that, Jae-yah. As if we'd leave you behind," Lili nudged me playfully. "Speaking of which, I think the nurse would like to know that you've woken up now so she can check on you. She wanted to get a doctor here if you wouldn't wake soon, but now she won't have to. Want me to tell the others that you're awake, as well?" she then offered, getting up. 

"Thank you, Lili, you're awesome," I nodded. "Do you, by any chance, know whether she called my parents? I don't really want them to worry over this." 

"Ah, no problem, and yeah, sorry, she called them fifteen minutes ago to tell them you passed out. I think your mom was going to come as soon as possible and your dad would join her as soon as he could slip away from work," she said, patting me sympathetically on the shoulder when I groaned. "I'll be right back," she said and leaned a little forward to whisper in my ear. "Make me sound good towards Luhan-oppa, okay?" 

She stuck up her thumb and I chuckled this time. When I nodded she happily went on her way. 

"Be right back," she repeated. "Luhan-oppa, watch over Jae-yah, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am," Luhan saluted, making her giggle giddily and left. He let out a deep breath before sitting beside me on the bed again. "She's very- enthusiastic," he commented and I pointed my finger at him. 

"Watch it. Lili is a sweet girl and she's my friend, so don't talk nasty about her," I warned and Luhan lifted his hands up in defense. 

"Wouldn't dare and wouldn't do so. I can tell she's kindhearted. She wouldn't leave your side, even when I tried to get her to leave the room in hopes that I could try and reach you telepathically, but she simply refused. I even threw in my charm and everything. Then I had half a mind to manipulate her to get to do what I wanted, but that just felt wrong. And something told me that you wouldn't be all too pleased with me either once you've heard about it," he said and I nodded. 

"Color me impressed," I jested and he smiled. "She has a major crush on you, you know," I started, trying to keep my word for Lili's sake. "She's sweet, kind, cute as a button- you can't tell me that you don't like getting her attention," I accused, to which Luhan swallowed nervously again, fingering the sheets. 

"She is very sweet," he finally agreed, rubbing the back of his neck, shrugging a little. "But a lot of girls are sweet," he added. 

"Your point being?" I threw at him, kind of amused at seeing how Luhan was struggling. 

"Well- I mean- w-what's your point exactly? Bringing all this up," he shot back. 

"My point is that maybe when she asks you to go to the Homecoming Dance, you may want to consider saying yes," I replied easily, but Luhan seemed out of place for a moment, the blushes evident on his face. He turned to me and something in his expression changed. 

"You wouldn't mind me going to the dance with another girl?" he suddenly asked, looking intently at me. Now it was my turn to be flustered. 

"What? Why would I mind?" I blinked at him when he suddenly turned his face away. Was I missing something here? He seemed upset...

"Lili is a nice girl, you know," I started. "You'd be lucky to go to the dance with her."

"Lucky, hm," he nodded, but he didn't seem convinced. He cleared his throat. "And, eh, I suppose you know who you're going to ask for the dance, huh?" he asked, sounding a little annoyed. "Minho?" he guessed.

I chuckled. "Actually, oh-great-reader-of-minds, I've no clue yet. I don't know. I didn't think I would go to the dance until recently, so I'm still weighing out my options," I answered casually.

"Hey, at least you can say for sure that I don't go inside your head unless I'm granted permission," he quipped and ran his hand through his hair, checking on the door. "And do me a favor," he whispered, leaning closer so I could hear him. His breath tickled my skin. "Don't count me out just yet." 

I was surprised at the sudden statement and for a moment I didn't know how to respond. I just sat there, wide-eyed, mouth agape, looking at Luhan, stunned.  _Did he just...No- he did, didn't he?_ I was a little too late to look away. He probably saw my face lit up red like a traffic light. Luhan smirked and created a good distance between us.

"Now that we've the time, why don't you tell me what really happened back there," he said instead and I was grateful that he changed the subject. 

I cleared my throat and focused. I was cruelly reminded again that choosing a date to the dance was the least of my concerns right now -  _unfortunately..._ I was trying to think of a good place to start telling Luhan what happened, when I realized there really wasn't another less dramatic way. I sighed. 

"I saw the white wolf. The ghost-wolf," I clarified. Luhan blinked in surprise before leaning forward again. "It was standing on the sports field, watching me. I was the only one that saw it. I told Lili to look at it, too, but she didn't see it. I'm not sure what happened exactly, but I remember losing consciousness and then..." I stopped to catch my breath, the visions of the destroyed world coming back to me. 

"I don't know. I passed out and woke up in a dream- I don't know," I rubbed my head before moving on to my shoulder. It hurt more than it had before. 

Luhan watched me cautiously before getting to his feet. "Do you want me to get Lay for you?" he asked. "He should look at that shoulder. It's been bothering you since yesterday, hasn't it?" 

I nodded, grimacing as the pain wouldn't go away. I was awake, but I still felt a bit hazy. Was it an after effect of the dream? 

"I'll go get him," Luhan decided, already moving away. 

"Wait," I called. "Don't you want to hear what happened first?"

"No. That can wait. You come first," he stated. "Besides, it'd be easier if the others hear what happened as well. We have to take care of you first," Luhan touched my uninjured shoulder and walked away, leaving me alone for a moment. 

Being as stubborn as I was, I stretched my legs and flung them over the side of the bed. I held onto my arm to support my shoulder and stepped out of the bed. My legs were still a bit wobbly, but I forced some strength in them so I could walk towards the window. I took a deep breath when I recognized the school grounds outside, all the green grass and lush woods. The sun still shone, but was slowly starting to set. Everything looked quiet. Peaceful. _Who would want to destroy all of this?_ I thought, thinking back to what the white wolf had warned me for. 

Maybe it was just a crazy dream after all. It sounded too fantastical that this world was in danger and that I, of all people, had to go save it. Made no sense.  _It would make a good reason why Miss Kumiho is after you..._  

I shivered and softly smacked my cheeks. If that was the case, then it would mean that she was the shadow, the black snake. I know she's somewhat of an itch with a capital B, but that didn't mean that she was an evil snake that wished to see the destruction of this world. No. I needed proper sleep. Some sleep will help me dismiss all of this-

My breath caught in my throat when out of the woods, something moved. I balled my hands tightly into iron fists when the ghostly white apparition of the wolf showed itself to me. It licked its lips and shone its green eyes at me. Crushing my eyes shut wouldn't help anything. Ignoring it wouldn't make it go away either.  _But it can't be real..._

_Remember._

The voice then said, and the little hope I had of everything being a dream faded away, like the light of a candle dousing after putting up so much effort to stay lit. 

_Remember,_ the ghost wolf urged, sounding more threatening the second time, almost as though it could tell that I was hesitating, inclined to dismiss what it had told me. 

_Find the heart, before it's too late._

I squinted at the creature, feeling out of breath.  _Why don't you go and find it?_ I shot back, and of course it responded with a growl so fearsome I'm pretty sure I needed new undies. 

_Keep that sense of humor. You'll need it. Find the heart, or all is lost. Is that what you want?_

The white wolf looked up at me before it bolted into the bushes and disappeared, leaving me shaking and trembling like a Chihuahua. 

"Okay, don't freak out," I told myself, rolling my shoulders. "Don't freak out. You'll figure this out - with the others," I nodded, mumbling to myself to keep whatever ounce of sanity I still had left. "You're not alone. You'll figure this out together," I stated firmly, having a deep desire to talk to the pack. 

My ears twitched when I heard footsteps approaching and I sighed out of relief. I need to get this off my chest! 

I turned around on my heels. "Luhan, we need to- oh...oops," I abruptly shut my mouth at seeing my mother and father walk through the door to get to me and I flushed, pretending that there was nothing going on. 

"Luhan? Which one is Luhan? What the heck happened to Suho?" Dad exclaimed before he ruffled my hair and wrapped his arms around me. Mom quickly joined, panicked, of course as she brushed my hair back, checking me over for wounds. 

"Oh, my baby!" she exclaimed. "Jae, baby, what happened? I nearly got a heart attack when the nurse called! Are you okay? How are you feeling?"

"Mom-,"

"Are you dizzy? Does anything hurt? Oh, baby, I told you that you shouldn't stay up until too late, you need your sleep! Have you been eating properly at school? You're not starving yourself are you?"

"Mom, Mom, I'm ok-, Mom-,"

"How's your head? How many fingers am I holding up? Oh, baby, what happened?" she rambled frantically, tugging and pulling at my clothes, inspecting me. I made sure that I didn't wince when she pinched my shoulder and simply bit back the pain. 

"Mom!" I held her hands and forced her to focus. "I'm okay. It was just a fainting spell," I said calmly, making sure to smile because they shouldn't worry about me like this. It wasn't fair towards them, and I hated seeing them like this. Dad was calm, but I could tell he was worried, the way he kept stroking my hair. 

"I'm sorry I made you guys come for me, it really isn't a big deal," I said apologetically, looking at my father. "I hope you won't get in trouble at work," I added. 

"Don't worry about that, sweetheart. You know that you guys come first," he told me, kissing my forehead. "We met your friend, Lili. She was very kind to inform us what happened. She said she was there when you passed out, said that you were tired?"

_Yes, Dad, I'm tired. I'm so unbelievably tired of everything that's been going on right now, but you wouldn't even be able to begin to comprehend why I'm so tired if I would tell you..._

"I felt exhausted and I may have not eaten properly. Low sugar or energy, whatever. I promise I'll take better care of myself," I said again, resenting how hollow that promise sounded. Truth was, I had no control over this. 

"Honey, you shouldn't scare us like this," Mom then said, cupping my face. "You know your father and I- we'd be lost if something happened to you," she said softly, and all I could was nod. "Yeah? So, just in case, you'll be staying home tomorrow-  _no_  exceptions!" she added when she could see that I was about to protest. 

I swallowed. "Okay," I mumbled and she smiled, kissing my cheek. 

"Are there still people out there waiting around? They should head home," I then said, changing the subject because seeing my parents like this made me feel uneasy, like I wanted to confess everything and I knew I couldn't. I clung to my mom for comfort as she wrapped her arm around me. 

"Lili, and another boy- Minho, I believe-, went home and said they might get in touch with you later," Dad said. "The nurse said that you should go home ASAP, young lady. Get some rest, and it wouldn't be a bad idea for the doctor to come see you again."

"O-oh, right, okay," I mumbled as we started to head out to the hallway. 

"Suho is still waiting around, the dear boy," Mom then added. "Your other friends are there as well. They insisted they see you first before heading home. It's very endearing," she mused. 

"Annoying, my love, the word is annoying," Dad quipped, looking relieved to hear me chuckle. "Seriously, you've got one girl friend and all the rest of them are guys! How can that not be annoying?" he continued and I laughed. 

We walked out into the waiting room and sure enough, there were twelve guys, talking amongst themselves and almost standing up simultaneously when we entered the room. I rolled my eyes and gave a small wave. Luhan and Lay looked a bit antsy, but I assured them with a quick gesture that I was alright. The healing can wait. 

"Well, here she is, boys, alive and kicking. You should all head home now," Dad announced. 

"Ryo, shame on you," Mom warned, turning towards them with a friendly smile. "Thank you, boys, for staying with Jae all this time. It's nice to know she has friends that take care of her," she said sincerely, making all of them bow when she did. I shuffled with my feet, nudging Dad when he had a pouty look on his face. 

"You should all come over for dinner some time," Mom suddenly invited. "It'd be nice to get to know you," she winked and I nearly face palmed myself, the boys shyly and politely accepting her offer. Now it was Dad's turn to nudge me and I pulled a face his way, making him grin. 

"Thank you, Mrs. Miyano, we'd love that," Baekhyun piped up friendly. 

"Are you feeling better, Jae-noona?" Sehun asked, looking so lost when he looked at me. 

"Yeah, much, thank you," I replied and then turned to my parents before things got too awkward. "Why don't you guys go ahead, I'll be right there," I tried subtly, earning a disapproving look from my father, but Mom, thankfully, understood. 

"No problem, sweetheart. Don't take too long," she said. "It was nice meeting you, boys," she then greeted. "Suho, don't be a stranger," Mom patted his shoulder and Suho smiled widely. I waited until they were out of hearing range before turning towards them. 

"And how are you really?" Kris asked and I huffed out a breath of air. 

"I'm-," I wanted to say that I was fine, really I would, but, I wasn't. Instead, I sighed. "There are a few things we have to discuss," I said and rolled my eyes when I heard how that sounded. "God, that sounded dramatic. What I meant was, something happened and I'm at a loss. I'd like to talk to you guys about it, cause I won't be able to figure this out on my own," I said, smiling when I caught D.O. grinning at me. 

"We're here for you, you know that," he said. 

"Luhan-ge mentioned you saw the ghost-wolf again, noona," Tao started carefully. "Did it hurt you again?"

"Not precisely. But it's what I want to talk about with you. You think you guys can meet me tonight, usual place?" I suggested. 

"You sure you should do that, Jae-yah? You need to rest, not to mention, your shoulder," Lay pointed out in concern, totally not convinced that I was up for meeting tonight. 

"No worries. When we meet up tonight you can take a look at it as well," I assured him, but he pouted slightly, still not entirely convinced. 

"If you say so," he mumbled, the worry never leaving his eyes. 

"Well, here, noona. Your stuff," Chen then pointed out, handing me my backpack. 

"Ah, thank you! I was wondering where it was," I swung the strap over my uninjured shoulder. 

"And don't worry about any homework, noona, it's taken care of," Chanyeol added with a suspicious wink and I squinted at him. 

"What did you do?" I demanded to know. 

"Nothing. But, if the homework had suddenly combusted into flames, that is no one's fault," the tall teen said, grinning widely. 

"Chanyeol," I warned and he laughed. 

"Just say that it was a candlelight accident, noona. Works for me all the time!"

I laughed while shaking my head at him. "Now, will the rest of you stop looking at me as if you're all constipated? I'll be alright. Just meet me tonight, okay?" I tried to reassure them, since having them look so concerned and anxious was not doing well for my nerves. 

"See you tonight," Luhan nodded. "And do us all a favor by not fainting like that again."

"I promise," I waved at them, turning around to walk away. I stopped and turned around again when I realized I forgot something. 

"Hey, thanks," I told them, shrugging a little. "For staying, and stuff." I was met by gummy smiles and felt relieved again that they were around. "See you tonight," I greeted and left to meet up with my parents. 

_If only I had remembered that plans could easily be changed._

_If only I remembered that promises easily made... were easily broken._


	65. ~ Machine ~

***

_I read her eyes and her lips._

_But I discover a dust-covered heart, closed off like a restricted area._

_Perhaps if you lean in towards her, you can hear her cry._

_Perhaps, she will show you sympathy._

_But her expression is unusually calm._

_How come her tears don't have any emotion?_

_She's a machine. A soundless machine without a heart..._

 

_But with a killer smile._

Miss Kumiho walked through the halls of E.T. Corp to get to Mr. Miyano's office and laboratory, her heels clicking determinedly on the floor. She personally liked hearing the sound of her heels clicking onto the floor. It gave her the impression that she was walking on a steady beat, one that could intimidate those that heard her approaching, the clicking becoming louder with each step. 

She was in a particularly good mood today, as her plan was starting to come together. It wouldn't take long now or she wouldn't have to hunt for little wolves anymore. They'd come flocking to her in no time. What mattered were the twelve of them. They had no need for a thirteenth wolf, though this one proved its worth by coming in handy. Miss Kumiho had known who she was the moment she laid eyes on her. It didn't matter that they didn't know where she came from. The lucky number thirteen would lead the pack right where Miss Kumiho wanted. The only thing she was still concerned about, was time. This world was feeble and weak compared to the previous one and it had already started to shatter. Time was pressing- she knew it, and so did  _he_. 

Mr. Miyano's office was empty, of course, since the CEO suddenly had to leave after receiving a rather distressing call from his daughter's school, asking him to pick her up as soon as possible.  _The poor lamb,_ Miss Kumiho smirked, inspecting her perfectly manicured nails. She opted for a glittering black this time, with a pure gold finish. It fitted her mood perfectly for now. 

Checking her tablet, she opened the message she had received from her employer, though she could already sense that he has visited here before. Not that she could entirely blame him. With the dagger so close by, it was too tempting to just let it sit in waiting. Its power was strong and when unlocked-  _well..._ _Perhaps this time her master could finally earn his wings. And she would forever stand by his side while he ruled this new world._

She was so hungry for that moment to come that she could already taste it. How Mr. Yok had been able to wait for so long- she'll never know. She was eager for its powers, eager for his reign to begin. 

Biting her lip, she moved towards the laboratory, tracing back her employer's steps. She moved steadiy towards the vault where she knew the dagger was being kept and rapped her fingers on its heavy, metal door. The steel was cold, but what was inside was hot. Miss Kumiho slowly moved to unlock the vault, looking around for good measure to make sure that there was no one in the nearby laboratory and opened it.

No one would mind if she just took a quick peek at it, a brief glimpse, a short touch. She knew how Mr. Yok was not one to let others touch his belongings. He was rather hopelessly territorial in that area, but now that things have started to come together, she couldn't resist it. There was simply something thrilling about gazing at an object, no larger than a dagger, whilst knowing the beautiful destruction and chaos it harbored. _Enough life force to last an eternity, and power like this world had never seen before._

Miss Kumiho nearly snarled when she thought back to having read a ridiculous human invention called 'nuclear bombs'. Despicable. There is no force greater, nor more perilous and havoc wreaking, than nature itself. Nothing man-made could ever compare. She had to hand it to humans, though. They really did know how to wreck the place, but there was no beauty in their destruction, no poetry.

_And if there was one thing Mr. Yok loved, it was a good work of art._

"And that's where you come in," she mused, looking at the velvet cloth which blanketed the dagger. "The amazing things he'll be able to do with you," she murmured longingly, briefly wondering why she would let him have all the fun. She was fully aware that she was not worthy enough to wield the power the dagger contained, but she couldn't help but wonder why she wouldn't at least give it a try. All this time, Mr. Yok had been finding ways to unlock its secrets, the secrets to endless life force and power, but perhaps it was more simple than that. Perhaps all it needed, was a woman's touch.

She couldn't help but smirk as she thought about it, imagining what it would be like if she took the dagger instead of her employer. The thought alone excited her, but at the same time it left a bitter taste in her mouth because she knew that that could never happen.

"Still," she shrugged. "No harm in trying," she purred in amusement, grabbing the cloth- only to find that it was empty. Startled, Miss Kumiho opened the cloth to reveal nothing but air and as she looked inside the vault for good measure - even up to the point that she stuck her head inside -, she saw to her frustration and indignation that the dagger was gone.

"Where is it?!" she muttered angrily, rummaging through the vault and looking over the empty cloth repeatedly. "Where is it?!" she grunted, angrily searching for the whereabouts of the precious object. _It couldn't have sprouted wings and flown away, it had to be here somewhere!_

Miss Kumiho exclaimed out of utter frustration, ready to throw a fit at the mere thought that someone had the _gall_  to steal from Mr. Yok- from her. She attempted to calm herself down by trying to believe that the dagger wasn't stolen, but perhaps misplaced carelessly by the fool of a CEO, or perhaps the man had brought it with him. 

She exclaimed again, huffing out of frustration when she slammed her hands against the wall beside the vault, allowing her growing, seething anger to show. 

"Looking for something?" a voice suddenly sounded and for a moment, Miss Kumiho froze. She straightened herself and recovered, not a hint of emotion showing as she turned around. 

"Ah, Mr. Kang, I had no idea that you were working here today. You certainly know how to startle a woman," she commented, an automatic smile on her face. 

The young researcher swallowed a little, obviously suspicious of her as he tilted slightly to the side to be able to look at the opened vault. His eyes shot towards her then, but Miss Kumiho didn't move a muscle. Didn't even flinch. She regarded him calmly, as if there was nothing going on. 

"I don't believe you've the authority to be here, ma'am," the blonde scientist noted, though he lacked the grace and confidence to sound convincing. 

"Is that so? Well, perhaps you've forgotten that I'm in charge of following the proceedings of this particular project, Mr. Kang," she said with the sting of a bee through her honeyed voice. "I am, after all, Mr. Yok's eyes and ears. He relies on me to bring this project to success." 

Dee Kang swallowed again, walking towards the vault to look at it, but not touching it. At all times he ensured that he did not have his back turned against her, as if he was expecting an attack from her part.   

"I see," he cleared his throat, avoiding her gaze. "But be that as it may, Mr. Miyano made it clear that he did not want you snooping around, ma'am," he stated in a firmer voice, one that made her chuckle derisively. 

"Mr. Miyano said so, did he? My, my...and who does he work for again? Do remind me," she shot back in her sweet voice that didn't match the tone of her words at all. 

The young scientist shuffled uncomfortably on his feet. "Mr. Yok, founder of E.T. Corp," he replied softly. 

Miss Kumiho clapped her hands together, mocking him. "Very good, Mr. Kang! Now, tell me, for whom do you work for, again?" she then asked, her tone obviously darker as she stepped towards him so that they could speak face to face. 

"Mr....," he sighed and looked away, unable to look her in the eyes, just the way she liked it. She watched him closely when he rubbed the back of his neck and reached behind him. She showed no reaction when he produced the dagger, holding it firmly in his hand. 

When the scientist looked at her after inspecting the dagger, there was a challenge in his timid eyes, but she did not respond. Instead, she simply held out her hand, a smile on her face, waiting for him to hand over the dagger. Dee retracted his hand and frowned in hesitation. 

"You can give that to me, Mr. Kang," she urged, keeping her tone calm and poised to hide the impatience and agitation. 

"Can I, ma'am?" he questioned, but his suspicion was obvious. "S-Seunghyun-hyung," he suddenly started and Miss Kumiho inhaled for breath, lowering her hand and crossing her arms across her chest instead. "Seunghyun-hyung told me that you brought him to a dinner at Mr. Miyano's house," he nearly whispered and she finally felt a twitch underneath her eye. 

"What of it?" she inquired, her patience wearing thin. The cold tone in her voice made the younger man flinch slightly and there was an obvious question burning in his eyes, but it took him so damn long to get it out. "Well?" she pushed. 

"N-no reason, ma'am," he then answered, avoiding eye contact. 

She scoffed this time and watched him intently to ensure he was uncomfortable. The researcher blinked to carefully look at her. "Out with it," she demanded and he sighed softly, regretting that he had spoken at all. 

"It's just-," he cleared his throat. "Mr. Mi-Miyano," he stammered again. 

"What about him?" she nearly spat, which was more of an emotional reaction she had given than to anyone else. 

"Mr. Miyano is a,-" Mr. Kang looked as though he was gathering his courage to be able to finish his sentence. After taking a good, deep breath, he blurted, "Mr. Miyano is a good man. He's kind and righteous. He's a caring father and husband," he stated, puffing up his chest slightly, while Miss Kumiho rolled her hazel green eyes. 

"I had no idea that you had a crush on him, Mr. Kang," she replied coolly, but the young scientist was unfazed this time and even looked a little angry.  _Interesting_...

"Whatever your intentions are, Miss Kumiho, leave the boss and his family out of it," he said. 

"Oh?" Miss Kumiho propped up an eyebrow at him. "And what would make you think that I could do anything bad towards them, Mr. Kang?" she asked, walking towards him, when he had no idea how to reply. She smirked when he froze at her proximity, gulping when she removed an invisible lint from his shoulder. 

"Are you sure it's Mr. Miyano you're concerned about," she purred. "Or are you jealous at Seunghyun for being my date instead of you?" 

The young scientist locked his jaw and refused to look at her, causing her to smirk. That was another ridiculous human characteristic she thought to be so useless; matters of the heart. Not that it mattered much to her. It was yet another tool she could use to ensure she got what she wanted in the end. 

"You shouldn't have the time to worry yourself over such trivial things, Mr. Kang," she continued. "You've more important matters to do, have you not?" she watched him, seeing him fiddle with the dagger. She slithered her hand over his arm, moving down until she touched the weapon as well. During all of this, the young researcher had tensed up entirely. 

"What have you discovered so far?" she asked, grabbing the dagger from his limp hands, allowing the pulse of the weapon to send jolts through her body. 

Mr. Kang closed his eyes a moment, looking absolutely out of place. "I'm not at liberty to say, ma'am," he decided resolutely, but Miss Kumiho only sighed, wondering when anyone would ever learn that there was no one better at playing games than she. 

"You do realize that I am tasked to report the progress of project Yggdrasil to Mr. Yok himself, do you not? Did I not just remind you so? I have every right to know what you've discovered so far, Mr. Kang," she spewed, pulling away from him and reveling a moment in how it made him look so devastated. 

"The dagger is comprised of a variety of living organisms that we're unable to explain the stability of its DNA-sequence," he answered, though he did so reluctantly. "It may explain how it is able to produce energy, why it contains so much life force." 

"Hmhm," she mused, stroking the shining blade with one finger. "Tell me something I do not yet know," she demanded and the scientist sighed. 

"But there's still something missing. We cannot tap into the energy as we're unsure how it works, and up until recently, it appears as though the dagger is faltering. Its energy has weakened," he explained and this, Miss Kumiho knew, was alarming.  _Time,_ she thought,  _she needed more time._

"It needs something to be unlocked," she stated, pondering about it. "What do you need?" she mused, looking at the dagger, watching it intently as though it would provide the answer. 

The scientist continued to look at her, frowning as he did so. His gaze switched from the dagger, back to her, and Miss Kumiho decided that she found his presence annoying. 

"That'll be all, Mr. Kang. Thank you," she dismissed, but the young man didn't move. "Something amiss, Mr. Kang?" 

"Mr. Yok seems to rely on you quite heavily, Miss Kumiho. Do you believe he trusts you?" he suddenly asked, watching her closely when she finally put the dagger where it belonged. 

"What an odd thing to ask," she mocked. "I do not believe it is your place to question that, is it?"

"Perhaps not, ma'am. But I simply thought it interesting-, oh well, I should get back to work," he said a bit stiffly, turning around. Miss Kumiho felt the corner of her mouth twitch and she reached for his shoulder, turning him around again. 

"What, exactly, is so interesting?" she wanted to know, her eyes glowing briefly as a sparkling, dark green mist swirled subtly around her finger tips, wafting around the unsuspecting scientist, entering his nostrils, his skin, numbing his senses. "Tell me," she tempted, watching his eyes light up briefly, his mouth opening as he gasped out of pain. Thin, black branches traveled underneath his skin, cupping his jawlines. 

"I...can't breathe..." he gasped, his eyes hazed over by a deep green glow. 

"Tell me," she said, enjoying being able to toy with him. 

"Mr. Yok was here," he then panted which startled her lightly. She had her suspicion that he might have been here, but she hadn't thought that he would've literally been here. Why?

"To check on the dagger," Mr. Kang continued, answering her unspoken question. The haze disappeared from his eyes, the black branches dissipating. He took a deep breath when she released her grip on him, coughing and shaking his head. By the time he looked up, he blinked confusedly at her. 

"M-Miss Kumiho? What- uh, what happened?" he asked, bewildered. 

"Why would Mr. Yok check on the dagger when I am here to rapport to him?" she questioned, an obvious trill of anger in her voice. 

The researcher widened his eyes. "Uh- y-yes, wait, what? How did you know that Mr. Yok was here?" 

Miss Kumiho clacked her tongue at him turning to the vault to look at the dagger again. Didn't he trust her? Did she not offer him her best services? Mr. Yok, of all people should know that angering her would be the biggest mistake he could make. 

"Ugh, I don't feel so good," the young scientist muttered, leaning on his knees. 

"Oh, you'll be fine, don't exaggerate," she dismissed, still thinking about her employer. Then, she smiled.  _Could it be? Had he finally become impatient?_

If that was the case, it meant that he could sense the time was neigh. She grinned wider now before securely closing the door of the vault. 

"What time is it?" she inquired, looking at the fatigued researcher. 

"Hm? O-oh, uh..." he checked his watch. "A few minutes past five."

Miss Kumiho nodded. It shouldn't take long now. Those little wolves may have a few tricks up their sleeves, but she had one of her own. "Thank you, Mr. Kang. You should head home," she instructed walking past the confused researcher. 

"Yes, I was about to close up, actually. Aren't you going home as well, ma'am?" Mr. Kang asked. 

Miss Kumiho looked over her shoulder. "I've an appointment that I do not want to miss," she answered, leaving the room with her heels clacking loudly.  _I'm ready for the players to arrive to my game,_ she mused, moving her fingers as she imagined thin black branches to grow and snake their way underneath a creamy, young skin. She felt the pain pulsate as she imagined to see the unsuspecting lamb in her mind's eye. She saw the black branches move and expand and finally she could hear the beating of a young heart. 

_Seep through slow,_ she commanded.  _Let her feel true pain, and bring them all to me._

Miss Kumiho inspected her own reflection and calmly fixed her hair. How she adored it when her plans came together, the sensation of accomplishment and beautiful destruction filling her with glee like a drug. 

_No,_ she thought, looking at her perfect nails,  _like poison._


	66. ~ Overdose ~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, thank you for reading this story and for keeping track of it, despite how long it's getting. I truly appreciate the kudos and feedback! You're awesome <3

***

Dark streaks of graphite smeared the white paper in clear, neat strokes as I sat and drew behind my desk. It was difficult to remember it, or to see it in my mind, but it was the best I could do. The others needed to see how the dagger looked like. 

After coming home and being forced into my bed by overly-protective parents, I used the free time to ponder over things. Tried to fit some pieces of the puzzles together, and I realized that there were some of those pieces that actually seemed to fit. Luhan mentioned that in his new memory, he was supposed to wait for something important, but he didn't know what for. Sehun then added that he did know, since it was Luhan who had sent a picture into his mind - in the memory that is. He said that it was a dagger, though he didn't know what could be so important about that. 

I was none the wiser, mind you, but at least it was something. It couldn't just have been a coincidence that E.T. Corp happened to possess a dagger, right? I had only caught brief glances of it myself, but it was clear enough to draw a picture. I was no Picasso by any means, but at least the dagger would be recognizable. 

I knew that I should have used the free time to rest properly, but after seeing the white wolf, telling me that the conversation we had in that weird dream world actually happened, I couldn't sit still. I was anxious for night to fall, eager to meet with the pack and brainstorm over everything that has happened. Figure out how all of it ties together, how they're connected and what part all of us play in this. I was starting to believe that Miss Kumiho did know something as well, but was not necessarily willing to share. Then again, perhaps she didn't because she wasn't on our side at all. 

It frightened me to think about it, but with the boys gaining new memories about the same event, being able to connect to me...perhaps they were involved in this as well, whether I was here or not. There were so many questions that I wanted to ask, and I knew the answers were closeby, but I couldn't get to them. 

I bit my lip when I stared at the drawing of the dagger and made sure to draw the hilt right. I distinctly remembered the heart-shaped seed at the tip of the hilt, and how brightly it had shone.  _What else should I mention..._  I looked out the window for a moment and saw how the wind swept aside the leaves of the trees, making them dance. I clicked my fingers.

"Tree of Life," I mused, though the term alone nearly made me roll my eyes.  _Tree of Life,_ _how unbelievably corny..._  Which reminded me; what the heck was up with that tree? I started making quick notes when I remembered the wolf making me watch the history of the world through a puddle of blood. My face still cringed when I thought back to it, a shiver rippling through my body. 

_Hm,_ I looked at the notes and tapped the tip of the pencil against my lips. There was something missing.  _What am I forgetting?_

I closed my eyes, rolling my tense shoulders as I racked my brain. "Ah!" I popped my eyes open again and started scribbling. "Name of the world the ghost-wolf showed me," I dictated out loud. "Expoo! No- wait, that isn't right," I muttered, tapping the side of my head to remember the name. It was a simple one, but apparently my mind was already too full to remember exotic names. 

_Exotic names...Exotic..._

I pursed my lips and widened my eyes. "Exo! That was the planet's name. Exo planet," I wrote it down in case I'd forget again and wondered what else I shouldn't forget to mention. Naturally, the wolf's cryptic message, about wanting me to wake up, wanting me to remember. I shook my head at this. If I didn't know what the wolf meant, then how were the boys be able to figure it out? And now that we are on that topic -

_Who is the ghost-wolf? Friend, or foe?_

I made sure to write it down because I wanted to discuss that as well. The boys should know that our previous theory- Miss Kumiho being the ghost wolf - was not true. I got a different vibe from that woman. I'm not saying that she's evil incarnate, but she came close to it-  _no, I'm exaggerating._ To be honest, I still didn't know what to make of Miss Kumiho at all. She was so vague, so closed off. I did know that she wasn't necessarily my most favorite person in the world, and I had my suspicions that she wasn't on our side at all. But where had she come from? What role was she playing? More questions that I didn't know the answer to...

I checked the clock on my desk, frowning in disappointment when I saw that it was only seven past five. Putting the pencil down to pinch the bridge of my nose, it annoyed me to realize how tired I was still feeling. But it wasn't the normal kind of fatigue, not really. It was the kind of exhaustion that wouldn't go away, even after you've rested and I had no idea why I was feeling this way. I've been lying down or sitting still since I got home, so there was no reason for me to be this tired. 

Shaking it off, I went back to my notes, wishing fervently for time to speed up. As I picked up my pencil and placed its tip against the paper, I felt my breath getting caught in my throat once more. Except, this time, I heard the distinct beating of a heart -  _find the heart -_ my heart? The thumping was so loud! I blinked my eyes rapidly at noticing that the pencil I was holding suddenly had two tips and the surroundings became fuzzy. 

_Oh man, not again..._

Making sure not to panic, I took deep, slow breaths, keeping as calm as possible to just ride out this panic attack without losing consciousness. However, I hissed sharply and grabbed my shoulder when it started stinging. It felt like a hundred needles were being pushed through my veins at an excruciatingly slow pace. Breathing was difficult, and there was no other way for me to deal with the pain save for enduring it. 

When I thought the worst was over, I managed to relax my muscles, but the pain still remained, throbbing and pulsating. Still taking slow breaths, I bit through it and waited until the pain would subdue. When it did, I was left panting, gently rubbing my shoulder and recovered. 

_Damn it._ I nearly forgot about that. Now I really couldn't wait until I could see the guys again. I regretted it a little bit that I didn't let Lay take a look at it when I had the chance. Why was I always so stubborn to think that I could handle things beyond my capability? 

_Miss Kumiho,_ I wrote down,  _Who? What? Why?_ I scribbled down.  _Who was she? What did she do to me? And, why did she do it?_

I took a moment to catch my breath and tried to remind myself that I had promised others to take better care of myself. I really shouldn't push things along while I was feeling like this, but I had to talk with the pack. My head was spinning and I knew how much relief it would bring if I could share it with them. 

Deciding that I'll be fine if I took a few moments to rest right now, I wrote down one more thing before lying down in bed;

_Twelve stars. Wake up. FInd the heart. End of the world?_

Sighing, I put down the pencil, shoved the notes in my backpack, so I won't forget them when I go meet the boys and plopped down on the soft bed. As I closed my eyes, I moved to touch my sore shoulder, cringing when I could actually feel the veins popping out from my skin, tracing them until I couldn't feel them anymore. I frowned when it felt like more branches had appeared, growing longer, etching my skin without my permission. 

_Had it become bigger?_

I checked the time on my phone and saw that Lili and Minho had left me messages. I smiled at reading their get-well-soon-wishes and chuckled when Lili continued the rest of the message gushing about Luhan. I sighed softly to myself when I read Minho's message. 

_You know, I know some girls get upset when Homecoming is suspended, but I think you're the first to faint over it,_ he wrote with a smiley face.  _Take care, huh, Jae-yah? You have to get healthy before Homecoming. No matter what, I'm reserving a dance with you. X Minho._

I rolled a hand over my face to hide the blushes forming. How should I reply? 

Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to ask Minho for the dance. I mean, he was kind and funny and we got along... But then I thought to what Luhan said to me, about not counting him out just yet. Would the pack... would they want me to ask them? What did I want? I couldn't even begin to make a decision. I couldn't very well ask all of them to the dance now could I? The thought alone made me chuckle, shaking my head. I was presuming that they'd say yes if I asked them, and I wasn't sure whether that would be the case at all. They could all go with any girl they wanted to. I'd be lying if I said that the idea didn't bother me, but I was also realistic to know that boys will be boys and there were a lot of beautiful girls in the school that they could go to the dance with. 

_Ugh, what are you doing, Jae? Why are you even thinking about this?_

Taking another deep, relaxing breath, I closed my eyes and allowed myself to rest. 

_If this is what you call resting..._

My sleep was light and disrupted by flashing images that made my head spin. I couldn't find any rest, no peace of mind, and top it all off, I fully awoke with a start after having the sensation that I was falling. 

My entire body seemed to have been covered by a sheen of sweat. The blankets had fallen from the bed and I was covered in darkness. I felt like I was having a fever. I felt hot and cold at the same time, my dizziness making the room spin and my heart beat like I had been running a marathon. 

_Come on, Jae, pull yourself together..._  

I winced when I swung my legs over the bed, my shoulder seeming to cry out bloody murder as soon as I moved. "Ack! What the-?" 

I looked down on my shoulder and startled when it looked like the branches had started to reach to my neck.  _Holy crap!_ This did not look good at all. 

"Ow...shit," I cussed, trying not to touch it as I ran my hand through my messy hair. Trying to recover, I still groggily grabbed my phone to check the time and nearly fell off the bed. 

"Oh, come  _on_!" I yelled, seeing that I was late for meeting with the boys. I snatched my backpack from the floor and was about to run off, when I was reminded that my parents were probably home. I snuck past their bedroom and ran out the door. The night's air felt like a blast of cold air against my flushed skin and I shivered, but continued running. 

As I ran, I grabbed my phone to text them, feeling absolutely peeved that I overslept. 

_I'm a little late - sorry! I'm on my way!_

I panted as I continued running, thankful for my wolf senses to take over as it was strangely foggy tonight. I managed to run my way through the dark, clouded paths, trusting my instincts to guide me. However, in my less than healthy state and neverending grace, I still managed to trip over my own feet and fall over. Expecting my fall to be broken by the forest floor, I was once again surprised at my elegance as I rolled down the steep hill. 

This time, as I landed with a thud amongst the moist mist and damp earth, I couldn't get up immediately. My vision was blurred, and amongst the grey swirls of fog, I thought I saw hints of green float by. My body was sore and I was seriously reconsidering meeting the guys. 

_Ah, what's wrong with me?_

My muscles trembled and spasmed when I tried to get up and eventually, I lost the battle. That's when the panic and fear settled in. I lost my backpack while tumbling down, but I managed to grab my phone from my pocket. I gasped when I caught sight of my arm. The black branches from my shoulder had traveled down to occupy my arm and hand. 

"Oh my God," I breathed, inspecting it and yelping in alarm when I saw that the branches were still growing, still moving. Still trying to keep things together, I started calling for an ambulance, when I froze and lost complete control over my body. My body spasmed while I helplessly tried to regain myself. "Ah!" I cried out, feeling like I was slowly being cut open with a knife, the sensation causing me to throw a fit. My face was wet with tears and sweat, and no matter how I moved or turned, the pain wouldn't go away. 

It wasn't until I felt like vomiting that I got to my hands and knees, but even then I collapsed, trying to breathe. It was so hard too breathe...

Panting heavily, I noticed a silhouette approaching, waving the mist away.  _Thank goodness, maybe it's one of the guys..._

I narrowed my eyes, hoping to see who it was. I blinked.  _Kris? Luhan?_

"S-Sehun? Is that- is that y-you?" I asked, trying to get up, but failing. "I- I think I need some help," I tried to chuckle, but all that came out was a whimper. 

I looked at the silhouette as it steadily approached me, but was too late to realize that whoever was coming towards me, was not one of the boys. That became painfully clear when the scent of burning wood wafted my way and numbed my senses. 

"Oh, darling, you look like you need more than just a little help," a feminine voice purred as hazel green eyes came into sight. 

"Y-you! How- I mean, w-why are you h-here?" I stammered, every attempt I made to move away, failing. 

"Shh, shh," she hushed, placing her finger against her ruby lips. "Everything will be alright, I promise," her eyes lit up briefly, a fanged smile gracing her face. 

"What-," I took a sharp breath of air, still trying to move away. "What did you do to me?" 

"Shh, there, there," she whispered, starting to hum as she brushed the hair from my face. "From deep within my heart," she sang, "I infected you..." she giggled while I felt worse by the second, slipping away into unconsciousness, the pain becoming too much to bear.

_"Your entire body is trembling, the poison has already spread from your head to your toes...But don't try to fight it."_

_"Enjoy this kind of stimulation. So happy. I can't stop..."_

_"Too much- it's you, my love...An overdose."_


	67. ~ The Bargain ~

***

"She's late."

Suho pointed out anxiously as he looked at his watch. He rubbed his hands together for warmth, breathing out a cloud of smoke which added to the mist that had come rolling in. 

"Yeah, thanks for the update, Captain Obvious," D.O. retorted bitingly, earning a scowl from their leader. "She sent a text that she would be, right?" 

"But she's late," Tao interjected, "as in,  _really_  late." 

"Noona sent the text twenty minutes ago. You think she got lost in the fog?" Chen remarked, gazing into the thickness of the mist. "I nearly lost my way, too." 

"We should look for her," Kris then mentioned, saying out loud what the others had been thinking all along.

"What if we all go looking for her and there's no one around if she does arrive?" Chanyeol then questioned.

"I'll make a quick round from above. I'll see more that way," Kris replied confidentally, already set to take off. 

"In this mist? You won't see a thing," Luhan commented. "We should split up. Six of us stay here to wait for Jae in case she comes, the other six go out and look for her." 

"You don't think anything happened to her, do you?" Lay asked quietly, concern etched on his face. "She didn't look all too well." 

"Don't worry, you get to heal her once she's here," Xiumin reassured his younger brother, placing a hand on his shoulder. 

"So, who should stay and who should go?" Baekhyun then asked, snapping his fingers to produce a ball of light and dousing it again. 

"Kris, you should take Baekhyun, Luhan, Chen, Kai and Sehun with you and look for Jae. We'll stay behind," Suho then instructed. "The moment you find her, teleport back here. Luhan, keep the channels open so we can let you know if she came here on her own accord." 

Kris nodded and rounded up the assigned guys, but there were some that protested. 

"Hold on, why should they go?" D.O. prompted, Chanyeol and Tao nodding in protest beside him. 

Suho sighed before he turned towards the smaller teen. "Because Kris is fast and can soar through the woods in no time, same goes for Kai. Baekhyun can use the light to look for Jae through this fog, Chen can sense any security fences and disable them if need be, and Luhan's telepathy can act as a beacon for Jae, should she be in distress. In addition, if this mist becomes more dense, Sehun can blow it away. Any further questions?" he summed, watching a disgruntled D.O. 

"Well, you can't expect the rest of us to just sit around and do nothing," he mumbled, wrapping his green scarf tighter around him. Suho watched as he saw his younger brother briefly nuzzle it as subtly as possible, but everyone could tell that it had Jae's scent on it. She had worn it before, after all. 

He softened up and ruffled D.O.'s hair. "We're not doing nothing. We're waiting for her to show up. Chanyeol can start a fire so she'll know which way to go to, and we'll keep a lookout."

"We'll let you know as soon as we find her. Knowing her, she's probably wondering around lost out there," Kris stated, simultaneously trying to reassure himself and his brothers. "Why don't you guys see if you can reach her on her cell," he then suggested. 

"Oh! That's a great idea!" Tao immediately whipped out his phone and dialed her number. 

"Be careful and get back soon," Suho then told Kris. "We'll let you know if we hear something from her." 

Kris nodded and told his group to follow him. 

Kai adjusted the snapback he was wearing so it wouldn't fall off his head when he ran, when he noticed Sehun staring off into the distance, as though he was peering through the thick fog. Now that he thought about it, their youngest brother had been awfully, uncharacteristically quiet. 

"Sehunnie, come on, let's go," he urged, but the lanky teen didn't move. This drew the attention of his other brothers as well, and Suho heaved another sigh. 

"Go on, Sehun, you're not getting out of this one," he attempted to joke, but Sehun didn't even turn around to look at him. He kept looking around, his face scrunged into a deep frown of concern. 

"I don't like this mist," he finally spoke, holding out his hand as the mist swirled around it. 

"It's just the fog, Sehun, it happens from time to time. Now, come on, let's go," Kris called, though he was wary of his behavior. 

Sehun shook his head firmly, swallowing. "No. The air doesn't smell right," he said. 

"Guys," Tao then piped up in concern, looking at his cell phone. "Jae-noona isn't answering," he said a little breathlessly. 

"Doesn't mean anything, maybe she didn't hear her phone," Baekhyun tried, but he didn't sound too convincing. 

"We'd better hurry up and look for her then. The sooner we find her, the sooner we can laugh about this later," Kris suggested, but again, Sehun stopped him. 

"Wait, hyung. We should all go," he prompted. "There's seriously something wrong with this air. Focus and tell me that you can't sense it," he challenged. "There's something wrong- off balance. This fog- it's too dense," he struggled in explaining what he felt, but the distress in his voice told his brothers enough. 

D.O. squatted down and placed his hand firmly on the ground. The earth was moist, but when he made it move, the energy seemed to have weakened, as if it had mysteriously shifted and not necessarily for the better. 

"Sehun is right," he added, whilst looking at his hand. "There's something off." He looked at Lay, who was crouching down beside a fern to inspect its leaves. He frowned when Lay's hand emitted a gentle glow to heal the droopy leaves, but it didn't heal in full, which startled him. 

"Do you think it's the mist?" Kris asked, after having seen Lay's startled reaction. 

The boys looked around, with Baekhyun even trying to steer clear from the rolling fog. Kai turned swiftly around when he thought he heard the sound of branches breaking and he took a deep breath of air, allowing the scents of the night to overwhelm his senses. Being able to distinguish most of them, he shook his head in disgust when there was one particular scent that he didn't like. 

"Chanyeol-hyung, you're not burning anything, are you?" he asked, just to be sure. 

The tall teen widened his eyes at the accusation and lifted both his hands. 

Kai clacked his tongue. "Didn't think so," he uttered, rolling his shoulders while his eyes glowed a crimson red. He growled and snapped his head when he heard something approaching them from the fog. He was ready to pounce when out of the grey swirls of mist came a rottweiler, running towards them with her tongue wagging out of her mouth. 

She ran straight towards Xiumin, who was surprised to see the dog this far out in the woods. "Hey, girl, what are you doing here? You scared us," he knelt down to pet her, but the rottweiler whined and whimpered. Upon closer inspection, Xiumin noticed that the dog's eyes were unusually bloodshot and she was limping. 

"What's wrong with her, hyung?" Tao asked, carefully petting the animal as well. 

"I don't know," Xiumin whispered, scratching her ears in concern. "She doesn't look too well." 

"Hey, maybe the dog can lead us to Jae-noona," Chen then prompted, but tilted his head when he saw that the dog sank to the ground, panting. 

"What is it, girl?" Xiumin asked, stepping back a bit when the rottweiler lowered her head and started wheezing. She whimpered and fell to her side, pleading eyes looking at the twelve wolves. 

Xiumin's eyes widened at seeing the dog having vomited a dark substance. "Lay," he called and his younger brother quickly joined his side. 

"Omo! What's that?" Lay asked, carefully reaching to the substance before Suho grabbed his wrist to stop him. He moved his hand and saw some of the dark substance move. As Xiumin urged Lay to heal the rottweiler, the leader walked to a nearby stream, Kris and Luhan in tow. 

The water moved under his command, but unlike its usual crystal clear clarity, the water was murky- polluted. 

"What the heck?" he muttered at seeing the dirty water. Suho turned to Luhan and Kris to show them his finding. The older brothers exchanged glances, at a loss at what was going on. 

"We have to find Jae," Luhan said, while Suho nodded. 

"Quickly," he agreed, a look of urgency and anxiety on his face as he looked at his surroundings. Everything had been fine up until the point that the fog came rolling in and the whole world seemed to have started to disintegrate. 

"Suho-hyung!" Came Sehun's call and the leader responded, walking towards his brothers who had gathered around Xiumin and Lay, as the latter was healing the rottweiler. 

Lay was concentrated as his hands hovered over the dog, the rottweiler whimpering softly.

"We think she may have been poisoned, hyung," Tao said, looking worriedly at the animal. "Lay-ge says the source of her pain is her stomach. That's why she keeps coughing up that dark goop," he explained. 

"Poor thing," said Suho, taking a deep breath as he thought of what to do. He didn't like it that Jae still hadn't shown up either. The little hope he had of her simply walking up to them apologetically through the mist had faded. He ran a hand through his hair as he racked his brain.  _What the hell is going on around here?_

"Will she be okay?" Kris then asked, as he heard Lay muttering quietly to the animal. 

"No worries, doggie-ah, I'll take care of you," he whispered. "I think she'll be alright, gege," he said. "She was smart to come looking for us to help her." 

"She must've been wandering around and drank the water, or something," Kris replied. "I don't mean to rush you, Lay, but do you think you're almost done? We have to see what's keeping Jae. This fog is getting thicker and that isn't helping either." 

"Lay-hyung mentioned that she didn't look her best yet, right?" Kai then mentioned, looking antsy. "What if she just fell asleep to rest and get better and is still at her house?"

"How do you explain the text she sent, then? She said she was on her way, but running late," Baekhyun replied. 

"Maybe she ran to meet us and forgot about something and ran back to the house and something kept her there? Maybe her parents found out that she snuck out?" Tao tried innocently, because the thought of something bad having happened to Jae was making him feel panicked. 

"Let's at least check the house to rule it out before running through the forest for nothing," Kai suggested, sounding agitated to mask his true concern. 

A strong bark sounded and the rottweiler got to her feet, licking Lay gratefully for healing her. She barked a few times and wagged her tail, moving towards Kai as she nudged his hand. 

"You're not coming, girl," he said, petting her gently, but she didn't seem to want to hear it this time. She simply bit into the lower leg of his jeans and didn't let go. 

"Yah! S-stop that," Kai tried, but to no avail. 

"Guess we have an extra member for tonight," Suho stated. "Come on, let's go," he nodded at Kai, who took a deep breath. The black smoke was already surrounding the brothers when they huddled together and with a blink of an eye, they stood in front of Jae's house. It was quiet and dark, which wasn't that surprising, given the time of night, but it made the brothers doubt that she was there. 

"What now?" Chanyeol asked, standing on his toes to see if he could look through the windows for any movement. 

"Should we knock, or something? Throw pebbles at her window?" Baekhyun suggested. 

"And wake her parents? No way," Chen dismissed. 

"Well, what do you suggest we do then?" Baekhyun replied. 

"Argh, we're wasting time! Luhan, can you sense if Jae's there?" D.O. blurted, having no patience left. His older brother shook his head ruefully. 

"But that doesn't have to mean anything. I can't get into her head unless she grants me permission, remember?" 

The pack went quiet as they thought of a plan to check if Jae was there. Eventually, Kai grunted and cracked his knuckles. "Screw this," he cussed, walking towards a trash can and grabbing the lid. 

"What do you think you're doing?" Xiumin inquired, watching in mild astonishment as Kai held up the lid of the trash can as though it were a shield. 

"I'm going in," he said rather dramatically. "This way, if she's in there, she can throw anything she wants at me, but it won't hit," he waved with the lid. "Be right back," he breathed. "Just hope she's there." 

Kai disappeared in a poof of smoke while the brothers waited outside. They all silently hoped to hear Jae's cry of shock and outrage at seeing Kai uninvited in her room, but there came no ruckus, no chaos. Everything remained still and dark. There was no shouting, no sound of things being thrown, no angry Jae appearing in the window to gasp in exasperation at seeing all of them waiting for her in front of her house. There was no sound of a sweet voice scolding the living daylights out of them, accusing them of being stupid or insane for coming here, knowing that her parents were home, sleeping soundly in their beds- and the boys hated that silence. 

All of them sighed in disappointment when Kai returned without her, placing the lid on the trash can, looking dejected himself. "She's not here," he said out loud what they had suspected. "All I could tell from her room was that she seemed to have left in a hurry." 

"Which means that she's still out there, alone, by herself," Luhan mused. 

"We have to find her!" Sehun exclaimed in alarm. "What if something happened to her? Or what if noona got thirsty for some reason and drank from the same water that dog drank from?!" 

"Sehun, calm down, don't panic until there's legitimate reason to do so," Suho attempted to calm him down, but the problem with that was that he was sounding pretty worked up and panicked himself. If anything happened to Jae, he wouldn't know what to do. "Kai, back to the woods. Let's see if we can pick up her scent," he instructed. 

"Wouldn't it make more sense if we ran from here?" D.O. then argued. "If she happened to get lost somewhere, we might meet her on the path she took to get to the woods from her house. Not to mention that her scent will be easier to pick up." 

Suho nodded and saw no reason to disagree. "You're right, let's go," was all he uttered as they started the frantic search for Jae. Even the rottweiler seemed to have picked up what was going on and ran diligently beside the brothers, sniffing out the scent of the girl. She wasn't startled when they changed into wolves midway. It only made her want to run faster with them. 

They ran down the path Jae would take, her scent still fresh and strong. Along the way, however, the fog and diminished their sight and confused their senses. 

"The earth is stirred here," D.O. noted, back in human form. 

"Is there a trail?" Suho asked, while D.O. followed it until the ground curved down a hill, but the mist made it difficult for him to see. Without having to ask, Sehun blew at it, the fog dispersing, if only for a little while. 

"Hey, what was that?" Chen piped up. "Sehunnie, do it again," he instructed, the maknae quickly complying. Chen peered into the darkness and pointed at a dark shape on the forest floor. "There!" 

Without hesitation, the boys slid down the hill. Tao was first to arrive, running towards the silhouette Chen had made out before. 

"Jae-noona! Jae-noona, is that you? Are you alright? Jae- huh?" He stopped to look at the disregarded backpack, its contents spilled out. 

"That's Jae's bag, isn't it?" Kris asked as D.O. went to pick it up. The rottweiler sniffed at the material and walked at the scattered papers, looking for someone to go pick them up. Kai knelt down to gather them with Chen and Lay. The teen scanned them over quickly, frowning to himself when he recognized Jae's handwriting and found himself staring at a particular drawing of a dagger. 

"Find anything interesting, Kai?" Luhan questioned, but the younger brother shook his head, handing the papers over to D.O. so he could place them back into the bag. 

"Why would Jae-noona leave her bag like this? Do you think she fell from the hill and is unconscious somewhere?" Chanyeol then asked innocently, refusing to think anything negative at this point. 

"If her bag is here, then it should mean that she has to lie close to it. But there's no trace of her," D.O. stated bluntly, still looking around. 

The rottweiler, meanwhile, had resorted to whimpering softly, as though she wasn't very hopeful herself. She sniffed the wet earth to trace Jae's last whereabouts, walking around with her nose hovering over the dirt. Xiumin watched carefully to read the dog's reaction and silently nudged his brothers to watch as well. They held in their breaths as she perked up her ears and jerked up her head at a certain direction, as if she caught a scent. 

"What is it, girl?" Xiumin started quietly. "Did you get something? Do you know where Jae is?" 

The rottweiler turned around, wagging her tail. For a moment, she seemed excited, but then something changed in her demeanor as she looked back to the direction that had drawn her attention and the dog started growling, barking. Her fur spiked as she barked at the approaching entity from the mist, and the boys were on alert as well. 

"Who is that? Is it Jae-noona?" Baekhyun wondered out loud, peering into the fog. He started playing with a little ball of light in his palm, but Suho told him to douse it. 

"Last I checked," the leader started as he transformed easily into a wolf to disguise himself, the others quickly following his example,  _Jae didn't smell like burned wood._

Sehun was the last to have changed into a wolf when the entity from the mist revealed herself. Her eyes sparkled in mirth as she saw the pack of wolves, who growled and haunched down as they looked upon her, but she was not intimidated. 

_Kumiho,_ Suho hissed. 

"Oh, my, my. What a fortuitous coincidence," Miss Kumiho purred, letting her hazel green eyes wander over the pack of animals. "That I would run into a vicious pack of wolves at this hour! What is a helpless woman like me to do?" she sighed in despair, but her tone of mockery in her words were as subtle as a train wreck. 

The wolves made sure not to respond, and they stood their ground. 

_This woman really gets on my nerves! What the hell is she even doing here?!_ asked Kai, bearing his teeth at the smiling woman. 

_I don't know, but with her around, the best thing we can do is stay on guard and be cautious,_ Suho instructed, though he looked like he was ready to bite the woman's head off if she came too near.

_Do you think she has anything to do with Jae-noona being missing?_ Chen asked, keeping low to the ground as though he were ready to pounce her if necessary. 

_If that is the case, then I'm gonna-_ D.O., started as he growled furiously at the woman, drawing her attention as she looked straight at him. 

"You'll do what?" came her surprising reply. "Go on, finish your sentence," she urged, startling the brothers as she smirked and rubbed her hands together. 

...Did she-, Luhan breathed,  _I mean, you don't think that she can-!_

"Hear every word you're thinking?" she finished, chuckling as she dared came closer. "Oh, come now, boys," she huffed as they all instinctively stepped back when she approached. "Do we really have to continue with this tedious game? Don't tell me that you didn't have a bit of a hunch about me," she giggled, placing her hands on her hips as she stared them down. "There's no need for all of this hiding, and hostility," she purred, her eyes glowing briefly to prove her point. She grinned when the wolves were still too stupefied by her sudden announcement to even react. 

Miss Kumiho breathed and directed herself to Suho, tilting her head to the side as she inspected him. "Suho-sshi, is that you? There's no need for disguises, boys. I know exactly who each of you are. You'd be surprised how much we have in common," she said, her tone changing sharply as she uttered the last sentence, putting a threat inside of her words meant to intimidate them. 

Suho finally moved, taking a tentative step forward. 

_Suho-hyung, no!_ Tao warned, not caring whether the creepy woman could hear him or not. Suho turned his head and gave Tao a reassuring nod. 

Miss Kumiho showed a row of pearly teeth as she watched how Suho transformed back into his human form. She even clapped her hands together in mirth. 

"That's better," she commented, looking around the pack as the wolves changed before her eyes, one by one, her smile widening even further. " _Much_ better," she mused, looking them over with hungry eyes. They lingered on Kris as she licked her ruby lips, subtly lifting her eyebrow as she saw the young man glaring angrily at her. 

"Aren't you a big, bad wolf," she purred, pretending to be impressed when Kris' red eyes glowed fiercely at her and he growled, showing her his fangs. 

"Who are you?" Suho interrupted as calmly as he could. His voice was strong and determined, his stance confident and unfaltering. "How do you know about us?" 

Miss Kumiho smirked. "Such interesting questions to ask at a time of crisis, Suho-sshi," she breathed, chuckling lightly to herself. "Believe it, or not, but we're more alike to one another than you think. Do you all truly believe that you're special? Exceptional? Not at all," she mused. "We've been keeping a close watch on all of you, mongrels," she spewed. "It was difficult to locate you. You caused me quite a great deal of trouble," she continued, but the boys were none the wiser. 

"Locate us? Why have you been looking for us? How do you even know that we exist?!" Suho blurted, making the woman laugh. 

"Oh, do forgive me, Suho-sshi. I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's begin with the order of business for today, shall we? Before we start reminiscing and lose track of things altogether," she clasped her hands together. "Although, speaking of which," she mused, the glint in her eyes indicating that she wished to torment and mock them further. "How are the memories, boys?" she grinned devilishly when they startled. 

"I see I've hit a sensitive note," she immediately continued as they didn't react instantly. "Well then, let's see what will happen if I start pushing more buttons, shall we?" Miss Kumiho looked around the group and started pointing at each member. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven," she counted, "eight, nine, ten, eleven, and Suho-sshi makes a dozen!" she exclaimed as if the number was a miraculous feat. 

"Hm," she then hummed obnoxiously loud. "I do believe that there's something not quite right about the number," she tapped her finger against her lips, feigning having to think about it. Then, she snapped her fingers upon realizing something. 

"Ah, yes, of course!" When she smiled this time, there was a distinct darkness in her eyes, and a shift in the air that had the boys on alert. 

"There's someone missing," she taunted. "Lucky number thirteen, is it not?" she asked in feigned innocence. She chuckled when this got a reaction from the teens, and she could nearly feel the daggers they were shooting at her through their glares. She reveled in it. 

"What have you done to Jae?" Suho growled, his fist balled tightly to such an extent that his knuckles were white and his nails dug into his own flesh. 

"Poor Suho-sshi," Miss Kumiho tutted. "How dreadful it must feel for you, the guardian who was unable to guard one of his own. My, my," she breathed. "Such a shame. And you dare care yourself a leader?" she grinned as something broke in Suho's eyes. 

"Yah, enough of this crap!" Kai shouted, leaping towards her with the speed of light, ready to attack. 

"Oops, I don't think so," the woman stated as she evaded Kai's attack and slammed her palm against his chest, easily sending him flying backwards. 

"Kai!" Suho called out, running towards his brother as the teen started writhing in pain. 

"Y-yah! Stop it!" Sehun shouted at Kumiho. 

"What are you doing to him?! Leave him alone!" D.O. yelled, slamming his fist on the earth as it rippled towards her with terrifying strength and speed. The woman merely jumped back, unimpressed by the attack. 

"Hot-blooded much?" she mocked, waving her hand in Kai's direction as the young man stilled and took deep breaths. "See? He's fine, a picture of health. That's my little trick, you see, my vice, if you will," she explained as the brothers looked at her. "Poison," she clarified, beaming at them as if she expected them to burst out in applause. "What he felt was my beautiful poison, slithering through his veins, taking control of his body, killing every cell one by one until everything stops living. But I healed it, too. You shouldn't worry for him," Miss Kumiho told the wary boys as she briefly disappeared into the thick mist and they heard the sound of rustling. 

"If I were you," her voice resounded around them. "I'd worry- for  _her_ ," she finished and they exclaimed when Miss Kumiho returned and they heard a loud thud. 

It seemed as if the world stopped for that brief moment. Seeing Jae barely conscious, her skin riddled in black branches and veins, body twitching and convulsing out of pain, knocked the wind right out of the boys. Her name was on their lips. 

"Jae! What did you do to her?!" Kris yelled angrily, as the brothers rushed over to her side. Lay wasted no time as he frantically started to heal her and Miss Kumiho only watched, twirling a lock of hair between her fingers. She bit her lip in amusement at seeing the black veins disappearing, only to reappear with a vengeance. She stared at the healer, carefully studied his serious expression, read the hope, determination and despair in his eyes. 

"Tell me," she mused quietly. "What was it like to be at the mercy of a puny piece of metal?" she provoked, Lay's eyes flashing briefly at her, but not answering, concentrating on Jae alone. This, for whatever reason, infuriated her. Miss Kumiho clacked her tongue in derision and inspected her nails, picking the imaginary dirt from them. 

"You remind me of someone I know," she hissed. "Always with that bleeding heart. Ridiculous. I honestly cannot understand why you would so willingly lower yourselves in such a disgraceful manner. It should be obvious that people like us are far above the filth that walk this world," she uttered in annoyance. 

"Like us? You are nothing like us, lady! And if you know what's good for you, you'll leave, right now!" Kai growled. 

At this, the woman laughed and lifted her hands up in defense. "I'm sure that's true, but will it be good for darling Jae, as well?" she asked, her voice sickingly sweet. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Suho, standing in front of Jae and Lay so he could heal her without interruptions. 

Miss Kumiho directed herself at Lay. "How's the healing coming along?" 

Lay still didn't grace her with a reply, quietly keeping focused as a sheen of sweat covered his face, giving his all to cure her. He wouldn't give up. 

"Lay-hyung?" Sehun asked worriedly, gazing at his older brother putting in all of his strength to heal Jae. 

"It's-," Lay panted, refusing to stop, "it's not working," he breathed, the glow under his hands intensifying. 

"Of course it's not," the woman replied casually. "Did you honestly believe me to be so cruel-hearted to have poisoned this darling girl for sport? No," she shook her head, pouting slightly. "I needed to find some way to get your attention, didn't I?" she looked at Lay. "You can heal her all you want, handsome, but you won't succeed. I'm the only one who can cure her." 

The news caused a tense silence to fill the air, the brothers exchanging glances in frustration and confusion, trying to figure out what was going on. Lay had started panting, the exhaustion kicking in, but he didn't falter. He steadily continued to heal even though it hardly had any effect. Eventually, it was D.O. that stood up, stepping away from Jae as he directed himself towards the woman. 

"Then cure her," he stated, his voice trembling with emotion. His body was tense, rigid, and anyone who knew D.O. well enough, could tell that he was ready to explode. "Cure. Her." He demanded, emphasizing the words. When the woman only silently looked at him, waiting to see how he would react, he stomped his foot, causing a minor tremble that was strong enough to have startled her. "Cure her!" he shouted. "What do you want?!" 

"Temper, temper," Miss Kumiho finally tutted before smirking again. "That's exactly what we wanted to see. It's good to know that despite your faulty memories, there's nothing wrong with your-  _gifts_. Mr. Yok will be pleased. He's quite eager to meet all twelve of you. He's been waiting all this time," she spoke as though her words had any meaning to the boys. 

"Mr. Yok? Who the hell is he? Why would he want to- why did he wait-, argh! Who _are_ you?!" Suho finally snapped, which the pack took as a sign to get ready for battle, should it get that far. They stood in a half-circle in front of Jae, with Lay still focusing on trying to heal her on his own accord, standing tall and ready for anything. Chanyeol's hands were already covered by a gentle layer of flames, while Chen's fingers were encircled by purple sparks of lightning. 

"I'm someone with a proposition," Miss Kumiho replied, her hazel green eyes shining. "I will provide the cure, safety and well-being of Jae-sshi and in return, I ask all of you to grant us whatever we may need from you." 

"A bargain?" Luhan questioned skeptically. "And what may that last part entail, exactly? What even makes you think that we trust anything you say?"

"You don't have much choice, do you, pretty boy? It's very simple. Agree to do whatever we may ask of you - without protest - or, leave precious Jae-sshi to her fate. I can tell you right now," she feigned in concern, "it's not going to be pretty."

They all responded when Jae gasped in pain, turning their heads to witness the poison destroying her body.

"You were never after Jae-noona, were you? All of this was set up because it was us that you wanted," Sehun uttered in disgust and disbelief, the hurt and anxiety clear in his expression, the tone of vulnerability proving again that he was indeed the youngest of their pack.

"Mr. Yok has been keeping tabs on you for a long time. All that we needed was confirmation. Our meeting had always been inevitable, boys," Miss Kumiho elaborated plainly. "Now, you don't have much time. I need an answer. Do we have a deal?"

"Why this way?" Suho asked, breathlessly. "Why not just come to us to ask, why are you doing this?"

"Please, would you have even confirmed it if I accused you of being wolves? That you knew magic? Besides, I fear it's a bit more complicated than that, Suho-sshi. Now, I need an answer. Do we have a deal? Jae-sshi's safety for your compliance? Or will you allow her to die, instead?" she threatened, startling them when she waved her hand and Jae yelped out in pain. The sudden attack had somehow awoken the girl, and she started to utter protests against striking a bargain with Miss Kumiho.

"D-don't listen t-to h-her..." she panted, fighting hard against the pain. "S-s-she'll hu-hurt you," she managed to utter in a voice weakened by the poison and the torment it caused her.  

"Oh my, how noble," Miss Kumiho prompted sarcastically. "It appears that you've found your speech again, darling. Let's remedy that, shall we?" she exclaimed, balling her fist and watching Jae writhe helplessly, her screams of agony filling the air. 

"Stop it!" Lay shouted, his voice uncharacteristically rough. "Enough! Don't hurt her!"

"We'll do whatever you want," Kris filled in, though he said so reluctantly. He looked at Suho and the leader had very little choice but to agree. 

"Just leave Jae alone. If your business is with us, then she shouldn't be involved," he added, as the screams stilled.

A triumphant smile played on the woman's lips when she heard the answer, and a wicked gleam appeared in her eyes. "I suppose you make a fair point, Suho-sshi," she remarked, noticing the defeated, angry looks on the boys' faces. "Though, having said that, it's rather difficult to not involve Jae-sshi in this, is it not? She's a witness to all of this and I'm not quite sure I like that," she balled her fist again, hearing Jae cry out in pain.

She laughed at hearing the brothers' startled outbursts, their pleas to spare her. "Just joking, boys," she purred. "Where's your sense of humor? Now then," she clapped her hands. "Since we've come to an agreement, I'll let you know when Mr. Yok wishes to meet you. Should you fail to comply after we've struck our bargain, make no mistake that I'll know where to find you. Should you attempt to flee, then know that I won't spare darling Jae's life a second time," she said coolly. "Of course, telling anyone about this would be a terrible mistake indeed. You go on with your lives as if this world is still right, is that understood?" 

"At least tell us what you want from us. Why is this Mr. Yok figure so keen on meeting us?" Suho demanded to know, but of course he was denied a straight answer. 

"My, my," she mused instead. "You really don't remember a thing, do you?" she said, raising suspicion. Miss Kumiho dismissed it. "Never mind, it'll come eventually, but hopefully by then, all the hard work has already been done."

"Start making sense, will you?!" Chen blurted. "And heal Jae-noona!"

"You first," she stated. 

"You want us to go see this Mr. Yok guy, now?!" Xiumin asked in annoyance, but the woman only snorted. 

"That moment will come soon enough. And what did I tell you about asking questions? You agreed to comply as part of the bargain, to do whatever I ask of you. All I need is one string of hair from each of you."

"Our hair? Forget it, lady, you think we're stupid, or something?" Baekhyun spat out. 

"Ah, very well. In that case, say goodbye to Jae-sshi," Miss Kumiho waved at the suffering girl, her outcry so heart-wrenching it brought panic to the brothers. 

"No! Stop! I'm sorry," Baekhyun immediately called out. "Don't hurt her," he said as she collected what she needed from them. Satisfied at the collection of DNA, she smiled widely once more, though her eyes could not have looked emptier. "Wonderful. I knew that we could come to an agreement together, boys," she rubbed in, reveling in the fact that they were helpless in doing anything against her. She enjoyed that kind of power. 

"We did our part," D.O. said. "Now you do yours." 

"Yeah! Heal her!" Tao shouted, unable to mask his frustration and anger. 

Miss Kumiho gave a lopsided grin before she side-eyed Jae. She dramatically kissed her finger tips and blew a kiss her way. The girl lost consciousness and her body had stilled. 

"There. She'll live," she said coldly, turning around on her heels. "It was nice doing business with you, boys. I look forward to our next meeting," she gave a small wave and winked at them before disappearing into the mist, leaving the pack of young wolves annoyed and infuriated, confused and anxious. 

"What the hell was all of that about?!" Kai shouted. 

"I don't know," Suho replied, running his fingers through his hair. "Right now, I don't care," he said bluntly, turning around to check on Jae. "Did she really do it? Did she heal her?"

"Jae-yah?" Lay asked tiredly, gently shaking her shoulders. 

"Jae, open your eyes," D.O. commanded, far less patient and less tender, for that matter. 

"The veins are disappearing," muttered Xiumin. "I think it's working." 

"Jae, can you hear me?" Luhan asked softly, but the girl gave no reply. 

"We're taking her home," Suho then said, looking dejected, and frankly, like hell. 

"Um, shouldn't we discuss what just freaking happened, hyung?" Chen prompted. "Is it just me or does anyone else have a severe need for a proper explanation and a pair of new underwear?" 

"Not now, Chen!" Suho snapped. "Jae's safety comes first. We'll worry about the rest later," he reprimanded. "Kai, get us out of here." 

What would have been a night of clarity and explanations, a night of questions possibly getting answered, turned into a nightmare. The boys realized then that their peaceful lives were never meant to be eternal. They should've known better than to believe that they could live in peace and quiet while possessing such exceptional gifts. It was a bitter pill to swallow. 

No one spoke a word when they brought Jae home. They put her to bed, silently hoping that by tomorrow, everything would be turned back to normal. Except they knew now, as they parted ways to go home themselves, that nothing would ever be the same again. 


	68. ~ Deep Breath ~

***

_So...What now?_

I've lost track on how many times I've escaped certain death. At this point, the only thing I was concerned about was when my luck was going to run out. I had no illusions about that - it  _was_ going to run out at one given point and there won't be anyone around to save me. 

I didn't remember much about what happened after  _that woman_  crossed my path. I fell in and out of consciousness, knowing only pain and the constant feeling as if something was weighing me down. I faintly picked up on the fact that the pack was with me at one point, and I heard their voices echo in the distance. But  _that woman's_ voice was always loud and clear. She was in my head, shouting and laughing, driving me insane. When I heard what she wanted, why she did all the things she had done, I felt even sicker, and it wasn't because of the poison that was coursing through my body. 

_She knew._ She knew all along, and for whatever reason, it were the boys that she was interested in, not me. I was a pawn that she played with very well, using me to get to them. I got played. And you know what? I'm pissed off. She may think that her goal had been achieved, coercing the guys to do whatever she wanted them to do, using me as bait. She kept me alive because they accepted her deal, and most likely, she'd expect me to be afraid of her, to bow down to her power.

The only thing she did was make me angry. Was I scared? Sure, but not of her. I was scared because I didn't know what her plan was - still don't, which irked me even more. But what was even worse in my experience, was the fact that I was absolutely and unequivocally at her mercy. I couldn't fight back. All I did was whimper and scream as she did whatever the hell she wanted with my body. I loathed how easily she managed to break me and the audacity of _that woman_  to use me against the guys! How dare she?! How could _you_ allow something like that to happen, Jae?! 

_Argh! Screw this shit!_ I was furious! Yes, at  _her,_ but at myself as well! If it weren't for my stupidity and carelessness, my embarrassing weakness - none of this would have happened! Maybe I would've still been sick like a dog, lying around like a vegetable in my bed, but at least then the boys wouldn't have been put in that situation.  _That woman_  was dangerous, any doubt of that has evaporated, she was dangerous and sneaky, and the boys were made vulnerable because of her! 

_Because of you._

I took a deep, painful breath as the anger made way for the agonizing pinch of guilt and I felt like ripping my hair out of frustration. This was maddening. All this time the guys thought that it was me they were supposed to protect, but it was the other way around. _All this time_. What was going to happen now? 

None of this made sense! It hadn't made sense since the beginning and now... Was the white wolf wrong? Was it a ruse? A trick of the mind planted by  _that woman_  to throw me off balance? Because, damn it, she succeeded if that were the case. I'm in over my head, I know, but what else could I do? Give up now and let the chips fall where they may? Was I honestly  _that_ selfish? 

_Hell no!_

_That woman_  just unleashed all the furies of hell and beyond for messing with me, with  _us_! You hurt one of the pack, you hurt all of us and I am not going to let that slide.  _That woman's_ stupid smirk, her hellish eyes, that creepy voice sweetly cooing and pouring honey over her venemous words... _Infuriating!_ I demand justice, damn it! I'll smack that smug grin off her face, I'll get her one way or another, and when I do- 

"I'm going to kill her!" I heard the low rumble of a growl reverberate in the back of my throat, the anger rising like an unstoppable tidal wave. I probably would have gone wolf mode then and there, had I not reminded myself that was in the middle of a class, with my classmates staring in bewilderment at me. 

I gazed back around the room, eyes wide and cheeks flushed crimson before I let out a nervous chuckle that ended in a whimper. I sank back in my chair, attempting to make myself as small as possible. 

"Well, uh, thank you for the sudden contribution, Jae. I know that the female praying mantis isn't the most friendly of lovers in the animal kingdom, but that's nature for you. A leopard can't change its spots, a hungry female praying mantis can't stop herself from devouring her mate for nourishment. Nature is cruel, but we can comfort ourselves in thinking that the male at least died happily," Mr. Tabi explained, which got the class laughing.  

The bell rang, signaling the end of the lesson, and also, to my relief, that of the school day. As I got my stuff back in my bag, I was painfully aware of the many empty seats in the class room. 

Lili tapped my shoulder and gave me a playful nudge. "Hey, are you okay? What was that about?" she asked, giving a giggle. "You sounded really upset when Mr. Tabi told us that the praying mantis eats her mate after they made love. I didn't know you were so sensitive for that kind of stuff, Jae-yah," she grinned. 

"Oh, uh, yeah, I got a little too carried away, Mr. Tabi is a good storyteller," I lied, trying not to look her in the eyes. Lili nodded and gazed at me, trying to catch my attention. 

"How are you feeling today, Jae-yah?" she then asked. "You've been quiet all day. Do you need to visit the nurse's office?" 

At this, I shook my head and puffed up my chest, smiling at her. "No, I'm good, thank you."

"You remember your promise, don't you? You said you'd take better care of yourself," she warned strictly, pointing her finger at me. 

I chuckled. "I know, don't worry, I'm fine," I assured her as the class became empty and Mr. Tabi was still left behind, cleaning up. 

"Are you concerned, too?" Lili suddenly asked and I blinked at her. 

"Huh?"

"The Majestic Twelve," she murmured a little shyly. "It's a bit suspicious and worrying that none of them are here today," she mused. "Do you think they're alright?"

I stared blankly at her for a moment, to keep my emotions under control. "Sure," I lied, feeling guilty. "Why wouldn't they be? Lay was sick the other day, right? Maybe the others caught whatever he had before," my voice cracked the last moment, but Lili was too lost in her own thoughts to have noticed. 

"You're probably right," she nodded, biting her lip. 

I readjusted the strap of my backpack and we both headed out the door. 

"Oh, Jae, would you mind staying a moment? I'd like to have a word with you," Mr. Tabi suddenly called and I froze in place. 

"Uh, oh-kay," I replied, smiling reassuringly at Lili. "I guess I'll see you later, Lili," I greeted. She nodded and reached out for a quick hug. 

"Take it easy, Jae-yah. Let me know when you get home," she greeted and left. I took a deep breath before turning around to meet Mr. Tabi. 

"Do you mind closing the door, Jae?" the biology teacher instructed and I clicked it shut before walking back inside the class room. 

"Before you start, Mr. Tabi, I am sorry for the sudden outburst," I quickly apologized, "I got too carried away," I attempted to grin, but he only smiled politely, taking off his glasses and leaning against his desk. I pursed my lips together and stared at my feet. 

"How've you been, Jae?" he suddenly asked, his deep voice soothing and calm. 

"I'm fine," came the short reply, even smiling at him to prove my point, but Mr. Tabi simply looked at me with his almond-shaped eyes and I could tell that he could easily see through me. Mr. Tabi was a good teacher that always looked out for his students, and in this case it was unfortunate, since I couldn't lie to him. 

"You look like you're fine," he agreed. "But something tells me that you're not. Not really, at least," he remarked gently, without judgement. "I've noticed that you're rather absent during classes, you're physically here, but your mind isn't, which became more evident today with your little outburst," he said, gesturing for me to take a seat in the front row opposite of him. 

I complied, tucking my hair behind my ear and putting my back down on the ground. My mind was already spinning to see how I could get out of this situation. Mr. Tabi meant well, but I can't tell him anything. I had to protect our secret, had to protect the boys. I wish I could protect the teacher from  _that woman_ , as well, but saying something bad about her might raise suspicions. 

"So," Mr. Tabi started, rubbing the back of his head, looking at me. "Talk to me. What's going on with you lately?" 

"Nothing, sir," was my automatic reply. "Everything is fine," I added. 

Mr. Tabi said nothing, only waited for me to say more. I hated this. I can't stand silence and it appears that he was aware of that. "I feel much better compared to a couple days ago," I quickly said. "I'll try to pay more attention to lessons, I promise. I guess I'm just still a little groggy." This wasn't good. I was nervous and rambling and Mr. Tabi, cool, calm Mr. Tabi caught onto that. 

"Still feeling dazed, huh? Like you still haven't woken up?" he questioned and I startled at his choice of words. 

"Uh, y-yeah, something like that," I nodded. "But, again, I'm sorry for blurting something out like that during class, and I promise I'll do better," I quickly said, wanting to leave.

"I believe you," he said quietly, scanning me up and down. "Why are you so nervous, though?" he then asked, looking a bit amused. 

"I thought I'd be in trouble," I made up, looking at the door. "I'd like to leave, if you don't mind, sir. Rest up properly, and all of that," I reached for my bag, but Mr. Tabi stopped me. 

"Of course, Jae, it's just there's this other thing that I'd like to ask you about," he then continued, my heart racing a mile a minute. "I don't know quite how to put this, but...Well-," he mused. "I believe you, first of all, I can imagine that you're still on the mend, given what had happened. But something is still bothering me a bit." 

_And this will be the part where I forget to breathe..._

"You're not in trouble, are you, Jae?" he inquired out of the blue and I nearly fell out of my seat. 

"T-trouble? How- how do you mean, sir?" 

"Well, it's probably nothing, but I thought I'd ask. You're pretty close with my boys from the Science Club, aren't you?" he asked, referring to the twelve. "It's just that I'm a little worried. It happens that they get sick, I mean we're all people here, but to have all twelve of them absent is a bit suspicious," he confided, sounding genuinely concerned. "If something happened," he then continued, "and you happen to know something about it, then I hope you'll allow me to help you in anyway." 

_Someone shoot me_. Seriously, it sucked enough that I was already having guilt trips towards the boys, but to see this man so concerned and willing to help out his students was driving me insane. I wanted to tell him everything, especially with those pleading, wide eyes that could melt the arctic. I mean, wouldn't it be so much easier if I had someone to confess to? But, I couldn't. I. Couldn't. Say I did spill the beans towards Mr. Tabi and say that he believed every word. What would happen then if  _that woman_ found out that he knew? What if she'd hurt him as well? I couldn't be responsible for that, too. The less any outsider knew about what was going on, the better. I had to grow stronger. 

"Jae?" Mr. Tabi called when I took too long to answer. "Is there something going on?" he asked again. 

Every fibre of my being wanted to shout ' _YES_ ', but I firmly shook my head.

"Not that I know of, sir. It's very sweet of you to be worried, though. I think the boys just caught the flu from each other. They spend an awful lot of time together, after all," I shrugged, feeling nauseous for being able to sound so casual, while in truth, I was just as concerned as he was - if not more. After waking up in my own bed without so much as a scratch on me, I texted them, but got no reply. I tried contacted each of them, but there came no response. I didn't know where they were, which was why I wanted to leave as soon as possible so I could look for them.

_Those dorks better be safe, or they'll be sorry!_ If anything bad happened to them-,  _no. You're already driving yourself insane, Jae, you are not going to think negatively._

"You're sure?" Mr. Tabi gave me another look of worry and I nodded. 

"Positive. I'm actually going to visit Suho and Lay to drop off their homework." I may sound cheerful, but God, I felt like bawling my eyes out. I spat out lie after lie and I was becoming fed up. 

"Ah, well, that's a bit of good news then! Make sure to tell them I said hi and wish they get better soon," the young teacher said, while I was more than happy to oblige as I got up from my seat and reached for my bag. 

"Yes, of course, sir! I'll let them know," I said in a hurry, swinging my bag a bit too roughly over my shoulder, causing it to hit the side of a desk and, of course, the zipper slid open due to the impact, spilling the contents to the floor. 

"Oh crap," I muttered, quickly gathering my stuff. 

"Oops, here, let me help you with that," Mr. Tabi offered, while I embarrassedly muttered a thank you, randomly shoving my belongings into the backpack. Mr. Tabi had picked up a bunch of papers, and I didn't think much of it until I noticed that he wasn't handing them back to me. Frowning, I watched him for a moment, looking at one particular piece of paper, his expression serious. 

I gasped audibly when I realized what he was looking at and I felt like smacking myself. How could I be so stupid to not have realized sooner?!  _Holy crap on a stick, Jae! When did you become such a careless idiot?!_

In a panic, I snatched the paper away from him, wincing when I saw that it was the drawing of the dagger he'd been staring at. "S-sorry. I have to go, see you later, Mr. Tabi," I muttered, hurriedly heading towards the door, but Mr. Tabi beat me to it by holding my shoulder to prevent me from taking another step. 

"What was-, where did you get that drawing?" he questioned, unlike his usual suave self. 

"Oh, uh, nowhere. I mean, I drew it- for...art class. It's an art project, that's all," I blurted, chuckling sheepishly and turning back to the door, but Mr. Tabi wouldn't let this slide. 

"Hold on, Jae. Where did you see that dagger before?" he demanded to know, his deep voice suddenly sounding a bit angry, which startled me. He immediately relaxed upon seeing my reaction and Mr. Tabi cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to scare you, Jae. But, this is important. Why would you draw a dagger like that? It's very detailed. Have you seen it somewhere before?" 

There was no reason for me to be suspicious of Mr. Tabi making a big deal out of this, was there? Then, how come I hesitated when I looked at him this time? That dagger was a piece of the puzzle to unlocking the answers that the pack and I have been looking for. I knew that E.T. Corp possessed the dagger I drew, but with Mr. Tabi working there part-time as well, and seeming alarmed at me knowing of its existence, made me a little wary. 

_Would it mean that this dagger was somehow important after all? But why? What made it important? And why would E.T. Corp have it?_

"It's just a dagger, Mr. Tabi. Nothing important," I dismissed. "Why? Does it look familiar to you?"  _Oh, looky here, my nose is bleeding..._

"Jae," Mr. Tabi started, sounding strict. "Where did you see that dagger?"

I swallowed as I looked at him.  _Why does it matter to you?_

"Did your father show it to you? He can get into trouble if you show that drawing around, Jae. It's company property," he then elaborated.

My breath was a bit shaky when I replied. "I-I understand. I'm sorry, I'll get rid of it." It sounded better to admit to this than to deny it all over again. What did Mr. Tabi know, after all? Of course I wasn't going to get rid of it, but he didn't have to know that. "I'll think of something else for art class," I added to make it more believable, meanwhile feeling despicable as well. Things were going great!

"Okay. Take care of yourself, Jae. Get some proper rest, huh?" he patted me supportively on the shoulder and gave me a wink. I nodded and quickly bolted out of the door, taking a deep breath of relief. It seemed as though my entire body had tensed up and there was no way for me to relax until  _everything_  was resolved. But man, where was I supposed to start? 

Another gasp escaped my lips when thunder clapped loudly outside and the rain poured mercilessly from the clouds as though it was trying to compete with Niagara Falls for best waterfall. 

"You're kidding me," I heaved a sigh. "Of course. Why not? It's not like I didn't bring an umbrella with me," I grunted sarcastically. How was I supposed to go look for the guys in the pouring rain? What was even up with the weather lately? It seemed so much more erratic, and I don't remember the weather forecast saying that it was going to storm again today. 

Clacking my tongue, I grabbed my cell phone and opened the group chat. I had sent messages earlier today, but no one had responded to them, not even to the messages I sent to them privately. 

_You guys don't honestly think that I actually believe you all to be sick at the same time, right?_ I typed, feeling peeved. _This sucks. You guys told me that a pack is there for one another, no one is alone. Did you lie?_ I bit my lip as my thumbs tapped the glass screen of my phone as though they were possessed.  _If you're angry or upset about what happened the other night, at least have the balls to confront me about it, don't you dare give me the silent treatment! I made a mistake. This was my fault, but I'm owning up to it. Have the decency to come out of your hiding places - please,_ I added, so they know that even though I was scolding the living daylights out of them, I didn't mean it to sound crude.  _I'm tired of playing games. I want answers, and I think I might get them, but I can't get to them alone..._ I sighed. 

_At least say something so I'll know you're all safe. I swear to cow if something happened to any of you, I'll hunt you down, patch you up and kick your butts all over again, you know that! ..._ _Guys...where are you?_

I hoped that the message would provoke enough to get at least one or two people to respond, but it remained annoyingly quiet. 

A flash of lightning outside was followed by an earth shattering blast of thunder, that resounded in my chest and drew the attention of the other students in the hallway as well. 

"What the hell was that?"

"I've never heard thunder this loud before..."

"That sounded close, do you think it hit a tree or something?"

"What the heck is going on? Is it the end of the world? Did we miss a memo?"

"It's been like this for a couple of days now, sudden storms, earthquakes and now this downpour of rain, too..."

"Damn, how am I supposed to get home in this weather?" 

All of the voices filled the hallways as people looked outside of the windows and I was no different. I thought back to the conversation I had with the white wolf, thoughts of the black snake entering my mind.  _End of the world...no way..._  

Screams and startled outcries then filled the air as the lights suddenly went out, showing how dark the day had become. The sound of the clattering rain outside paled in comparison to the roaring thunder and whipping winds. 

I checked my phone again, but there were still zero notifications.  _Fine then. I'll go look for them myself._

After a quick visit to my locker, I braced myself and took deep, steady breaths before forcing my feet to move, right into the rainstorm. 


	69. ~ Thunder and Lightning, Very, Very Frightening ~

***

The rain fell from the sky as though an army of Angels were weeping. The drops crashed unto the earth in a fast rhythm, drumming on the pavement, on windows and roof tiles. The water rolled down the green leaves of tall trees to such an extent that hiding underneath these quiet giants brought no shelter from the rain. 

The wind swept through the waterfall from the dark skies, blowing them in every direction to ensure that nothing could stay dry. In addition, the lightning struck in timed out intervals, illuminating the sky before making way for the inevitable roar of thunder. The last lightning bolt that crashed through the grey clouds seemed to have caused the major blackout on the entire island. It almost seemed as though the lightning and thunder wanted people to remember that their power could not be tamed. Nature's electricity was wild and free and could not be stopped by something so trivial as a blackout. 

To see nature do its work without letting anyone or anything stop it, was rather terrifying. No one would think less of a person for staying inside where it was warm and safe. But staying inside would also mean that Nature's wild beauty would be utterly missed. 

Most people hated storms. Lightning and thunderstorms in particular. But Chen, he loved them. He loved watching the rain fall, the lightning bolts in the sky, the sound of thunder. To him, it was a beautiful orchestra, playing a brilliant symphony that no one could replicate because each storm was different, each storm was unique Hence, no song was ever the same.

Of course there were implications with storms like these and Chen was no fool. People feared them for a reason and they were right to do so. However, the fact that these storms were dangerous never stopped him from going outside to enjoy them. He honestly didn't mind the downpour of water, or the biting cold sting of the wind. He liked how the water beat against his skin, though the wind could get annoying, he always felt refreshed by it somehow. And the thunder and lightning -  _oh man,_ that was his scene. While normal and sane people stayed away from lightning, Chen always sought out every way possible to get closer to it. He wanted to get struck by lightning because he knew there was no better feeling in the world. The way every fiber in his being sparked and tingled without ever hurting him, how it energized him and allowed him to play with this raw force of nature was amazing to say the least. Lightning never hurt him. It embraced him. And Chen's way of hugging back was to zap the lightning back into the air, creating effects in the light and intensity that made the air literally buzz and crackle with mesmerizing electricity.

It was therefore not entirely surprising that he was outside at this very moment, to watch the storm rage while simultaneously clearing his mind. 

Suho had called in an emergency meeting after their encounter with that creepy woman, and decided that everyone should stay low while they figure this out. Which unfortunately also meant that they shouldn't contact Jae-noona out of fear for any possible repercussions. None of them wanted a repeat performance of seeing Jae like that, but Chen had been one of the brothers that protested against Suho's decision. Sure, he was always down with not having to go to school, but not if that reason was so they wouldn't have to see Jae. 

Even though they called in sick at school, they met up at Suho's place secretly, since he lived in the more isolated part of the island in one of the biggest houses. His parents weren't home anyway, and his older brother couldn't be bothered less with what his kid brother was up to. Chen had to put in a bit more effort himself to get out of the house without his mother finding out. In the end, he bribed his older brother to cover for him just in case. He had second doubts whether it was worth the twenty bucks and the weekend's worth of having to do his brother's chores on top of his own, though.

The pack came together to try and figure things out, but they all agreed that it felt wrong to do so without Jae. Suho then made a point that Jae got into danger in the first place because she knew them. She was close to them and that brought her trouble. Chen understood what Suho was trying to do, but protecting the girl this way wasn't the answer. he tried telling the leader that no one else was to blame except for that woman, but at the same time, he was aware that Suho only acted this way because the cruel words uttered by that woman against him, had hurt him bad. Suho was questioning his leadership abilities and no matter what they said to convince him otherwise, he didn't believe them. 

Chen pushed his wet hair from his face as he breathed in the scent of wet earth. He looked behind him to see the Kim mansion in full glory, standing firm and strong amidst the storm. He had walked through the vast garden to stand on a green hill that could oversee the entire property. He just needed to get out of the house. 

Things had become tiresome when everyone started to argue, up to the point that they weren't even having a discussion anymore. Everyone just ended up actually fighting. Chen tried to remember when he had seen D.O. so angry before and found that he couldn't really recall. Kai, surprisingly, sided with D.O. on the matter of keeping in touch with Jae. Apparently the kid finally turned around and had started to see the girl as a full-fledged member of the pack, which Chen could appreciate. 

Things heated up when Suho forbade everyone to reply to Jae's messages and even though they complied, they didn't necessarily agreed in full. At the same time, they weren't sure what to do instead, either. Truth was, they were scared. All of them. Scared for their own safety, and that of each other's. They had never been threatened like this before because all this time they thought that there was no one that knew about their secret. And now it turned out that there were people who, in fact, knew. People who seem to know a great deal more than them, even. No wonder they were all on edge. 

It was a ridiculous situation they were in and Chen still wasn't sure what had happened. Recent events threw them off balance for sure and Suho's overreaction was obviously a result from the whole ordeal, but none of them knew what to do. 

Were they in danger? Had they brought Jae in danger? Would it truly be safer for her to break all ties with them, or would that only make matters worse considering that it would mean that they have left her vulnerable?

Chen took a deep breath, turned to face the wind and screamed. He screamed out his frustration and confusion, his agitation and anxiety. It helped to make him feel just a bit better, but he knew it didn't solve any of their problems. For a brief moment, he wished that things could go back to what they were before. When Jae joined their pack, and they just had fun, and the only thing he had to worry about was how to avoid detention when playing pranks on teachers and schoolmates. 

When he felt his phone buzzing from the inside pocket of his jacket, he was reluctant to check it. Jae-noona had sent him messages and it literally hurt for him to not answer them immediately. Chen wasn't sure whether he had enough strength and discipline left to keep from answering if she had sent him more messages. 

Ignoring the vibrations for now, he gazed up at the sky with the best of his capabilities since the rain made it harder for him to keep his eyes open. Then, he surrendered and closed them while feeling the air slowly thicken with electricity. His fingers tingled, small bolts of lightning sparking from his fingertips. Tiny bulbs of white formed and sparked around him. Chen heard the world quiet down in anticipation of what was coming and he smirked when a bolt of lightning crashed through the sky and slammed right onto him. The buzz of electricity swirled around his body and Chen played with the lightning, staying unharmed and smiling. He was a beacon of sparking light amongst the darkness of the storm and he made sure to enjoy the feeling when the thunder came and sent more flashes up into the sky. 

Maybe it wasn't helping much in terms of lessening the storm, but Chen didn't care at the moment. He let out another sigh when his phone buzzed again, and he thought to himself how buying a custom-made rubber case was one of the best decisions he made in his life. He chuckled when he saw that the battery was fully loaded, but his elated mood sobered when he saw the notifications. 

"Don't do it, Chen. You know what Suho-hyung said. You know how he feels about this. Don't do it," he muttered strictly to himself when he found his finger hovering over the screen. He had used his jacket to shield it from the rain, holding it underneath the clothing. 

He bit his lip when he saw Jae's screen name -  **Jade-Mi**  - and squeezed his eyes shut. 

"Nope. You've already decided, Chen, you're not gonna look," he stated firmly, the phone in his hand as he looked away. He didn't move for about three seconds when his thumb moved and he pressed to open the messages anyway. 

"Whoops, look at that, my finger slipped! Oh no, what an unfortunate accident! Yah, who would've seen this coming?" he yelled loudly, keeping an eye on the mansion in the distance, where he knew his brothers were individually blowing off steam as well. He sighed to himself. 

"You're an idiot, Chen, but it's a good thing you're already aware of that," he muttered and eagerly read the messages Jae sent him personally. 

He chuckled and shook his head when he read the messages she sent to the group chat. Here was another wolf that was on edge and agitated. He smirked evilly to himself when he imagined what it would be like if he pitted Jae-noona and Suho-hyung against each other in a fight. He was pretty sure Jae would win. That girl was something else. Instead of asking them worriedly where they were or telling them how she hoped they were alright, she scolded them and threatened them!

Then again, Jae was a wolf after all. _Tough love was the best kind of love_ , Chen then decided. The teen didn't even flinch when a strong gust of wind picked up and forced him to brace himself for balance when he went to check on the messages she sent him privately. 

_Twelve messages._ Was that a lot? How many did she sent the others?

**Jade-Mi** :  _Chen, are you there? What happened?_

**Jade-Mi** :  _Can you let me know you're okay?_

**Jade-Mi** :  _What's with the silent treatment? No one is answering my texts! Yah, I know you're not really sick, Chen! Reply!_

**Jade-Mi** :  _You're angry at me, aren't you? Don't shut me out. Let's get everyone together and talk Please?_

**Jade-Mi** :  _This is none of your fault, you know. I should've stayed home when I felt like crap...Send me something, so I'll know you're alright. No one has said anything yet and it's starting to freak me out!_

**Jade-Mi** :  _YAH! If this is some kind of prank from your part, Chen, I'm going to kick your butt! It's not funny!_

**Jade-Mi** :  _Where are you? Please don't tell me that that woman did something to you...CHEN! Respond! If you don't want to talk to me that's fine, but just give me something so I know you're not in danger and there's no need for me to play superhero to swoop in and save the day._

Chen gazed at the messages with a sad smile, seeing the cursor blink in anticipation for him to type something. 

_I'm sorry. Don't worry. We're fine, noona,_ was what he wanted to say, but his fingers didn't move. He sighed dejectedly, letting the rain beat against him. He was soaked to the bone, but despite of it, he still felt the hairs on his arms and back of the neck rise when lightning struck not all too far off. 

He turned around and walked down the other side of the hill, so that the Kim mansion disappeared behind him and a massive lake appeared before him. The water waved and crashed violently at the mercy of the storm and seeing the water like that brought some worry to Chen. The lake came into existence many years ago as a result of a natural earthquake. It once was a river, until the earthquake created a landslide dam, and now, that dam kept the lake from overflowing. It was amazing to Chen how terrifying the water seemed in the storm, while he remembered having fun near that lake during the summer. 

A lazy smile appeared on his face as he reminisched about his carefree, childhood days. Chen jolted slightly when the thunder drummed loudly in the sky, as if it was telling him not to daydream during a time like this. 

" _Araso_ ," the teen muttered, clacking his tongue. "You're not going to stop anytime soon, are you?" he asked, whilst looking at the sky. Another lightning bolt crashed in response and he chuckled. "Didn't think so." 

Chen tucked his phone in his pocket, feeling guilty for not responding to Jae, but he couldn't blatantly disrespect Suho's wishes either. "Ah," he groaned. "What to do?" Just thinking about her confused him at the moment. He wanted to protect her, to keep her safe, but he didn't know how. None of them really knew how. If only they knew what was going on. That would help immensely! But... Where to start looking? That woman? Chen shuddered just thinking about it. He was brutally reminded that she took samples of each of their DNAs and he didn't want to think what she could do with it. 

Then again, it made him curious. That creepy woman seemed to know something about them, seemed to know exactly what was going on. Was she really like them, as she said? Then, why was she so cruel? Who was she? What did she know? Why would she ask them how their memories were? Was she a part of those memories? 

_No way,_ he shook his head. He would've remembered someone like her for sure. Chen startled. Wouldn't he have remembered someone like Jae-noona for sure as well, though? 

_Ahhh, Jae-noona, why do you do this to me?_ he whined to himself, rubbing his chest like he was aching there. "What should I do?!" he yelled to the sky, the symphony of the storm reaching a crescendo, causing his scream to sound like a mere whisper. 

Chen thought that he had lost his mind for sure when he thought he could even  _smell_  Jae. The delicate, gentle scent of jasmine vaguely tickled his nose, a sweet and pleasant smell that had no place in the fury of the storm. 

He coughed when he inhaled, getting water up his nose. Pushing his hair back and rubbing the water from his face, Chen braced himself and started walking towards the path, just to make sure he was imagining things. There was no possibility of Jae wandering all this way in this storm, was there? School had finished about an hour ago, she was probably home. 

_Unless she was crazy enough to go looking for us,_ he swallowed. Suho and Lay were in her year, in her homeroom, which meant that there was a possibility she knew their addresses. Chen shook his head. No one in their right mind would walk all the way to the Kim mansion. Suho gets to school every day by car because the trip is too far to walk on foot. Maybe it was doable if one was, let's say, a wolf, but in human-form, in this weather? 

_You'd either had to be stupid or stubborn to think you could make this far,_ Chen was about to turn around to head back to the mansion, playing with the lightning as he zapped a few bolts in the air, when his ears picked up a squeal behind him, coming from the woods. He blinked and peered into the distance. This time when the thunder roared, he threw his head back in frustration. 

"Yah, shut up for a moment!" his body was briefly surrounded by electric sparks as the thunder quieted down faster than usual. His heart started beating faster as he picked up a soft voice. He frowned and squinted his eyes, brushing the excess of water from his face. 

"Hey, who's out there?" he called out. "You shouldn't be out here, this is private property!" he threatened, which wasn't necessarily a lie. The Kim family owned this whole patch of land, lake included. 

"Chen? I-is that- ack!" 

The voice cut off into a squeal and that was when Chen pushed away his feelings of hesitation and ran towards the gentle voice. A gale of wind pushed him back, but Chen strongly ran against it, keeping his balance until he was out of breath and panting, leaning against a tree trunk for support. He shielded his eyes to be able to keep them open and felt his heart thumping anxiously when he saw a young girl helplessly bracing herself against a tree to prevent from being blown away. She crushed her eyes shut at the sound of thunder and lightning. 

"Jae-noona?! What the heck are you doing here?!" Chen exclaimed, walking towards her, shaking his head at the girl when he noticed that she wasn't even wearing a jacket. She looked like a drowned cat, hugging a tree. He immediately covered her against the gust of wind by shielding her body with his as he stood behind her.

"Chen!" she called out helplessly, tugging at his heartstrings. He sighed and clacked his tongue. 

"Come on, noona, it's okay," he said, wrapping one arm around her as he guided her through the storm, and out of the wind. They arrived near a row of giant cedars and Chen picked out the oldest one, whose trunk seemed to have been carved by nature and time itself. The tree seemed to be completely undisturbed by all the ruckus around it and appeared to welcome the two teens into the hollow of its trunk. 

Chen felt his ears popping at the sudden silence and shook his head and body to get rid of most of the water. Jae did the same, looking terribly worn down by the weather. The girl was shaking, panting and desperately hugging herself to stay warm. Despite of this, Chen was surprised to see the fire in her eyes, and despite her discomfort and obvious fatigue, Jae was spitting that fire straight at him. Not wanting to be thrown back by the girl, he firmly, though nervously, stood his ground, puffing up his chest and lifting his chin slightly. 

He cleared his throat and took the upperhand while he had it. "Noona!" he started firmly. "What do you think you're doing? Going out in a storm like this?! Don't you have any regard for your own health and safety?!" Chen felt pretty proud of himself for being able to stand up to her, but then again, it only came natural for him to want to scold her. He only did so because he cared. And Jae was absolutely insane for being out here on her own.  _Poor girl must've walked all the way here...It's amazing the wind hadn't swept her up and taken her away..._

"What were you even thinking to walk all this way by yourself, noona?" Chen continued when she had remained silent. "What if you fell or got yourself injured? Yah, did you know that there are mudslides here too, especially with all this rain!" 

Maybe he was pushing it, maybe he was overstepping boundaries, but Chen thought he was in the right to scold her. She should know better after all, and truth be told, he kind of thought it was fun to be able to reprimand Jae-noona for once. A smug grin appeared on his face when Jae still hadn't said anything, but too late did he find out that the reason for her silence wasn't because she felt bad. Chen swallowed as Jae's eyes darkened and the atmosphere seemed to simmer in something dark, something terrifying. Chen witnessed how Jae turned from a regular teenage girl - to an  _angry_ one. 

"What was I thinking?" Jae started, and Chen was already flinching, backing up slightly. "What was I  _thinking_?! Well, lets put my thought process under a loop, shall we? Hm, perhaps if a certain group of teenage boys would respond to all the freaking messages I had sent, I wouldn't have gone to look for them in this freaking storm! How is that for an answer?" she replied bitingly. 

"Y-yah, noona! You can't blame us for that, we-,"

"Oh, you can bet your butt that I can, Chen!" Jae interrupted, and he regretted taking her into the safety of the cedar tree. The ground here was covered in branches and rocks that she could easily throw at him. He stood with his back against the wall as he was already preparing himself in case she started throwing stuff at him. 

"You guys disappear like that from school, don't let me know what's going on or where you are- you think that helps anything?!"

"But it was S-Suho-hyung, noona," Chen started, leaning back when Jae stepped forward.  _Why are teenage girls so scary when they're angry? They're scary enough when they're not..._

"Suho?  _Suho?!_  Oh, he'll get a piece of my mind as well, don't you worry about that, but you're stuck with me right now, buddy, and I want answers! What made you think that it was okay to just disappear from the face of the earth like that, huh? Did you honestly think that I was going to let it go? Of course I would look for you!" she raged, flinging her arms around. "We're a pack, aren't we? So why would you think that you'd go through fire and water for me, but I wouldn't face a storm for you?! _B_ _abo!_  And why do you keep flinching?!" she blurted in agitation while Chen tried to make himself smaller, which wasn't easy considering that the hollow of the tree wasn't that big and if he stepped a foot forward, he'd stand toe to toe with Jae. 

"Because, when you get angry, you have the tendency to throw things, noona," Chen answered honestly, already shielding his face in case she'd do it. 

When nothing happened, he peeked at her, and it appeared as though she had calmed down somewhat. "Dork," she mumbled, but her tone was inifintely more gentle, so Chen worked up a beaming smile at her and lowered his arms. He grinned even wider when he saw that seeing his smile made Jae chuckle before she rolled her eyes. She obviously was still trying to stay angry at him, but was failing. 

"What are you smirking at? I'm not done with- ACHOO!" Jae sneezed and Chen was just in time in preventing himself from cooing at her at hearing the sound. 

"Noona, here," Chen removed his equally wet jacket, but he thought it was better than nothing at this point. The girl sniffed as she watched him cover her with the wet piece of clothing. He smiled brightly because now he knew that there was no way for her to stay angry at him now. 

"T-thank you," she said meekly, looking at her feet. "What about you? You're going to get sick," she pointed out, noticing that he was wearing a very drenched, very clingy, black tank top. 

"Nah, don't worry about it, noona. Storms can't get to me," he showed her his hand as little sparks of electricity slithered over it. "Lightning, remember?" he winked conspiringly. 

"Ah, I see. I don't suppose there's anything you can do about the storm, is there?" she asked, and Chen bit his lip while shaking his head. 

"Sorry. This is nature's work. Can't mess with it. It's heavier than usual, though," he glanced outside and there was so sign of the storm laying down any time soon. "Can't remember the last time it rained so much for so long," he mused. 

Chen looked to his side when Jae came standing next to him, and it was only now that he became aware to how closely they were squeezed into the hollow of the cedar like this. His skin came into contact with the jacket around her shoulders, but he could feel her body heat radiate from it. And that was when Chen felt the nervousness kick in. He wished he could go back out into the storm, where it was loud and no one could hear what he would be screaming anyway. The silence inside the shelter of the tree was too nervewracking. 

"A-are you okay, noona? Is this better?" he asked quietly, briefly touching the jacket over her shoulders, only so he could catch a bit more of her warmth. 

Jae nodded and tightened the jacket around her, the scent of fresh jasmine floating in the air, mingling with the scent of the old cedar tree. Chen's senses were on overdrive, but he managed to control himself. 

"I'm sorry I yelled at you," she then said softly. "But you get why I'm angry, right? You could've at least said something," Jae muttered quietly as Chen admired the soft blushes appearing on her cheeks.  _See?_ he thought to himself,  _tough love_. 

"I'm sorry, too, noona. I'm sure we all are, but we're in panic-mode. That's why Suho-hyung ordered everyone to stay away from you, for your own sake, just for the moment," he elaborated and stared at her. How was it possible that she looked like a drowned cat, but still seemed so beautiful to him?

Chen startled when Jae suddenly turned to meet his gaze, tiger-like eyes watching him curiously. "What is it?"

"Oh-ah...uh," he scratched the back of his neck. "D-did you really mean what you said, noona?" he quickly thought up. "About facing a storm for us?" 

Jae chuckled and nudged him softly which made him laugh quietly, too. "I'm here, aren't I?" 

"Fair enough," Chen conceded, shuffling with his feet when the silence overwhelmed him again. He never really was good with silences, he always had the urge to move around, to talk, to sing, to joke and tease. Silences made him feel uncomfortable. That was probably one of the reasons why he liked storms so much. There was no room for silence there. 

"So," he started, popping his lips. "How did you know that we were here, noona?" 

" _We_ , huh?" she side-eyed him and he winced. "I didn't know that you were  _all_  here," she answered, looking him straight in the eyes. "I just thought I'd check on Suho first since I got his address. I thought of going to see Lay, but then I figured I'd try the leader first, just in case. Guess my hunch was correct. Didn't know that he lived so far away from the school, though," she complained, which made Chen snicker. 

"I have to say that I'm impressed you made it this far, noona. A lot of people wouldn't have done what you've done," he commented. 

"You mean a lot of people wouldn't have been so stupid to undertake the trip," she corrected, giving him a lopsided grin. "I'm glad though, that I went. At least now I know you're all safe and not at the hands of  _that woman_ ," she remarked, pulling a face as she almost spat out the last two words. Coincidentally, the thunder rumbled and the two looked up at the sky. 

"I'm sure you were very worried about the others," Chen nodded, but was met with Jae frowning. 

"And you, too," she answered casually, though her reply made his cheeks feel hot to the touch. He felt so ridiculous for suddenly feeling so giddy. 

"Really?" he asked innocently, and Jae looked at him in disbelief. 

"Of course, Chen, don't be silly," she said. 

Chen smiled brightly and looked outside again. "So...you don't want to go out and find the others?" he asked cautiously. Jae shrugged. 

"I do, because we seriously need to talk," she answered straightforwardly, "but for now that can wait. It's nice to be out of the storm. Kind of strange how quiet it is in here while outside it's- well," she gestured forward and Chen nodded in assent. 

"I don't like silences myself, noona," he blurted and Jae chuckled. 

"I've noticed. You can't even stand still, can you?" she pointed out with a smirk and Chen laughed, purposely wiggling around to relieve his own tension. 

"Can't help it, noona. I'm always buzzing with energy," he joked, waving around with his hands covered in lightning. "I don't know. I guess I'm naturally restless, always on the move," he added a bit more seriously, looking outside instead of at Jae. 

"I get that," she nodded understandingly. "I'm not fond of silences either, but, I don't know, I guess it can be pretty nice if you share it with someone you're comfortable with. And there's something peaceful about being at quiet places while the rest of the world is in an uproar." 

Chen blinked before he looked at her. Jae wasn't looking back this time, she only glanced outside, unconsciously moving closer to him when the lightning flashed.  _Peaceful silence...sharing it with someone you're comfortable with. Is Jae-noona...I mean, does she mean, me?_ He shook his head at the outrageous, preposterous, absolutely ridiculous thought. 

He peeked at her from the corner of his eye.  _And yet..._  he smirked to himself. He was aware of the silence between them right now, but for once he didn't feel the need to fill it. He's never been this quiet for so long before with company other than his brothers. Chen wasn't sure what they should do now. Do they wait until the storm was over? That could take hours and they were soaked to the bone. He was fine, but Jae might catch a cold. He made a decision then. Even though he was younger than Jae, he was still the man, plus he was taller and liked to think he was physically stronger as well, and so, it was his duty to take care of her. If he thought about it long enough, it was more or less his responsibility to do so, considering that Jae wouldn't be in this mess if his brothers and himself had responded to her messages. 

"Noona," he started, shyly reaching out towards her hand, surprising her. "Suho's house is nearby. We should go there," he decided firmly, using a tone he hoped she wouldn't protest against. But this was Jae-noona, of course she would open her mouth. 

"Um, Chen, have you seen this storm? We'll both be blown away before we could reach the house," she chuckled, though she did grab his hand which sent pleasant jolts through his body. 

"Don't worry, noona," he said enthusiastically. "Chen-Chen is here to protect you. It's better than staying in the cold like this. If you get sick, then I'll get the blame for sure," he added. "Please? I promise I won't leave your side. You can hold onto me!" 

"I don't know, Chen, it looks rough out there," Jae hesitated, biting her lip and tugging at his hand a bit. 

"Yah, noona. Do you trust me?" he asked, realizing very well how childish he sounded. "You trust me, right?"

His heart stuttered happily when Jae grinned at him and leaned closer towards him. "Nope," she answered, but her eyes were filled with playfulness, so Chen didn't even startle. 

"Well, too bad, I'm all you got at the moment. Come on, you hold on to me, okay?"

The moment they set foot out of the safety of the gigantic cedar tree, Chen felt a slight pang of regret. Alright, maybe not. It was true that he thought it rather worrying to see Jae struggling in the storm like this, but it caused her to cling to him more, which he didn't mind at all. The wind blew harder though, and the rain fell in buckets. It was no surprise that both of them lost their footing while climbing up the hill and no matter what they did to keep their balance, Chen found himself rolling down the hill with Jae-noona in his arms. He did his best to protect the girl from the impact of the ground, but it still resulted in him landing on top of her. 

"Jae-noona! Are you okay? Are you hurt? I'm sorry," he immediately apologized, scared that the girl might be injured. To his surprise, she started laughing, a little ball of sunshine in the midst of a hellish storm. 

"Chen, this is crazy! What were we thinking?" she chortled, as he couldn't believe what he was hearing and seeing. What was with this girl? He was sure girls got angry and upset when they fell and got dirty, but why was Jae laughing?  _Wae?! I can't explain what I feel, and it's confusing!_

The world seemed to be moving in slow-motion and Chen felt like he was losing his mind. They were in the middle of a heavy storm for God's sakes, but all he could think about was what it would be like to keep Jae-noona close to him forever. Where he knew that he could keep her safe from all harm. He wondered what it would be like to have her smiling and laughing always, where no pain or sadness could ever touch her. Was that strange to wish that for someone? 

"Chen? Are you alright?" Now it was Jae's turn to be worried, but he kept quiet for once. As if in a trance, he was unable to stop himself to reach out and brush her wet hair from her face so that her eyes were clearly visible. He let out a breathy gasp when she cupped his cheek to inspect him. "Did you hit your head?" 

"N-noona," he started, feeling nervous. "Um, I-I, that is, uh, I-," he was cut off brutally by the sound of the crashing waves of the lake in the landslide dam nearby and whatever moment of opportunity that presented itself, had passed when Jae broke eye contact to look at the lake. 

"Chen, we should probably move," she started, but he still only had eyes for her. "Chen! I'm serious!" Jae grabbed his cheeks and turned his head so he was looking at the lake as well. 

"Ah, noona, don't worry about that. The lake gets that way during heavy rainfall, it's normal," he reassured. 

"Oh, I see. So, the dam is supposed to break then?" she asked as he helped her get to her feet. 

"Yeah, it does it all the time- wait," Chen froze and sharply turned around to look at the lake, his eyes widening at the sight of the water spilling over and escaping through the cracks of the natural levee. "What?! Oh, crap!" he cussed, tugging at Jae's arm. "Noona, we have to go!" 

"Oh my God," Jae exclaimed as they struggled to ran up the hill. "Chen, that lake is huge! If the dam breaks..." 

Chen understood what Jae meant as he racked his brain, but there was only one thing he could come up with. He grabbed Jae's hand firmly and pulled her with him. 

"Where are we going?!" she shouted over the wind, but even then her voice sounded so quiet and gentle. 

Chen quickened his pace when he thought he heard something heavy creaking and cracking behind them. "Suho-hyung, noona!" he yelled, and Jae immediately understood. Tightening her grap over his hand, she ran swiftly beside him as they hurried over to the Kim mansion. 

Behind them, atop the landslide dam, stood a lone snow white wolf, watching solemnly at the pair running off to get help. It ruefully watched the world slowly destroy itself and jumped away before the dam would break- and along with it, the wolf's hope. 


	70. ~ Overwhelmed ~

***

Chen's strong and warm hand felt like a reassuring anchor amidst this crazy storm. At one point I grabbed it with both my hands and he still managed to easily pull me along, making it easier for me to keep up with his pace. 

I wondered whether I should tell him that when I turned around just now, I thought I caught a glimpse of a white wolf watching us. He'd probably think that I was starting to hallucinate things due to being knocked around by the storm too much. 

Because we were somewhat in a state of emergency, i hardly had the time to gawk in awe at the gigantic mansion that loomed up in front of us. Chen and I kept each other balanced as we ran up the slippery, sleek black, granite stairs that lead up to a set of heavy ebony doors. Chen pushed against them with remarkable strength, considering the wind was fighting against him. His biceps flexed as his shoulders tensed. His tank top had desperately stuck to his body and let's just say that it left little to the imagination. 

That was apparently the thought I needed to wake up from my daze and decided to help him. 

"Together, noona!  _Hana, dul - set!_ " Chen counted, and we pushed. The door swung open not long after that, and I stumbled inside, letting out a startled gasp as the doors closed shut with a furious bang behind us. Chen wasted no time and started calling for Suho, his name echoing throughout the magnificence of the mansion. Honestly, its appearance reminded me a lot of our school and I felt a little embarrassed that I was dripping water all over the shiny floor. 

As I gathered my wits and made a poor attempt to straighten up my appearance, Chen was still screaming for Suho. I knew the kid was loud, but wow, his vocal chords are no joke. They must be massive!  _Like his biceps..._  I cringed and mentally slapped myself, purposely looking away from soaked-to-the-bone Chen and put my attention elsewhere. I successfully located a window and glanced outside. The rain slammed against the glass as though they wanted to break in and that wind...

I jumped slightly when Chen's voice boomed behind me, putting the rolling thunder outside to shame. 

"YAH! SUHO-HYUNG!" he yelled, and I cringed. 

"Chen, maybe we should go look for him instead? This place looks huge, he may not hear you,"  _though I find that hard to believe,_ I added silently to myself. Seriously, I think I popped my eardrums just now. Suddenly I was reminded that Chen was an avid member of the music club, and with his voice, I wouldn't be surprised if he was a vocalist. 

"We don't have time for that, noona. This place has too many rooms. This is faster, trust me," he said gently before turning around swiftly to shout for Suho's name over and over again like a freaking siren. Still, I couldn't help but chuckle slightly as I covered my ears, seeing Chen turn red by shouting so loudly. 

It didn't take too long after when one of the doors opened with a loud bang, an angry Suho appearing in sight. 

"Chen! What the heck is wrong with you?! Do you wanna die?!" our fearsome leader spat out, followed by him examining his younger brother from head to toe. "You went outside?! I told you not to, did you not see the storm raging outside,  _babo_!" he fumed in disapproval of Chen's ragged, soaked appearance. 

"You'll be happy I did, hyung," the younger teen answered a bit out of breath. "We need you to hurry. Get the others as well; it's the lake," he explained a bit chaotically. I was standing further away, only vaguely nodding at whatever Chen was saying, while suppressing my own agitation at the culprit who forbade everyone to communicate with me. It seemed like he hadn't even noticed me standing here.  _Rude_...

"The lake? What's wrong with the lake? And- what do you mean, "we"?" Suho questioned and I took this as my cue to step out. 

"Hi, Chopped Liver, at your service," I piped up bitingly, sarcastic smile on my face. Suho looked at me like he's never seen me before. His eyes went wide, and to my surprise, he looked concerned first before that changed into agitation. 

He turned around sharply towards an innocent-looking Chen. 

"Chen...!" he started warningly. 

"Don't you dare blame him, Kim Joonmyeon!" I retorted before Chen had a chance to open his mouth. "You think that radio silence was going to scare me away? If you bounce back each time I throw you away, why would you think I wouldn't bungee jump right back towards you as well? If you want to be angry, blame yourself!" 

Suho looked shocked for a moment, before the wolf inside of him emerged, the old Suho that I once knew appeared before me. The Suho that wanted me to stay away when we didn't know each other that well. He had been pleasant and more himself around me lately, but I came to realize that I somewhat missed the banter I had with old, grumpy Suho.  _You want a fight, right now, wolf-boy? Bring it!_

"Jae, you need to leave," Suho said, his red eyes gleaming furiously at me. 

_Oh. No. He did not!_

"Um, guys, I  _really_  don't think that this is the right time for-,"

"Shut up, Chen!" we exclaimed simultaneously, glaring at each other. He let out a soft groan, but kept quiet.

"Don't you shine those red eyes at me, buddy," I retorted, feeling my energy awaken as well. Something told me my eyes had shone a golden amber, but Suho didn't step back when I stepped forward. "You don't have the right to be upset with me being here! What did you expect? You think abandoning me is helpful? In what world is that helpful?!"

"And what right do  _you_  think you have to barge into my house after knowing that we specifically stayed away from you for a reason?!" he growled stubbornly back.  _Argh!_  Honestly, sometimes I was confused about Suho's identity. Was he a wolf or a mule?!

"Are you kidding me right now?! I walked through a freaking storm to find you!" I exclaimed. 

"No one asked you to, did they?" Suho yelled back. "Go back home!"

My eyes went wide with astonishment and anger. "And do what?! Pretend like none of this is happening? Pretend like I don't know you, hm? What do you think there's to gain for abandoning me, Suho?!" 

"Your safety, Jae!" he shouted, his voice bouncing off the tall walls in the large foyer, the silence that ensued was so sudden that all we could hear was each other's heated breathing. The atmosphere changed, as did Suho. Had he been filled with rage and obstinance at first, he now looked a bit defeated. And not the good kind of defeated, which would result in me feeling triumphant for winning an argument, but the awkward, serious kind of defeated. The one that made my own rage douse away to be replaced by feelings of regret. 

"Kris-hyung, Mommy and Daddy are fighting again," Baekhyun's voice suddenly broke the silence in an attempt to lift the mood, but it was ill-timed. 

"Shut up, Baekhyun," Kris replied quietly, firmly, but gently. While Suho and I had been arguing, the others had gathered in the foyer, probably to see what all the ruckus was about. I was so focused with yelling at Suho that I hadn't even noticed that they were standing there. It seemed that the leader didn't realize until now, either. 

"Your safety," he repeated softly. "What else could we do? We thought we knew something, but we know nothing, and after what happened to you, only because you care about us and we about you- it was unforgivable, atrocious! If I'd been an adequate leader..." he trailed off, letting out a deep sigh. I watched Suho as he avoided making eye-contact and heaved a deep sigh myself. Why was it so hard for me to just stay angry at these guys?

Looking at Suho, I recognized myself in him, from not so long ago. The guilt and the burden were clear on his face and it was difficult not to sympathize with him. Strange how the roles became so reversed so quickly.

"You're an idiot, you know that?" I started, doing my best to keep a straight face when I was met with Suho's lost puppy-look. "This was no one's fault. You're seriously going to let _that woman_  win by allowing her to scare you and drive us apart? If anything, wouldn't it make more sense that we stick together to stay strong?" I hope I was speaking gently enough to show Suho that I wasn't scolding him. "I mean, I know I'm the weakest member in the pack, but at least give me a chance to prove myself before you decide to throw me out," I added more lightheartedly, which got a small smile out of him. The silence in the room now, was luckily not as tense as before. Did it mean that we settled things now?  _Hm, kinda waiting for an apology here..._  But maybe that was pushing it a bit,  _hehe._

"And on that note," Chen shuffled towards us, hopping from one foot to the other to signal his impatience and urgency. "Hyung, noona, the lake!" 

My eyes widened again when Chen reminded us why we were here in the first place. "Oh, crap!" I exclaimed. 

"What's all this with the lake then?" Suho asked Chen, in a tone of that of a father merely doing his child a favor by pretending to take him seriously. 

Chen audibly clacked his tongue. "Hyung!" he whined. "This is serious! You have to come with us!" Chen grabbed Suho's hand, but his older brother didn't move a step, thinking he was pulling a prank. 

"This isn't a joke, Suho," I started, when the leader had started chuckling at Chen's attempts to pull him along. 

"What's going on, Jae?" asked D.O., who seemed happy to see me. 

"When we were outside, the dam of the lake was leaking. I think it might seriously collapse," I explained quickly as Xiumin and Kris looked out the window. 

"Sheesh, it's that bad outside?" Kris muttered, Lay curiously coming to his side to take a gander as well. 

Tao stood on his toes behind them while leaning on Xiumin, his mouth slightly agape when he saw the rain pour. "But that dam's been there for years. It's never broken before, noona," Tao interjected. 

"There's a first time for everything, Tao. That dam looked like it was going to bust open any minute," I looked at Suho. "You coming?" I extended my hand towards him as a sign of reconciliation. He blinked back at me, that dorky grin appearing on his face as his skin was dusted with a red hue. He nodded and was about to accept my hand when another hand appeared out of thin air. I was taken by surprise as Sehun clamped his hand around mine, turning me away from Suho. 

"I'll come with you, noona," Sehun stated, a wide smile on his face as he led me to the door. 

"Oh-kay, Sehun," I muttered, a little overwhelmed. 

"Yah, Sehunnie..." Suho mumbled behind us, though he followed as did the others.

I thought I had gotten used to being knocked around by the storm, you know, considering that I'd been walking through it for a good hour or so, but it seemed the storm had worsened. I was grateful for Sehun holding onto me, and the boys in general having somewhat huddled close together to brave the storm. Kris stood behind me, towering over me and giving me the support I needed to keep steady. Everyone got soaked in no time and even though Sehun managed to divert most of the wind away from us, it often came knocking us back down again. There simply was no battling with nature. 

"Whoa! What in the world?!" Suho shouted over the howling wind and I was stunned myself at seeing the excess of water already flooding the part where Chen and I had fallen before. The landslide dam creaked and protested at the wild water it was trying to contain. 

"There's too much water," Luhan noted, trying his best to keep his eyes open. "We need to call the authorities, Suho!"

"There's no time for that," the leader shouted, stepping towards the water. 

"Suho, don't be an idiot! You can't solve this! If you fail, this whole place will be under water!" D.O. yelled. 

Suho turned around to look at his younger brother, glancing briefly at me. "I won't be doing this on my own," he replied, a determined look on his face. "That dam is going to break any second! When it does, I'll try to stop the water. D.O., you'll have to try and strengthen the dam, do what you do best," he instructed. "Tao, you act in case of emergency. If I'm too weak to stop the water, support me, try stopping it in time, can you do that?" 

Tao blinked at his brother and gave a firm nod, despite of the worry in his eyes. 

"Heck, all of you are on reserve if this doesn't pan out the way I planned it," Suho chuckled at his brothers, before facing the dam. 

"You're insane, hyung!" Chanyeol shouted. "You can't expect this to- I mean, you've never done something like this before!" 

"We can do this!" Suho said, placing his hand on a nervous D.O.. "We have to try," he stated, but it was obvious that all of us were nervous. I bit my lip while my leg twitched. The way Suho took the reigns and remained so calm in a dire situation was admiring, and there was no doubt that he was the leader. The concern and anxiety everyone was feeling now, wasn't because they didn't trust him. It was because they cared about him and didn't want him to get hurt. 

I gasped when the dam broke, slowly, but steadily, unable to protect us from the tsunami wave that rolled towards us. To make things extra dramatic,-  _because, hey, why the freaking heck not? -_ , the lightning clapped and the debris of the broken dam were the first things that rushed towards us. 

It felt like all of us were suddenly thrown into a bad disaster movie. As if standing outside in the middle of an apocalyptic storm wasn't enough, we were staring at a steady river racing towards us, bringing with it chunks of rock and mud, fallen trees with huge branches and thick trunks. The noise alone was enough to make a person sink to their knees at such massive, unbridled destruction. 

To put it simply: I was scared out of my mind. Kaka in nine colors, I swear to cow! Still, despite of my fear, I forced my feet to stay planted on the ground. I refused to move an inch. It was dangerous out here and the consequences were fatal, should Suho - for whatever reason - fail. But I had faith in him. I had faith in all of them. So, I stayed. 

I watched in awe as the wave rolled towards us, and I let out a startled shriek when Suho moved his hands and another wave from the opposite direction crashed against it. With this wall of water, Suho pushed the oncoming wave back. It was like witnessing a clash of titans, battling it out. I wasn't surprised that Suho's eyes gleamed red. He needed all of his strength for this. 

"D.O., now!" Suho said with a strained voice. The smaller teen nodded, his eyes already glowing as he took a firm stance, the earth beneath him rippling and waving like the water Suho so desperately tried to stop. 

I fell against Sehun when the earth quaked and luckily for me, the maknae put his arms protectively over me to keep me from losing my balance altogether. I felt breathless as pillars of mud and stone rose from the rushing waters, like awoken giants being called up to arms to defend their territory. 

As impressive as this was, I could tell that both Suho and D.O., were struggling. They could only focus on their task and couldn't permit shifting their attention elsewhere. But, as I soon came to witness, that was where the rest of the brothers fit in. 

Kris noticed how some of the debris were moving rapidly towards us. A large, uprooted tree eagerly approached as it rode the waves to squash us like bugs. I felt the urge to turn around and run, but still kept standing where I stood.

"Huh?" I exclaimed, as I saw how the water and the debris couldn't touch us. It clunked against something - an invisible force field that protected us...? As I looked around, I saw Lay's crimson eyes, a focused look glazing over them. Luhan stood beside him, a hand on his shoulder as his eyes shone as well. With a flick of his hand, the debris moved towards a different direction, so they wouldn't bang against Lay's protective shield. 

"Wuah! It's working! Daebak!" Baekhyun shouted encouragingly, standing firmly behind D.O., a hand on his younger brother's back to support him and steady him against the rain and that blasted wind. 

"You're doing great, D.O.!" Suho said, his brow furrowing due to having to use his strength. 

"Suho, I don't think I can keep going," D.O. huffed with strain as his earth created a new dam to contain the water. 

"Yes, you can, I know you can!" Suho replied with confidence despite being obviously under a lot of strain himself. 

"Here, this might help for a bit," Xiumin stepped up, slowly freezing the newly constructed, earthly foundations by solidifying it with ice. 

"Argh!" Suho exclaimed, pushing forward to stop the water from overwhelming us and to make way for D.O.'s and Xiumin's constructions. The wind picked up and beat against him. It was him against nature, an unfair fight in my opinion, as I gnawed nervously on my bottom lip. Chanyeol stepped forward out of the blue and put his hands on Suho's shoulders. His hands were faintly glowing. I could only assume that he was trying to keep Suho warm. 

"Suho-hyung, let me help!" Tao then shot forward bravely, focusing on key points where he could tell that the water was too heavy for Suho to control by himself and froze it in time, so D.O. and Xiumin could work on fortifying their makeshift dam. Meanwhile, Chen would try to divert the lightning away from us as best as possible when it came too close. Despite all of them doing their best to control the water, a lot of it had spilled out through the forest. Any critter without wings were helplessly washed away with the water and it was painful to see them struggle. I wasn't the only one who thought so. 

"Luhan-ge! Don't let anything hit those animals!" Lay called out in distress as Luhan tried his best to comply. But between safeguarding animals or his brothers, Luhan prioritized the latter, which made it difficult for him to stay focused. 

"Yah, Kai!" Kris suddenly called, tapping the teen on the shoulder. "Follow my lead. We'll try to save as many as we can and put them on higher ground," he instructed and Kai nodded, his eyes flashing red before he disappeared in a cloud of black smoke. I could only barely see swirls of black appear and disappear. Kai was teleporting those animals to safety and Kris went up to fly to do the same, except he had the wind to worry about. He fought hard to fly through it, but the harsh gale could not be reckoned with.

"Noona, sit down close to me. I have to help Kris-hyung," Sehun told me, gently letting me go when I complied, sinking to down as I watched the youngest of the pack blow Kris steadily forward while moving the wild winds towards a different direction. Honestly, even though the whole situation put the fear of God in me, seeing these twelve guys do their best to battle nature was astonishing. Amazing. But also very worrying. It wasn't that difficult to see that all of them were struggling. Could they keep this up until D.O. and Xiumin were done with the dam? The water from the lake was so strong, the rain only adding to the difficulty of keeping it under control. The wind was just as powerful, and me? I could only sit and watch. _Useless_...

"Woah! Hold on, Lay!" Luhan called out in warning and I gasped. Another wave of debris and water crashed against the protective shield Lay had put up, causing him to sink his heels into the dirt as if he was the one that was being pushed back. 

"Sorry, Lay!" Suho apologized, out of breath. Chanyeol was doing all he could to keep the leader on his two feet. "I'm trying..." The water rushed and spilled over the dam D.O. and Xiumin tried to create. Suho wouldn't be able to keep this up, none of them could. 

"Oh my God," I muttered to myself.  _What do I do? Do I run back to the house to call for help? What if help came too late? I can't leave them here, can I?!_

My eyes flashed towards Chanyeol who exclaimed when Suho's knees buckled, which caused a chain reaction for the others as well. 

"Jae-noona, get to higher ground!" Sehun told me and my body automatically complied, but I didn't move when I got back to my feet. I looked around me, feeling the world move in slow motion. I watched Suho fighting, watched how he was doing his best to give his all. Unfortunately, his energy and powers lacked compared to his determination. When I saw him, beaten up and exhausted, I moved forward. To be honest, it felt like I was gliding forward, as if my body floated through water to get to him. I gasped lightly as images of a strange past flashed before my eyes. 

I saw a younger version of Suho, feeling proud and strong when a voice appointed him to become a leader. I shook my head and stood next to Suho, whilst reaching out for his hand. I wasn't going to leave them. Time to put my so-called power to good use. 

The moment we touched, I felt every neuron in my body buzz with energy, unlike I had ever felt before. Was this what the boys felt when they connected with me? Had I been able to control it myself, this time?  _Did it matter right now?_

Suho had a look of stupefaction on his face as he looked at our touching hands, but when our eyes met, he nodded at me. We didn't need words to communicate. I looked at the water and held out my other hand. The waves did as I commanded and while Suho held back the water behind the dam, I was responsible for moving the flood of water that had escaped it back to the lake. To actually consciously control the rapid waters blew my mind, but I couldn't get excited over the thrilling sensation. I moved my hand as D.O.'s and Xiumin's dam solidified and perhaps it was my imagination, but the earth seemed to move on my command as well. The ice crystallized with ease and soon, most of the water of the lake was contained. 

The storm seemed to have calmed down somewhat as well, the wind blowing milder as though something had tamed it, while the rain no longer whipped against our skin. It drizzled from the sky, very much in the way big flakes of snow would float down. Everything around me seemed to buzz with energy. The world seemed stiller because of it, compared to the chaos from before. 

"Alright, just a bit more!" Suho yelled as D.O. and Xiumin nearly finished their construction. I would have loved to say that it was easier to combine my strength with that of Suho to control the water, but I could feel the fatigue and strain overwhelm me. I had never done anything like this before, and the way my power works- well, I guess I really was a batterypack the boys could tap into. 

"Okay, last bit! Everyone let go on my command!" Suho announced, while I gulped at seeing how high the wave of water loomed over the dam. Were Suho and I really holding all of that up? 

He waited patiently for D.O. and Xiumin to finish and once the dam seemed strong enough to contain all the water, Suho gave the signal. " _Hana, dul, set!_  Let go!" 

You could literally feel the buzz in the air disappear like a punch in the gut, while at the same time it felt like heavy anvils had been lifted from my shoulders. The wall of water crashed down behind the dam, safely contained into the gigantic lake it was before. However, due to the impact of water being rather carelessly dumped, a considerably large amount of it still spilled over the dam, which rushed towards us without hesitation. The wave approached and neither of us were fast enough to respond. I closed my eyes and braced myself as the water slammed against us. I was pulled away by the current, losing contact with Suho, until I felt a pair of arms grab me before the wave decided to smash us against the side of the hill. 

_So, that is what it feels like inside a freaking washing machine...ow..._

We were a tangled mess of limbs and heavy, wet clothing, but at least we stopped a disaster from happening. That was something, right? The boys sputtered and let out groans of protest and pain as they got up from the ground, trying to catch their breath.

"Wah, that was  _way_ too close!" Tao squeaked, lying sprawled across a disgruntled Sehun. 

"Get off, you panda, you're too heavy!" the maknae complained, pushing against the lanky teen, who wouldn't budge, while Kai managed to laugh at his younger brother's misfortune, despite of looking beaten down himself. It was one of those rare moments when he seemed carefree enough to just show his emotions instead of hiding it behind a stoic mask. 

I found myself panting as well, half still in utter disbelief that this actually happened and that we actually survived, despite the odds not being in our favor. 

When I attempted to lean back on the ground, it dawned to me that I was resting my head against someone's chest, and my eyes widened. I felt the heat in my cheeks rise as I came to the realization that I was sitting between a pair of very long legs and it was only  _now_  that I noticed two large hands resting on my  _chest_...! My jaw dropped in utter shock, while my mind tried to push away a certain memory from resurfacing. 

"Oh man, that was close. Are you okay, Jae?" the owner of the hands asked, seemingly completely unaware of the situation and position we were in. 

"You know, only because you got away with it the first time- doesn't mean that you get a free pass to touch them whenever, Kris!" I yelled, looking over my shoulder so that I could glare at him. 

Kris frowned at me at first, until he finally noticed where his hands were resting and his eyes widened to epic proportions. "AH! Omo, not _again_! Sorry! Sorry!" he exclaimed in shock, quickly moving away from me. He rolled off and jumped to his feet, groaning out of embarrassment. The sight of it was too hilarious not for me to laugh, and I just shook my head, too tired to be bothered by it anyway. 

I blinked when a tiny, white rabbit suddenly hopped between my legs and looked up expectantly at me. The poor thing was as soaked as we were and it seemed to be looking for shelter and warmth. It must've been one of the animals Kris and Kai had managed to save from the water. The bunny rabbit jumped when the thunder faintly rolled in the distance and I smiled. 

"Come here, little guy," I carefully scooped the animal up in my hands, amazed how a fluffy creature like that still felt so nice and warm despite of the cold and horridness of the weather. I wanted to drop myself back on the wet earth to rest for a bit, when I was suddenly enveloped in back-hug, someone wrapping his arms around me, pulling me closer to sit between the gap of his legs so I could lean against his chest and he could rest his head comfortably on my shoulder. 

I felt pleasantly warm and safe in the embrace, and oddly enough, absolutely energized and refreshed. There was no soreness left in my body, no fatigue to speak of. I didn't have to look behind me to see who was holding me. 

"Lay," I spoke quietly and I could sense him smiling. 

"I couldn't heal you before, Jae-yah. So I'm making up for it now," he simply replied, and I was more than happy to see that dimpled smile grace his face. 

"Yah, Lay-hyungie! What do you think you're doing with noona?" Chen whined, pointing an accusing finger at him. 

"I gave Jae-yah a healing hug. Why? Do you want one too?" Lay rose up as if he had accepted a challenge that Chen never provoked out of him. "Come here, Chen-Chen, my hugs are free you know!" he chased after a protesting Chen and I was utterly baffled at how easily the boys relaxed after such a huge ordeal. With the bunny still in my hands I laid flat on the wet ground, fluttering my eyes as it still drizzled down on me. 

My view was blocked by the silhouette of a person towering over me, looking over me. 

"Are you okay, Jae?" 

I propped my elbow up for support and smirked. "I should be asking  _you_  that question, Suho." 

The leader grinned shyly before sitting down next to me. He was still out of breath and looked like hell- but, him being who he was, he still looked damned good despite his wet and disheveled appearance. I knew I couldn't say the same thing about myself, but at the moment I honestly couldn't give a crap. 

Suho petted the rabbit with one finger when he noticed it and looked at me. "Weakest member, huh?" he suddenly started with a sarcastic scoff. "You sure about that?" 

"Inadequate leader, huh?" I replied in a similar fashion, surprising him. "You sure about that?" That earned me a chuckle and a gentle pat on the shoulder. 

"Thank you, Jae," he said quietly. 

"I didn't do anything," I shrugged since I felt that was somewhat true. The boys did all the heavy lifting, after all. 

"You're gonna play that game, seriously?" Suho asked skeptically, an eyebrow raised at me, condemning me. "Just accept it when a guy thanks you, huh?" 

I chuckled. "You're welcome," I conceded, taking a deep breath. I looked at D.O.'s and Xiumin's handiwork, looked at the destruction that could have been, but was luckily prevented. "So, what now?" I wondered out loud, glancing at Suho. 

"Rest," he answered quickly. "And then, we'll need to talk. We're in this together, so we'll figure it out," he stated and I agreed. That seemed like a good order to do things as well. I wasn't frightened anymore when the wind howled again, and the lightning flashed across the insanely dark sky. Perhaps we had only been lucky this time, but I have witnessed the great, amazing things the pack is able to do when we work together. 

I couldn't help thinking about  _that_   _woman_ , and how even more determined I was now to confront her. With the steady beat of the rain tapping against my flushed skin, I was overcome by a strange sense of reassuring foreboding. 

_Hm..._

_Maybe..._

_Just maybe..._

_It wouldn't be so bad for me to wake up..._

_But -_ my heart clenched - ... _how?_


	71. ~ Unraveling? ~

***

_Today, when it gets really lonely, I get crazily sad._

_But, no one understands; what to do?_

_Today, I think, why am I the only one who's suffering like this?_

_Saying that everyone is happy are all lies - I won't believe it..._

_I will become a sad protagonist in this world, and I will hurt in place of you._

_I'll become your wings._

***

Thunder clapped against the sky, and try as he may, Dee couldn't shut it out. It seemed as though the world outside was at war, trying to break into the comforts of his laboratory. Not that it was any better in there, either. The atmosphere was rather tense and uncomfortable, and he had wished he had taken a day off.

Ever since he had an encounter with Miss Kumiho, he had that strange feeling like a part of his memory was somehow missing. He was almost certain that she may have had a hand in it somehow, but he thought himself ridiculous for even thinking it. It bothered him that he had been working on the Yggdrasil project so intently, that he hardly had time to simply talk to his co-workers, and his boss, especially. Guilt weighed on Dee for still not having said anything to Mr. Miyano about having seen Mr. Yok at the laboratory the other day. He remembered seeing and speaking to Miss Kumiho as well, when he saw her sneaking about where she really should not, but the conversation was hazy in his mind. He only remembered warning her not to do anything harmful to Mr. Miyano, and - as Dee rather shyly recalled - how beautiful she looked when she spoke to him.

Dee curled his toes and took a deep breath, trying hard to focus on the computer in front of him. Seunghyun was working at the desk beside him, concentrating on why his specimens had started dying, while Mr. Miyano was studying the dagger, with Miss Kumiho watching him. Though, it seemed that Mr. Miyano was keeping a closer watch on her. When she moved, his eyes darted towards her, making sure that she wouldn't do anything he didn't like. Dee thought that maybe the woman was pushing it, but after she said that Mr. Yok conveyed to her that the results they had sent him were close to a breakthrough and had given the order that Miss Kumiho should monitor the project 24/7, Mr. Miyano didn't really have a choice but to let her stay.

He didn't say that he thought it was quite a coincidence that the storm started raging outside, the moment they started prodding and studying the dagger. Then again, Dee thought wearily, there were _a lot_ of things that he hadn't said, while thinking that he probably should.

"Hey, Dee-yah, are you listening?" Seunghyun's bass voice suddenly sounded, waking the young scientist from his thoughts.

"Huh? What was that?" Dee asked, looking apologetic.

Seunghyun shook his head and gave a smile. "Where's your head, hm? You've been suspiciously quiet since I came in for work after school," he remarked, walking over to him so that they could keep their conversation private. "Something on your mind?" he asked, quickly glancing at Mr. Miyano who was looking at a sample of the dagger with Miss Kumiho peering over his shoulder.

Dee pursed his lips together and fidgeted with the equipment on his desk for a bit. Seunghyun was his best friend. They go way back, shared a history together and always worked well together. Dee saw him more as an actual older brother than a friend, and usually he could always confide in him. Lately, however, he wasn't so sure, and that caused a feeling of guilt to linger heavily on his shoulders. He swallowed and gave a subtle, barely noticeable shake of the head.

"Just trying to figure this out. I'm fine," he answered softly, keeping his eyes on his work instead of Seunghyun.

"You sure about that? You don't act like you're fine," the taller researcher commented, nudging Dee against the shoulder. "Come on, talk to me. What's on your mind?"

"It's nothing, honest," Dee insisted, though he couldn't help but look up when Miss Kumiho moved. Before he realized it, he was staring at her, the way her hips swayed when she walked, how beautiful her hair shone. He always felt a pang of sadness in his chest when he finally looked at her face. He had wondered how someone so exquisite could harbor such hidden sorrow and pain in their eyes. Miss Kumiho had amazing eyes, Dee noted, but the spark that had once made them beautiful no longer existed. Knowing that made him ache for her. He felt her unspoken pain because he could tell that she couldn't anymore.

Through all of this, Seunghyun noticed Dee's blatant staring at the female co-worker and he chuckled sarcastically before patting the younger man's shoulder.

"Ah, so that's it," he spoke with newfound realization. "Come on, Dee, you're not seriously jealous or anything, are you? It was just dinner at the Boss' place. Nothing happened," he assured.

"No...I mean, yeah, I know," Dee rambled, clearing his throat.

"Then what's up? You're acting like someone who's got something to hide- it's pretty obvious, actually," Seunghyun stated, looking at Dee intently so the younger man had no choice but to look back. "Something eating away at you?"

Dee licked his dry lips, taking a deep breath as he looked at Seunghyun, a question burning in his eyes. He sighed. "Let me ask you something, hyung," he then started, feeling antsy. "Who do you think we work for?" he asked, making Seunghyun laugh shortly.

"The boss, of course," he replied, amused. Dee, however, was being serious through and through.

"What's the name of the boss you're talking about?" he then questioned, not a hint of playfulness in his tone of voice.

Seunghyun's amusement melted away in an instant upon realizing that Dee wasn't playing around and he scoffed slightly, shaking his head in baffled confusion. "The boss' na-, what are you talking about, man? We _both_  work for the boss," he stated, watching Dee closely when he sighed. 

"Hey," Seunghyun started, "did something happen?" 

Dee bit his lip in hesitation before checking on Mr. Miyano and Miss Kumiho to make sure that they weren't paying attention to him or Seunghyun. Just to make sure, he gestured his friend to follow him to another part of the lab. 

"What's going on, Dee?" Seunghyun asked again, now that they were out of hearing range. 

"Hyung," Dee started, but wasn't quite sure how to continue. "Let me ask you something," he then said. "This thing that we're doing - the research on the dagger," Dee sighed, trying to find the right words. "Don't you get the feeling that, maybe-, I mean, don't you think, just a little, that perhaps we're more or less, sort of, uh-," 

"Dee, just spit it out, man," Seunghyun pressed. 

"In over our heads?" the young scientist then finally finished, wincing slightly as he waited for his friend to respond. "It's just- I don't know anymore, hyung. I was excited and hopeful at first, but now I'm not so sure." Dee lowered his head while Seunghyun looked at him. 

"What are you saying, hm? You want off the project?" he asked gently, trying to understand his younger friend. Though the tone of alarm was evident in his voice as well. Dee looked so helpless and naive at the same time. 

"T-that's not what I'm saying," Dee answered immediately. "But, I can't shake the feeling that- well," he heaved a grievous sigh. "Are we doing the right thing, hyung? Messing with this dagger, with nature? And now, Miss Kumiho- I mean...This doesn't feel right anymore, hyung," he whispered, confiding in his friend. 

"Dee, don't be silly, man. You're just tired, that's all. You don't really mean all of this. We're doing something for the greater good, here," Seunghyun assured, placing his hand on the shorter man's shoulder. 

"Are we really, hyung? Do you still believe that?" Dee asked soberly, in disbelief that Seunghyun's instincts weren't telling him that something was up. 

Seunghyun frowned upon seeing his friend like this and he leaned in closer. "What's gotten into you, hm? Isn't this project the opportunity you've been waiting for? What  _I've_  been waiting for?" he asked and Dee lowered his head, feeling guilty. 

"I know that, hyung, but-," 

"Dee, we prepared for this for too long. Now it's our time to shine. We're close, okay? Don't drop out now," Seunghyun pressed on, seeing the dejected expression on the blonde's face. 

"But...what if we were deceived in thinking that we were doing something good, when in actuality we aren't?" he whispered, though he still kept quiet about having seen Mr. Yok and Miss Kumiho sneaking around that dagger. All of it just didn't sit right with him anymore. It nearly made his stomach ache. 

"Why? Do you think Mr. Miyano is up to no good?" Seunghyun then questioned and Dee finally looked up at him, giving him a sarcastic glare. 

"Don't do that, Seunghyun," he warned seriously. "Mr. Miyano is a good man, but I'm afraid that he's caught up in something bad and-," he swallowed, quickly glancing back to make sure that both the boss and Miss Kumiho were busy, "-what if that's  _our_  fau-,"

"Shh. You're overthinking this, Dee," Seunghyun interrupted him briskly. "Bad, good, does it matter?" he asked gravely. "Point is, we have a job to do. Something that was ordered to us from our superiors. Who are we to question that, hm? What we're doing is right, Dee, and you know it. This was all we ever wanted, this opportunity right here, right now," he urged. "Or have you forgotten all about the vow you took with me before?" 

"Of course not, hyung!" Dee immediately protested. "Of course not," he emphasized, putting his hand on Seunghyun's shoulder. "It just feels like things have suddenly changed," he trailed off, giving a sigh. 

"What's this really about, Dee? Hm? Is it her?" Seunghyun then asked, gesturing at Miss Kumiho a little further away. 

Dee blushed and rubbed the back of his neck. "It's always her, hyung. I never know what to feel when it comes to her, but I know that whatever I'm feeling, it's strong," he admitted, causing Seunghyun to chuckle. 

"Well, maybe that's just it, then. But, if I may offer you a word of advice, Miss Kumiho she..." Seunghyun bit his lip when Dee looked up at him in anticipation, a look of childlike curiosity gracing his face. He was too late to mask his hesitation, but was surprised when Dee smiled warmly at him and nodded. 

"I know, hyung. Of course I know," he shrugged. "But I still can't help it. It's stupid to feel love for someone who can't love you back, but it doesn't make me love her less. Guess I'm just a romantic, hopeless fool that way, huh?" 

Dee's bright, sincere smile nearly broke Seunghyun's heart, and there was very little else he could do but to pat his lovesick friend on the shoulder and give him an encouraging nod of the head. "Don't worry too much, huh? We're on the right track. Answers are almost in our possession," he added. 

Dee nodded, even though he didn't look like he was convinced at all. _But what will happen that? What will happen when we've unlocked the dagger?_

"Dee, Seunghyun, could you come over here, please? Now would be nice," Mr. Miyano suddenly called them over. After exchanging a glance at each other, the two scientists joined their boss and Miss Kumiho.

"Seunghyun, hand me one of those plant samples of yours. I want to try something," the CEO instructed to which the researcher obliged. As they waited for Seunghyun, Dee's eyes wandered off to Miss Kumiho who was standing not all too far away from him. She had her eyes on the dagger, of course, as did Mr. Miyano, but Dee simply could not take his eyes from her. He began to wonder when his infatuation had begun-  _why_  it had begun. By all accounts, Miss Kumiho was not a necessarily a nice person. He was very well aware of that. She was rather rude and snide as well, so why did his heart flutter when he saw her? Was it because of her beauty?

_No,_ Dee looked at her eyes and nodded to himself.  _Her eyes_ , he thought to himself. He was drawn to her eyes and the world he saw beyond them. Maybe it was because he liked fixing broken things, and Miss Kumiho, for all intents and purposes, was very much broken...

"Mr. Kang, I do not recall you being paid to research your female co-workers," Miss Kumiho suddenly remarked and Dee realized too late that he had been blatantly staring at her. He cleared his throat and looked away. 

"P-pardon me, ma'am," he quickly apologized, wincing when he saw the look of scorn on Seunghyun's face when he returned with a sample. The plant was wilting and withering away, but Mr. Miyano held up the dagger to it and they witnessed, to their astonishment, how the plant replenished and healed. 

"Unbelievable!" Mr. Miyano exclaimed, though he sounded agitated beyond belief. "I don't understand any of this. This thing appeared to be dying moments ago, and now it's healing itself and gathering energy again?!" Out of frustration Mr. Miyano simply threw the dagger on the desk, not caring a damn what kind of effect it might have. Both Dee and Seunghyun, on the other hand, startled at seeing the dagger clattering against the surface of the desk and Dee grasped his shirt since he couldn't hold on to his heart instead. 

Miss Kumiho seemed to have paled slightly, but did not give an emotional reaction. She calmly regarded the frustrated CEO and cleared her throat. 

"It appears that the project can continue, Mr. Miyano," she said, walking over to gently grab the dagger instead, the green seed pulsating at her touch. 

Mr. Miyano watched her closely, but looked absolutely dissatisfied. "Dee, run another DNA scan on the dagger," he instructed and Dee moved hesitatingly, looking at Miss Kumiho who regarded him with an eyebrow lifted. 

"There is no need for another scan, sir. This proves that there is nothing wrong with the dagger, so research may continue," she replied with a voice as sweet as honey. 

Mr. Miyano would have none of that. "I'll be the judge of that, Miss Kumiho. Please hand the dagger over to Mr. Kang," he stated firmly and Miss Kumiho had no other choice but to agree. Her slender fingers brushed briefly against Dee's hand, making the young man shiver as he quickly ran another DNA scan. He wasn't sure what Mr. Miyano thought he would find, but when the results popped up on the screen before him, his eyes widened. 

"You found something, Dee?" Mr. Miyano walked over to the researcher, glancing at the results before frowning and shaking his head. "That's not possible," he muttered. "That's not possible, is it?" he asked a stunned Dee, who's mind was spinning. 

"I- I don't know, sir," he exclaimed truthfully. "I don't understand where - or how? I...I don't know, sir," he said. 

"How can this dagger possess fragments of human DNA?" Mr. Miyano demanded to know, though he appeared to be directing his attention on a calm and smiling Miss Kumiho. 

"That is one of the many mysteries it possesses I reckon, sir," she purred and Dee squinted at her. She looked so smug, so triumphant-  _so divine..._  He shook his head and took a deep breath.  _Control, Dee. Control._

"Though, and I am only guessing, it does appear that the present human DNA strengthens the dagger and its energy. Almost as if it needs it to stay strong and healthy. Isn't that the oddest thing?" she mused. 

Mr. Miyano shook his head and stalked towards her. "Except that there was no sign of any human DNA making up the dagger before. Dee analyzed it thoroughly and this is the first time he detected human DNA. That' s not possible unless you had a hand in this, Miss Kumiho, which leads me to believe that there is more about this dagger that you know of but choose not to tell me," the CEO confronted out of the blue, the atmosphere in the room becoming thick with tension and friction. 

Dee looked at Seunghyun nervously as both of them wouldn't mind to be elsewhere at the moment. 

Miss Kumiho smirked. "I do not see why you are so upset, Mr. Miyano. Rejoice! You're so close to unlocking all of the dagger's secrets," she said and actually gasped in alarm when Mr. Miyano approached her. Dee felt his own legs twitch as if he wanted to stop the boss from doing so, but he held back. The CEO didn't touch her, he merely stood toe to toe with her. He was angry, and Dee could understand why. Miss Kumiho never played straight. She went behind people's backs. Another unpleasant trait she possessed. 

"You did something, didn't you? What are you and Mr. Yok not telling me?" Mr. Miyano demanded to know, looking beyond peeved. 

"Why, sir, I've no clue what you're talking about, I assure you," she still managed to reply but Mr. Miyano was becoming fed up. 

"What did you do, Miss Kumiho?! Do not make me ask you again. This sneaky behavior of yours is unacceptable! You did something to that dagger and I demand to know what you've done! Where did the human DNA come from, what did you do to acquire it?!" he raised his voice to show his anger, but he did not shout. Dee looked at Seunghyun, the two of them becoming silent, awkward witnesses to the scene. 

When Miss Kumiho did not speak, the boss became still as well. "Will we find blood on that dagger, Miss Kumiho?" he asked, the question laden with unspeakable burden. 

"Of course not, sir," she answered more humbly. "Hair," she said instead as Dee swallowed - he was parched. 

Mr. Miyano lifted a skeptical eyebrow at her for the statement. "Hair?" he repeated. "Whose?" 

She lifted her shoulders easily. "Don't know, sir. It was a test, to see how the dagger would react. It seems the experiment was proven successful. It's regaining most of its energy again," she answered calmly. 

Mr. Miyano sighed, and ran his hand through his hair, turning away from the woman. "What am I supposed to do with you, Miss Kumiho? We cannot work like this. I refuse to work with you if this is how you handle things. I've told you so many times before. Why must you still go behind my back, meddle in my work as though you don't trust me to do  _my_ job? I know how important this project is, I know that Mr. Yok wants answers, wants to see quick results and I know that puts a lot of pressure on you- but  _this_  is not the way to do it," he reprimanded. "I can't fire you, Miss Kumiho, and I"m sorry to say that you're lucky I can't." 

_Ouch_. 

Dee cringed at hearing the harsh words from his employer, who was obviously fed up with the woman's behavior and demeanor. When he peeked at Seunghyun, he saw that his friend resorted to focusing on his rejuvenated samples, pretending like he wasn't hearing anything. When Dee looked at Miss Kumiho he saw that her eyes had darkened, but not with anger. With emptiness. 

"Is it that easy for you, sir, to throw away an employee who is only trying her best to make you succeed, to help you?" 

Dee was surprised to see her speak so calmly, though he noticed a slight tremble in her voice. 

"By being dishonest? By raising suspicion? What do you think, Miss Kumiho? The way you do business is unbecoming, to say the least," Mr. Miyano replied, looking as though he was trying to calm down. Miss Kumiho showed no emotion, of course, so Dee purposely looked into her eyes. His heart swelled in his chest. 

"With all due respect, sir," he suddenly found himself saying before he even realized that he had stepped up and opened his mouth. Seunghyun stared at him with wide eyes, subtly shaking his head as if he was telling Dee to stay out of it. Dee didn't heed his silent advice. 

"If it wasn't for Miss Kumiho's proactive behavior, we might not have gotten as far as we did," he continued carefully. He caught the look of suspicion the woman shot at him, but he ignored it. "Granted, her methods are unsophisticated, but efficient. In this case, I mean. Had she not tried to place human hair on the dagger for it to 'consume', for lack of a better word, we would not have known how to heal its energy. Then the whole project would have been forfeited. But now, we can move on, continue the research and see if we can unlock all of its secrets," he said, biting his lip nervously when Mr. Miyano regarded him shrewdly. 

"Hm," he hummed. "Perhaps so," he then sighed deeply, focusing his attention on Miss Kumiho again. "I do apologize for my harsh words, Miss Kumiho, but I will not deny them," he said firmly. "However if there is something about this dagger that you know and we don't, do be honest and open about it. We'll unlock its secrets together," he said, his tone obviously more gentle. 

"I promise you, sir," she started. "I don't know more than you," she said solemnly, though Dee felt his stomach clench. "But I would like to work  _together_ ," she added with a bow. "Thank you," she said. 

"Hmhm," Mr. Miyano replied, a bit skeptically. "How are your plants, Seunghyun?" he then asked, changing the subject after a rather awkward reconciliation. 

"Oh? Oh! Yes, uh, they appear to be perfectly healthy again, Boss, I really don't understand, but I'm happy," he grinned, trying to lift the mood. "Guess human DNA was the missing puzzle piece," he chuckled lightheartedly. "Heck, if it's hair it wants, it can have some of mine," he added jokingly. 

"Well, let's save our hair until we figure out how this works, eh?" the young CEO stated. 

"You sure you're alright, Boss?" Seunghyun asked, just to be sure. 

"Yeah, you look tired, sir," Dee added.

"Perhaps that is my doing," Miss Kumiho spoke out of the blue, surprising the men. "I've been hovering far longer than was necessary, and I do apologize. I'll attend to some reports and send them to Mr. Yok. I shall tell him of the excellent progress on Project Yggdrasil," she excused herself with a proper bow before leaving. Whether she was sincere or not, Dee was admittedly not entirely sure, but the fact that she apologized had to count for something. 

"Oh wonderful, now I feel guilty," Mr. Miyano heaved a sigh. 

"Ah, don't be, Boss. It's good for someone like Miss Kumiho to be told off once in a while- builds character," Seunghyun assured. 

"But you really do look exhausted, sir. Why don't you rest a bit and let Seunghyun and me deal with things here?" Dee suggested, checking him over quickly. 

"I suppose a quick rest wouldn't harm me. I feel a bit under the weather, must be this damn storm, huh?" Mr. Miyano chuckled softly and nodded to himself. "Or maybe it's just something in the air," he muttered. "You boys got this?" he asked. The researchers nodded determinedly. 

"Alright. I'll be right back," Mr. Miyano excused himself as the scientists were left alone. 

"That was intense," Seunghyun noted, breaking the silence, but Dee was still looking at Mr. Miyano. He had seen the man angry before, but he had never been cruel or harsh in his words against Miss Kumiho. He always stayed polite, regardless how angry he was feeling. Dee turned to look at the dagger and felt absolutely uneasy. 

"Hyung, you really believe that we're doing the right thing?" he asked for good measure. 

"Of course," came the short reply. "Don't worry about it. Everything will turn out just the way we want them to, Dee. You'll see." 

"Yeah, okay," he nodded in response, looking back at his employer who was rubbing his temples. Dee sensed foreboding in the air and he didn't like it. They were doing something good? Something for the greater good? What they were doing was right? 

_Then why? Why do I feel like something bad is coming?_


	72. ~ Key Search ~

***

The warm glow of the fireplace was a welcome light in the darkness of the mansion. With the power outage, Baekhyun and Chanyeol took it upon themselves to ensure that the parlor was properly lit. It was probably the only room in Suho’s house that had light. 

We all huddled around the fireplace to get warm, while Suho went to get blankets and to check on his brother. Chen was staring out the window where the storm had slowly started to quiet down, but he balled his fists from time to time when the lightning struck, almost as if he was trying to figure out where the storm had come from. 

Lay was checking on D.O. who was absolutely worn out from building an entire dam, with Xiumin lying beside him. Those guys worked hard. All of them had. 

“Here, noona,” Sehun said quietly, standing beside me to hand me a cup of hot tea. 

“Thank you, Sehunnie,” I murmured, warming my hands. He smiled at me and walked over to Lay, waiting until he had replenished Xiumin’s energy before handing him a cup of tea as well. There was a slight tremble in Lay’s fingers when he reached out for it, but I wasn’t fooled by the smile on his face. I pursed my lips and looked at my hands, the memory of using them to control water still fresh in mind. I looked at Lay again and nodded to myself. 

Carefully, I set down the cup of tea on a nearby table and walked over to him. 

“Oh, Jae-yah? Something wrong? Do you need more healing?” Lay asked, putting his drink down and getting off the floor. I shook my head and pushed him back down, though I was wondering whether I should be doing this. 

_I had to practice, right?_

“Sit still a moment, okay?” I asked him and he blinked at me. 

_What’s next? How did I connect to Suho?_

“What are you doing, Jae?” Kris asked, looking curiously our way. 

“Um, I wanna try this,” I replied vaguely, clearing my mind. I had connected with Lay before so this shouldn’t be so hard, but consciously thinking about this made everything feel difficult. I sighed out of frustration and tried to focus. 

“Noona, is something wrong?” Tao asked this time, but I shook my head. Lay only stared at me, a small smile on his face as if he knew very well what I was trying to do and was patiently waiting for me. 

Before I connected to Suho, I had the sensation of floating through water. I saw a memory that belonged to him. It was as if my power had evolved somehow. When I connected to Luhan and Tao, I didn’t even had a clue- _they_ were the ones that told me about it. But with Baekhyun and Lay- I saw their memories, felt what they felt, though I still didn’t really know what I was doing. Maybe it was just a spur of the moment thing with Suho, maybe adrenaline and a sense of urgency made it easier for me to take the reigns and control this thing. Or, maybe, just maybe, I was learning how to get stronger. Learning how to develop my power. 

I sat in front of Lay and carefully grabbed his hands, startling when I was met by protests. 

“Yah, noona, what are you doing?” Sehun pouted. 

“My hands are warmer, you know, noona,” Chanyeol added.

I ignored them all, of course, trying not to notice Lay looking shy and flustered, nor that I was feeling the same way. I took a deep breath and suddenly felt a pleasant warmth spreading out inside of me. I heard the sweet sound of a violin playing, and I caught sight of a white dove taking flight into the clear blue sky. I smiled at Lay as he beamed back at me, and we both looked down at our entwined hands as a warm light was emitted from my palms, spreading over to Lay. It was like the glow was some kind of searchlight, looking for his injuries, his fatigue, and healed them all. 

It was great to see the direct effect on Lay. Had he looked particularly pale and exhausted a moment ago, he know looked refreshed and there was a healthy glow to his skin. _This is awesome_. 

“Ohh,” Lay cooed, giving out a chuckle. “Thank you, Jae-yah. You’re learning fast,” he complimented as he rolled his shoulders. 

“Am I? I hope so, I still don’t really feel like I know what I’m doing,” I rambled. “Did it work?” I asked him and Lay nodded instantly. 

“Like a charm. Thank you,” he said again. “It’s nice to be the one getting healed for once,” he grinned. 

“Well, it was my pleasure,” I smiled back, looking at my hands again. Maybe this was a good thing. Maybe this was part of me that the wolf wanted to wake up?

“You’re gaining control of your abilities. That’s a good sign,” D.O. remarked, with a nod of the head. 

“Yeah, though I don’t know quite how…” I bit my lip. 

“Doesn’t matter. You’ll learn along the way and then you’ll find out what makes you tick. Once you do, it’ll be smooth sailing- hopefully,” Luhan elaborated, ruffling up his droopy, wet hair.   

“It’s a good thing you came out to find us, noona,” Tao then interjected, curled up on the couch, wrapped in blankets. “We’re sorry that we disappeared,” he apologized ruefully. 

_Right_ , I’d nearly forgotten that I was upset about that and that I wanted to give the boys hell for doing that to me. But, honestly, now that we were all together again, I wasn’t even bothered anymore. 

“Don’t worry about it, Tao. Water under the bridge- no pun intended,” I chuckled nervously. “Just don’t do that to me again, huh?” I said, directing myself to everyone. 

“Promise,” Kris answered with a gummy smile. 

We looked up when Suho entered the room with extra blankets, a serious look of contemplation on his face. 

“How’s your brother, hyung?” Chanyeol asked. 

Suho scoffed. “Asleep in his room. I used to think he was kidding when he said he could easily sleep through a storm, but I guess he was telling the truth all along,” he regaled, handing out the blankets. “The storm caused a massive power outage though. I think the whole island is suffering a blackout. The phone isn’t working and I only got minimal reception on my cell,” he added. 

“Good thing the storm is starting to lay down then,” Xiumin muttered while looking at his smartphone. It didn’t seem like he had a solid reception either. 

“Where did it even come from, though?” Chen suddenly piped up, turning away from the window to look at us. “It’s like there’s something not right with the world and Mother Nature is acting out because of it.” 

“Last night-,” D.O. mused quietly, “The earth didn’t feel well. Weakened, as if something was absorbing its strength. You think it’s connected?” 

“That’s right. The plants I tried to heal wouldn’t heal completely, either,” Lay nodded in concern. “That never happened before.”  

“Do you think it has something to do…with us?” Baekhyun proffered quietly, for once looking serious and sober instead of his usual playful self. 

As the boys started discussing amongst each other, I couldn’t shake the feeling of foreboding again. Though this time, I was strangely reminded by the white wolf and what it had told me in my- dream? Vision? Vision, I guess. _Sheesh_. 

What happened to that world again? The wolf warned me… _Exo planet, that was its name. Exo._ That world was utterly destroyed and devoid of any life form, a fate, the white wolf said, that would await this world as well, unless I would ‘wake up’. What if it was right to warn me? What if that freaky storm was only a warning for worse things to come? 

“The ghost wolf,” I muttered, but apparently it was loud enough for the boys to pick up on and their conversation quieted down. I swallowed when all eyes were on me. “That’s what I wanted to tell all of you last night, why I asked you to come meet me. When I passed out, I was dreaming- well, I think it was a dream -, anyway, the white wolf was there.” 

I told them. Just about everything. I told them about the lost Exo planet, which the white wolf once called its home. I told them how it lead me to a pool of blood and its history. I told them everything about the black snake and the white snake and how that world was utterly destroyed. Somewhere along the way I had expected them to laugh in my face, but none of them did. They hung on my every word, listened to each sentence carefully as it flew out of my mouth. They looked over my notes as I grabbed them from my backpack, paying special attention to the Tree of Life and passing down the picture I drew of the dagger as if each of them were trying to memorize it after I said that I thought it was important. 

Maybe I was flooding them with a truckload of information and wild theories, but they kept quiet all this time, patiently letting everything sink in and letting me do all of the talking until I finished. 

“I don’t know what all of this means, but I think everything is a puzzle piece and we just have to try and make sense of it all. Plus, what the ghost wolf told me sounded important, so maybe that’s where we should start,” I said, taking a deep breath as though I hadn’t been breathing properly all this time that I was explaining everything to them. 

“Wake up and find the heart…” Suho mused. “I don’t understand,” he murmured, pacing about the room. 

“Welcome to the club,” I quipped dryly. 

“Why do you think the ghost wolf would choose Jae to tell her all of this?” D.O. suddenly wondered out loud, looking around. “I mean no offense of course, but we’ve been wolves longer than you’ve been one. It could have come and told us all of this as well, especially since we’ve been searching for a reason to us being like we are in the first place. So, why you? Why now?” 

D.O. made a valid point, but I had no answer for him. 

“I don’t know. It would make more sense if it chose any of you. I don’t even know how I got to be a part of the pack, considering that I don’t have memories about you like you have of each other,” I noted, feeling a little bit sad. 

“Maybe that’s exactly the reason why the wolf chose you, somehow?” Kris tried, but it was obvious that he was just as confused as the rest of us. 

“What did it mean with ‘wake up’, though? You told me that it had said that before, the first time you saw it. Do you remember?” Luhan suddenly interjected and I frowned at him. 

“I…I did?” I asked. 

“Yeah, don’t you remember? You said that during the attack, it was telling you to wake up. We thought at the time that the wolf may not have been talking about you specifically, but about something else. It stormed heavily that day, too,” Luhan elaborated and my eyes widened in recognition. 

“You’re right. It said it before,” I nodded. “And I still don’t know what it means. Maybe it has something to do with my abilities somehow? Maybe the wolf wanted me to properly learn how to control it or just to use it, in general?” 

“What about your memories, Jae?” Xiumin suddenly asked, blinking as it quieted down again with everyone looking at him. He swallowed and fidgeted with his sleeves. “Any new developments in that area? I mean, I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve been getting new memories, as if something is starting to wake up inside of me as well,” he started. 

“You mean the new memories we got that night at Jae’s place?” Luhan asked. 

“Yes and no,” Xiumin replied, looking at me. “We’ve had the same memories for years- until you showed up,” he told me. “Maybe that means something? Maybe the reason why the ghost wolf is telling Jae to wake up is because she’s the key to unlocking our memories?” 

Xiumin looked at us, but when there came no immediate reaction he scratched the back of his neck and shied away. “I could be wrong, of course- um, never mind,” he murmured, looking at the floor.

“No, no, I think that actually makes sense,” Suho spoke up, supporting Xiumin’s theory, but my eyes went wide. 

“It…does?” I asked. 

“Well, let’s face it, Jae, a lot of things have been happening since you got to the island. Maybe this is, I don’t know- fate?” Suho interjected, still pacing around. 

“But have you forgotten that I don’t have memories of you?” I reminded them. “How can I be a key of anything if there’s very little for me to go on to begin with?” 

“How do you explain us getting new memories since you got here? What if your ability to connect to us, to reflect, has something to do with it?” Suho then suggested, garnering voices of assent from the others. I even found myself contemplating that possibility because, hey, what other explanation would there be? 

“That’s putting a lot of pressure on Jae, don’t you think?” D.O. remarked.

“It’s not a matter of putting any pressure on anyone, D.O.,” Suho replied calmly. “We’re trying to figure this out, right? I mean, we can’t just ignore the fact that the ghost wolf chose Jae specifically and told her to wake up.” 

“And to find the heart,” Chanyeol added, looking at the picture I drew of the dagger. “What do you think it meant with that?” 

“Isn’t there some kind of way to ask the wolf?” Chen wondered, but I shook my head. 

“It said that it didn’t have enough energy left,” I frowned as I thought about its words. _Why would it say that?_ “I don’t think it’ll be able to show up and help. I think it’s something that it wanted me to do on my own.” I sighed and watched as Sehun grabbed the picture from Chanyeol’s hands to stare at it. He tilted his head as he looked at the dagger. He looked so pensive. 

“What if-,” he started quietly. 

“What if, what if, what if! There’s too much of ‘what if’!” Tao complained, interrupting Sehun. “The ghost wolf told Jae-noona that the world is ending unless she wakes up and finds the heart. Doesn’t that part concern any of you? Look at that storm! And the earthquakes! Don’t even get me started on that creepy woman from last night! I don’t want to hear ‘what if’, I want to know how we can help stop this, and how we can help Jae-noona wake up,” he stated firmly. Despite the direness of the situation and Tao’s manner of speech, I was able to smirk when I looked at him. 

“That’s what we’re doing, Taozi,” I said seeing him calm down when I used his nickname. “We need to be sure before we make our next move. If what the ghost wolf is saying is true, about the world being in danger and all that jazz, then we have to be careful. We can’t make any rash decisions or make any mistakes.”

“But we don’t even know what it means with finding the heart,” Tao started. “And how are you supposed to wake up? You’re already awake…” 

“Well maybe if you let people finish what they want to say instead of interrupting them like a rude panda, you wouldn’t have had to ask that question,” Sehun spoke up, slightly agitated. 

“Whatcha got, Sehunnie?” Luhan inquired as the maknae turned his attention towards us, pointing at the picture of the dagger in his hand. 

“I was saying, _what if_ ,” he emphasized just to irk Tao, “this is what the ghost wolf meant, somehow?” 

“That dagger?” Baekhyun piped up incredulously. “That’s not a heart,” he dismissed, but earned a scowl and a derisive clack of the tongue from Sehun. 

“Honestly, hyung, look closer,” he stated, pointing at the hilt I had drawn. “What does that look like to you?” he asked Baekhyun specifically, while Chen’s eyes widened at the realization as he looked over Baekhyun’s shoulder. 

“That’s a-,” Chen pointed. 

“Heart,” Sehun nodded, smoothing over his platinum blonde locks, looking a little smug. “How could none of you not have notice it, hyungs?” he taunted a little. “Remember my memory? Luhan-hyung showed me a silver object, and he said that it was important somehow. I don’t know what it is, but it has a heart. I don’t know how we’re supposed to wake up Jae-noona, but we can at least try and find this,” Sehun stated, smirking. 

It was silent after Sehun gave his explanation, everyone taking in what he had just said. I chuckled quietly as I looked at Sehun since I admittedly didn’t even think about the heart I had drawn on the dagger. Could it have been that simple? Was that what the ghost wolf meant? What else was there? 

“I think Sehun might be-,” 

“Ridiculous! That’s a dagger, not a heart, Sehun,” Tao interrupted me. “Just because it has a heart on it, doesn’t mean that is what the ghost wolf meant. Jae-noona, tell him,” he urged, as I was taken aback when the attention was placed on me. 

“Actually, I was going to say that Sehun might have a point. I remember seeing that dagger because my father had brought it home one day. I haven’t seen it since, but I think E.T. Corp is working on it, or with it,” I told him, while Sehun looked like he was about to do a victory dance. 

“Ha! See, noona says so, I was- wait. What? E.T. Corp?” he questioned. 

“The dagger is in possession of E.T. Corp?” Suho asked and I nodded. 

“I told you that, didn’t I?” I bit my lip at seeing the smudged drawing. “You know, I think Mr. Tabi is working on a project involved with that dagger. He recognized it,” I said, remembering very well how the teacher told me that the dagger was E.T. Corp property and that my father could get into trouble… _Oh man_ , if that dagger really was what the ghost wolf meant, we had a big problem…

“You showed Mr. Tabi the drawing?!” Suho asked, perplexed. 

“What? No! It fell from my bag and he saw it, that’s all,” I assured. “What do you think? Could the dagger be the heart the wolf told me to look for?” I asked the leader and Suho sighed as he looked at the dozen pair of eyes staring at him. Before he answered, he paced around again, pursing his lips and furrowing his brow in deep thought. 

“I don’t know,” he started. “I mean, what else is there?” he gazed around the room, glancing at Kris, who cleared his throat as if Suho just signaled something towards him. 

“Well, it sounds like it would make sense. I mean, if E.T. Corp is involved-,” Kris noted. 

“But what would E.T. Corp have to do with it, hyung?” Chanyeol asked. 

“That woman works there, doesn’t she?” Kai remarked with a scowl, touching his chest. 

“Could she know about the dagger?” Chen wondered, sitting up. 

“It’s possible,” I started, thinking how _that woman_ worked closely with my father. But what did she have to do with any of this? She knew something about us, that’s for sure— wait a minute. What if she knew so much about us because she possesses the dagger? That thought alone rendered me nauseous, but hopeful at the same time. If that was the case, then it would mean that the dagger might very well be the heart the ghost wolf wanted me to find. 

“If that dagger is nothing important, then why does E.T. Corp have it? What would a company that’s focused on scientific research and innovations want with a plain dagger?” I asked, looking at the boys. 

“But what _is_ that dagger? What makes it so important in the first place? It’s a heart? Heart to what?”  D.O. asked, looking as though he wanted the answers fast and he wanted them now. There was another unsettling feeling in the pit of my stomach as I thought of a response. 

“We won’t know unless we find it,” I said quietly, looking at the boys. 

“What are you saying? You want to ask your dad to borrow the dagger? Come on, Jae, he wouldn’t consent to that,” Suho dismissed. 

“I never said I’d ask my father, now did I?” I replied, seeing the frown of confusion on Suho’s face turn into sheer panic as he read in my eyes what I was suggesting- how crazy and insane it may be. 

“Jae…?!” he started warningly and I swallowed. 

“The dagger is in E.T. Corp, right?” I started, shrugging while looking at Suho who knew exactly what I was thinking of without us having to communicate. The others simply switched gazes as they tried to understand what we were talking about. 

“Jae, forget it,” Suho said sternly. “I won’t allow it!” 

“Won’t allow what?” Baekhyun asked, looking at us curiously. 

“What else do you want to do? You’ve a better option?” I shot back as Suho groaned, shaking his head fiercely. 

“Anything but this. This is insane!” 

“What is?!” Chen piped up in frustration. 

“Look, you want answers, don’t you? I do, too!” I continued, ignoring the others. “If the dagger turns out to be the key to everything, wouldn’t that alone be worth the risk?” I asked, trying my best to make a point. “The wolf told me to find the heart. That dagger has a heart. Maybe the answers will come if we have the dagger,” I urged, but I could tell that Suho was not yet entirely convinced. 

“Regardless. I cannot allow it, Jae. It’s too dangerous- not to mention _illegal_ ,” he reminded me and I sighed as the silence fell in the parlor. Wood snapped and crackled within the burning fireplace and for that tense moment it was the only sound we heard. 

“Um, Lu-ge, how about some more elaboration?” Lay asked his older brother quietly and so very gently that it hardly broke the silence in the room. Luhan blinked a moment before catching on to what Lay asked of him and he nodded. The moment he turned his bright doe-eyes at me, I sent him a glare that immediately changed his mind and he turned to Suho instead. 

Unlike me, Suho had no problem making eye contact with Luhan, the two of them having an intense staring contest before Luhan gasped slightly as realization dawned on him. 

“Oh…” he mused, licking his dry lips as he stared at me in disbelief and mild amusement. “Well. Shit,” he chuckled. 

“What is it, Luhan-hyung?” Kai inquired curiously for once. 

Luhan chuckled again and shook his head. “I think Jae should explain, but something tells me you might like it, Kai,” he mused. 

I crossed my arms across my chest as I directed myself towards Suho once more. “I’m not demanding that you come with me. I can try and do this alone,” I said stubbornly to which the leader scoffed. 

“You’d be an idiot to think any of us would allow that,” he breathed in exasperation. “There has to be another way,” he insisted. 

“There isn’t. Not one that’s fast enough, anyway,” I replied. 

At this point, Kris got up from the floor and took a deep breath, riddled with frustration. “Alright, alright, can one of you just tell the rest of us what the heck you’re talking about already?” he demanded. “Jae?” he called, waiting for an explanation. 

I took a deep breath before answering, since I was very well aware of how fantastically foolish my idea sounded. _But really, what other option did we have?_

“We need the dagger, right? That dagger is important somehow. It could very well lead us to the answers we’re looking for,” I started. 

“Right, but the dagger belongs to E.T. Corp,” Baekhyun added as I nodded. 

“Guess we’ll have to remedy that little fact,” I suggested subtly, hoping that the rest would catch on. They didn’t. 

“What are you saying, noona?” Kai asked, a surprising twinkle in his eyes as he peeled himself from the wall to get closer. Well, at least one of them was intrigued. 

“I’m saying that we should find the key that could potentially unlock every secret, and holds all the answers,” I stated as innocently as possible. 

“Tell them how,” Luhan sounded way too amused to my taste. 

I grimaced, but straightened myself, standing my ground. “I suggest we _borrow_ the dagger from E.T. Corp- without necessarily asking for it,” I muttered a little nervously, smiling brightly at the group of baffled boys. 

“You- we…what?” Kris stammered very intelligently. 

I sighed and rolled my eyes. “If we want to find the heart, we have to get it from E.T. Corp,” I emphasized, casting each of them a grave look which I hoped also would communicate determination as I finished my sentence with a gut-wrenching sense of terrible realization. But my mind was set. This was the path I was meant to take all along, and I suppose the ghost wolf guided me here. There was no turning back now. The only way left was forward- _no matter how terrifying that was._

I took another deep breath and nodded with only slightly wavering confidence, looking all of them in the eyes as I uttered those terrible, necessary words ( _get ready for the dramatic ‘dun dun duuun’! Ai-ah…_ ); 

“We have to steal the dagger from E.T. Corp.”  

_Dun dun duuun- whoop there it is..._


	73. ~ Wishes ~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short in-between chapter before we're getting back to business! Thanks again for the kudos and comments guys, it's really appreciated! <3

***

The only reason why Ryo Miyano was able to go home safely to his family that night was because Miss Kumiho maintained her self-control when he fell out against her. Had she allowed herself to think that he was worthy to get her angry, then his wife would’ve been widowed for sure. 

She found to her surprise that she was still rather fuming about the incident, but she was comforted by the fact that far more important matters were afoot. With the newly refreshed dagger pulsating in her hands, she went to meet with her employer. As she had suspected, the dagger needed to be replenished with just the right - _material_. 

The dagger reacting so positively to her little experiment confirmed what she had suspected; it longed for the wolves that her boss was after. It might have been risky on her part to trick them like she had, using dear, sweet Jae as a piece of juicy meat to dangle in front of their noses, but it had been worth it. It was time for those boys to man up anyway. They couldn’t have been completely obtuse this entire time. If anything, she helped shake them up a bit, prepare them for what was to come. 

Miss Kumiho smiled contently to herself. _The master will be pleased…_

Mr. Yok’s office was a secluded, secure place, undetectable and hidden from prying eyes. It was riddled in shadows and darkness- just the way he liked it. Of course he had told Ryo Miyano that he would go back to the main land and await news about the Hanwol branch from there, but in truth, he had never really left. 

She straightened her hair and attire before knocking on the door, but she knew that he was already aware of her presence. 

“Miss Kumiho, finally,” Mr. Yok greeted, gesturing for her to take a seat. He was dressed in a sleek black suit, not a hair out of place. She had aspired to be like that. He beamed sophistication and authority, so when she bowed to greet him, she meant it. 

“Hello, sir. Forgive my tardiness, there were some things I had to take care of before I could come and meet you,” she stated as she sat down. 

“I knew that waiting patiently for you to arrive would be worth it, my dear,” he replied, smiling at her as he stroked her cheek. Miss Kumiho gleamed for a moment, until she read the dissatisfaction in his eyes as he regarded the object in her hands. 

“Is there a reason why you’ve brought _my yeouiju_ with you?” he asked and she swallowed, immediately extending the dagger towards him. 

“I’m sorry, I brought it with me because there was something I wanted to show you,” she explained, her gaze lingering on the shining object as his hand hovered tentatively over it. _He’s afraid to touch it,_ she noted, but her face betrayed nothing. 

“Is there now?” Mr. Yok retracted his hand and refused to touch the dagger. Miss Kumiho noticed how it had momentarily shone red before returning to its pulsating green. She cleared her throat and smiled sweetly at him. 

“You read my report on the declining health of the dagger,” she stated, rather than asked and he nodded curtly. 

“I was worried. You know how I dislike bad news,” he mused, standing up from his desk to pour himself a glass of water. Miss Kumiho smiled again when he handed her one as well. 

“Thank you, sir,” she accepted the glass thankfully and drank from it. Her eyes went wide a moment, her blood freezing in her veins. A look of alarm and surprise graced her face as Mr. Yok watched her calmly, sipping from his drink. He smirked when she cleared her throat and chuckled herself. 

“Arsenic. How subtly delicious, sir,” she grinned as he raised his glass towards her. Her master knew exactly what she liked. 

“I’m always impressed at how you’re able to distinguish its taste, my dear,” he said. 

“Impressed, or amused, sir?” she shot playfully back, taking another sip. “Perhaps you’re trying to see which poison could actually kill me?” she added with a dangerous bite, because her master might know her, but she knew him just as well- if not better. 

Mr. Yok let out a throaty laugh. “How could I dare dream to kill an exquisite creature such as yourself with the very thing that rushes through your veins?” he asked playfully. “Now then, you’ve come bringing my _yeouiju_ with you for a reason? Do not tell me that its condition has worsened. These pesky storms are becoming annoying.” 

Miss Kumiho nodded, taking this as her cue to get back to business. 

“Yes, sir. The dagger has many secrets, but we both know that it’s alive. For all these years you’ve kept it in your possession while we’ve been looking for our little wolves, it has maintained its strength,” she started. 

“Strength that has been waning recently,” Mr. Yok added in agitation and Miss Kumiho noted how he was awfully impatient for a patient man at times. 

“Indeed. Until now. I think I found a solution,” she felt a little excited now, like a child who did well at school and was about to show her father her report card so he could tell her how proud he was of her. 

“You’ve told us that the dagger needed to be connected to energy. Even though it _is_ energy in itself, it has needs, desires, even. But not any kind of energy would do. That is why-,”

“Why I’ve been searching for those boys, yes. Get to the point, please, Miss Kumiho,” Mr. Yok interrupted and she cleared her throat. 

“Yes, sir. Now, for the dagger to truly become yours and for you to obtain all of its powers, it needs to stay alive and healthy first,” Miss Kumiho knew that she was only telling him things he already knew, but she thought it worth the trouble so that he would see how brilliant she was in coming up with a solution for the dagger to stay energized. 

“I think I know how. Our wolves,” she said, showing him strands of hair to which he frowned. Mr. Yok picked one of them up carefully as he inspected it. 

“The wolves?” he inquired. 

Miss Kumiho nodded. “Their energy is strong and familiar to the dagger. That fool of a CEO had been researching how patterns of DNA that make up the dagger had been missing, but then I found out how to stabilize it,” she said with a smug grin.  “So to test my theory, I added one strand of hair from one boy to the dagger. It absorbed it instantly as though it was embracing a long lost friend,” she cooed mockingly, a slender finger stroking the silver blade. 

“The dagger, sir, got better. The energy it had lost returned again. I could have, of course, added the other eleven strands of hair, but I thought you might like to do the honors-,”

Miss Kumiho gasped and let out a short shriek when Mr. Yok had suddenly smashed his glass of water against the wall. 

“You did what?” he asked, his eyes darkening as a sliver of golden ember shone in them. 

_Why is he angry?_

Miss Kumiho felt panic overcoming her as she tried to swallow down the lump that had formed in her throat. 

“I healed the dagger, sir,” she tried as she racked her brain on what it was she could have done wrong to make her boss so furious. She winced slightly when he slammed his fist against the desk.

“You tampered with my _yeouiju_?” he asked calmly, but there was an undertone of danger in his voice. 

“I didn’t tamper with it, sir,” she started explaining, trying to stay calm herself. “I fixed it, as I promised I would. The hair helps stabilize the dagger so it won’t lose any energy-,”

“You think that giving the dagger the hair of those pups keeps it healthy?” Mr. Yok then asked, stepping away from his desk. “You think the dagger is that simple, Miss Kumiho?” 

The woman licked her lips and fidgeted slightly in her seat, holding the dagger tightly in her hands. She jumped a little when Mr. Yok caressed her cheek with one finger, sending shivers up her spine. She held in her breath when he leaned forward, breathing in her scent. 

“Foolish little fox,” he whispered, though she could hear the vibration of anger in his voice. 

“You really think that _this_ is the answer?!” he asked, holding up the strands of hair and slamming them on the desk once more. “How did you even come to acquire these? Had I not made it clear that I wish for those boys to come to me in due time?”

“But there was no time to spare, sir,” Miss Kumiho immediately replied, hoping that it would justify her actions. 

“So you wish to waste the dagger’s energy instead? You think this strengthens it?! All it does is unleash its powers unto this miserable world until it has consumed that measly bit of hair! Then it will wane as it had before and my plan will be ruined!” Mr. Yok yelled. “So it was you that was the reason for this storm!” he then added, but Miss Kumiho frowned, shaking her head. 

“No, sir, I had nothing to do with that. The dagger was, as you said, unstable-,”

“And when you added the hair you thought you had fixed it, while in truth-,” Mr. Yok grabbed a random strand of hair and let it fall on the pulsating seed at the hilt of the dagger. The seed lit up a bright green and the hair disappeared. 

The rushing of the wind outside grew louder and the woman rose from her seat when her boss gestured her to take a look out the window. 

She furrowed her brow as she saw swirls of tornadoes manifesting in the horizon and she gasped softly while she looked at the dagger. 

“It wreaks havoc when it merges with unsuitable people. It becomes uncontrollable, since it is an empty vessel,” Mr. Yok explained through gritted teeth and Miss Kumiho realized that she made a terrible mistake. 

“Observe the destruction outside,” he told her. “So much awesome power gone to waste. Unbridled power that I cannot yet control,” he hissed. “Brother knew the secrets of the dagger,” he started softly, but her heart clenched at hearing him mention that person. She automatically put on her stoic mask, returned calmly to her seat while resting the dagger easily on her lap. 

“But he never shared them with me. Said that I was unworthy,” Mr. Yok chuckled. “Unworthy,” he repeated as though utterly amused. Mr. Yok turned to look at Miss Kumiho and smiled again, adjusting his collar. “But who am I to tell you this? You, of all people, should know exactly what it feels like to be rejected by one you so love,” he mused sympathetically. Miss Kumiho showed no emotion. She simply turned away when Mr. Yok attempted to make eye contact. She looked at the dagger instead. This infernal dagger. _His_ legacy. Her curse. Her boss’ object of desire. 

“I’m sorry, my dear,” Mr. Yok suddenly said, kneeling down before her so he could catch her attention. “You know how important this is to me,” he placed a hand on her shoulder. “I don’t want to be let down by you- not you. I just hate to see that my brother was right. That neither of us are worthy to get what we want,” he spoke, and those _poisonous_ words struck a cord. 

“We will succeed, sir, I promise you,” she said fiercely. 

Mr. Yok clacked his tongue and slightly lifted her chin so he could look her in the eyes. “Don’t make promises-,”

“I can keep my promises, sir,” she cut him off, a look of determination on her face. Mr. Yok smiled. 

“Don’t make promises that you’ll regret, my dear,” he corrected, but Miss Kumiho was unfazed. 

“I won’t regret anything as long as I remain by your side,” she replied, much to her employer’s satisfaction. 

“Hm,” he mused. “You wish to stay by my side, but you stray from me regardless,” he then started, grabbing the remaining strands of hair. “You never answered how you came by these, Miss Kumiho.” 

She pursed her ruby lips briefly. “I made use of the thirteenth wolf,” she answered, willing to take responsibility, despite Mr. Yok’s discontentment. “They came flocking for her, so I made a trade. Her life for their hair,” she said. “They were already suspecting me, but now I’ve nudged them in the right direction.” 

“Our direction,” Mr. Yok corrected as she nodded. 

“Like you wanted, sir,” she reminded him. 

Mr. Yok clacked his tongue again, looking only mildly agitated this time. “This thirteenth wolf- she’s Ryo’s daughter, is she not?” he asked. 

“Yes. Strange little pet. She doesn’t seem to have a purpose to our cause,” Miss Kumiho remarked, inspecting her nails. She remembered how she had full control over that girl, how she relished in her anguish. 

“There was never thirteen,” Mr. Yok suddenly spoke, looking outside again as the wind banged violently against the windows. The fact that the wind might be destroying half the town of Hanwol didn’t concern him for one moment. This island was a speck of dust which really couldn’t bother him. 

“And the boys…they still don’t know?” he inquired and seemed less tense when Miss Kumiho confirmed the statement. 

“They will come to you, as you wished, sir,” she said. “However, I had always thought the dagger would connect to them, that they would help in unlocking its secrets so you can gain its full power as your- _brother_ ,” she had much difficulty pronouncing the word, “once gained. But if they are unable to stabilize the dagger as I thought they would, then how are they still useful?” she wondered. 

“Those boys are necessary once I unlock the dagger. I will be needing their strength to ensure endless power, but first I will need this dagger to stabilize. It still _needs_ something, Miss Kumiho. It’s missing an essential ingredient.” 

“But why those mongrels, sir? You have me, you have-,”

“I know very well who is on my side, Miss Kumiho, make no mistake.”

They both looked up when trees were felled by the raging winds outside and Mr. Yok chuckled. “You’re lucky I didn’t pick the hair that belonged to the teleporter,” he mused dryly. “Though I assume you understand that I wish this world not to be destroyed before I get the fun to wreak havoc, of course.” 

“Naturally, sir,” Miss Kumiho replied steadily. 

“At least you’ve done one thing right, my dear,” he breathed. “That dagger is properly connected to this world now. That’s a step in the right direction,” he nodded absently while Miss Kumiho watched him with interest, as she often had. There was a distant look in his eyes and when her boss was worried, so was she. 

“There’s something still troubling you, sir,” she commented. 

“Who is she?” he asked and Miss Kumiho felt agitation at the mention of the thirteenth wolf. The fact that her employer didn’t know who she was or where she came from was unsettling. 

“I’m not sure. Twelve, thirteen. Does it matter, sir? Perhaps she’s a little extra that you could tap into,” she suggested and a smirk appeared on her face. “I wouldn’t mind having a plaything myself, to develop my skills,” she purred, smiling when she saw that Mr. Yok was smirking as well. 

“Besides, she could be useful in persuading the boys to do whatever we wish in case they feel reluctant to do so,” she added. 

“You make it sound like you don’t want me to worry about this,” Mr. Yok mused suspiciously. 

“Because there’s no need for you to do so,” Miss Kumiho assured. 

“Is that so?” he replied. “Do you remember there being thirteen, Miss Kumiho? We’ve always complained about there being twelve, and suddenly there’s one more?” 

“An anomaly, I’m sure. I assure you that she is no threat to us,” Miss Kumiho urged in her honeyed voice, but her boss had eyes only for the dagger. 

“Those boys will want to find the answers, Miss Kumiho,” he stated. “And if this girl is close to them, she’ll help them. You are responsible for my greatest treasure, for my precious _yeouiju_. Keep it safe and locked up in that facility to not raise any suspicions,” he instructed. “Find what its missing, and, please,” he added a bit derisively, “no more of this, alright?” 

The strands of hair that lay on the palm of his hand disintegrated into black shadows. 

“I know, sir,” Miss Kumiho smiled. “Patience,” she stated solemnly. 

“No, my dear,” Mr. Yok replied, surprising her. “The time of waiting is over. It’s time for the tree to grow again. We have to prepare ourselves. No more mistakes,” he spoke determinedly, smiling at her as he placed a hand on her shoulder. 

“Let us both get what we want this time, my little fox.” 

Miss Kumiho’s eyes shone pleasantly at his words. “I won’t let anyone stop us, sir,” she bowed. “I promise.” Knowing that her boss wanted her to leave to make this happen, she regained herself and headed for the door. 

“Oh, and Miss Kumiho?” Mr. Yok called out kindly. “Do not disappoint me again. There are limits to patience, even for me.” 

Miss Kumiho was not fooled by the charming smile and the gentle tone in his voice. His threat was real and she could sense it. But next to the unsettling fear, she also sensed her own determination and confidence growing.

“I’ll bring you the wolves, and then, the world on a string,” she tempted. “What will you give me in return?” she purred. 

“If I get the world, then it is only appropriate you receive the sun and the moon, my dear,” he answered, knowing exactly what she wanted to hear. 

“What if I don’t want the sun and the moon?” she asked. She had been offered that before, but had never received them. 

“Then I hope a place by my side will suffice,” Mr. Yok replied gently. 

“That is all I wish,” she smiled and with another bow, she left. 

Mr. Yok was left alone to contemplate his plans, his future and let out a sigh of satisfaction as he turned to look at the roaring winds outside. 

“Oh, my little fox,” he mused, eyes lighting up and fangs protruding from the corner of his mouth. “Always be careful what you wish for…”   


	74. ~ Run & Gun ~

***

_Crap. I’m in trouble._

How did I think that it was going to be easy to steal a dagger from a highly secured building? I barely even made it home the other night if it weren’t for Sehun and Kai. The storm had suddenly died down which was great! But just as the power came back on, the island was struck by freak tornadoes that fortunately only wiped out abandoned parts of the island – as far as we know. The tornadoes died down as quickly as they had come, but the freaky weather definitely put the entire island in a state of emergency. 

Sehun kept the winds calmly at bay as Kai teleported me back home. The next day we found out that school was cancelled for an ‘indefinite time’ due to safety reasons.  Everyone was advised to stay home and not go out unless necessary. 

Convenient, wasn’t it? At least it was one less thing to worry about considering all the other stuff I had on my plate. If I didn’t know any better, it was like all of this had been carefully planned out by an amateur fantasy author to get inconveniences to the story out of the way- 

I shuddered and shook my head, stopping my thought process right there before I’d fall into a philosophical debate with myself, pondering about in an existential quandary. 

_Oh man._ When all of this is over and done with I’m _so_ going to nap and rest for a month- in the least. 

I wasn’t the only one in the Miyano household that was tired. Thinking about what we were about to do got me thinking about poor Dad. Recently, he was working overtime at E.T. Corp and I hardly saw him. He was concerned about all the research projects considering the weather had been so wild and unpredictable. He would talk about those projects casually, but when I oh-so-subtly tried to mention the dagger, he only flared his eyebrows as though surprised and dismissed it, changing the topic. I think that dagger might be some kind of special project that he’s not allowed to talk about, but just thinking about my Dad being involved in it made my stomach hurt all over again. I was about to steal something from a company of which he was the CEO of. The boss’ daughter stealing from her father’s company…it sounded like a terrible headliner- _if we got caught,_ which I hope that we wouldn’t, of course.  

And now I found myself lurking behind a set of thick bushes at the most technologically advanced building E.T. Corp had to offer, with the waning moon watching over the whole ordeal from a starless sky. It was a slight comfort that I wasn’t alone, but I had seriously started to regret suggesting we go and steal the dagger as if it was a walk in the park. 

_Are you really about to commit a crime, Jae? Has all of this madness come to that? What even do you know about being a thief?_

I sighed as I heard the little voice of reason in my mind screaming bloody murder. Surprisingly, I did have confidence that we could pull this off since there were thirteen of us, but it wasn’t going to be easy. It wasn’t like we went into this unprepared - of course we wouldn’t! We thought up a plan to stick to, guidelines, if you will. We decided that, since the building was huge, we would split off into subgroups to search for the dagger. The whole operation was supposed to be low-key and swift. As Tao pointed out, we had to go stealth-mode, ‘ninja Kung Fu style’. 

Suho didn’t like the idea of us splitting up in the facility, so to compromise he persisted we’d stay in wolf-form while inside, just in case Chen wasn’t able to cut off the cameras and security systems and people would recognize us. 

The idea was to wait until the building was empty for us to make our move. We must’ve been on stakeout for about an hour. I even saw Dad leave the building. _Worst few minutes of my life!_

There was bound to be some security guards walking around, but they shouldn’t pose too much of a threat to us. Right now, our priority was to get inside the basement where the security room was located without anyone seeing us. That’s where Kai came in, but it was Suho’s call to start the whole ordeal. 

“Get down,” Kris instructed when a pair of bright headlights came to view. Another car drove away from the building and I ducked behind the bushes, peeking through its leaves to keep an eye on the car until it had disappeared. 

We let out sighs of relief when the car was gone and I realized that each time someone passed by, I was holding in my breath. This really does nothing for my nerves. I couldn’t wait to get this whole ordeal over and done with. The next time I see that ghost wolf I’m going to tell it to go look for hearts on its own, ‘cause mine can’t take this pressure. 

“So, are we really going to do this, then?” Chanyeol asked quietly, his deep voice sounding like a low hum. He looked antsy, but who could blame him? He adjusted the scarf that hid the lower half of his face and I heard him sigh deeply before chuckling nervously. “I don’t think I’ve ever stolen anything before in my life.” 

“Yeah, ‘cause the rest of us are professional thieves,” D.O. remarked sarcastically beside him. His eyes were glowing red, continuously switching from side to side as he examined the building and the area surrounding it. 

“Are you alright, Suho?” Kris suddenly asked, as the rest of us turned our attention to the leader. I bit my lip worriedly at seeing how pallid Suho looked. He was fidgeting with his sleeves, pacing around and wiping the sweat from his brow from time to time. I thought that I was a nervous wreck, but poor Suho looked like he was about to collapse from stress. 

“Alright? _Alright_?!” he repeated, scoffing and chuckling in disbelief. “You mean for someone who is about to commit a major crime that is not only dangerous but carries a truckload of consequences for us _and_ our families, should we get caught if they don’t shoot us dead first - yeah, I’m peachy!” he exclaimed. 

“I can always still go by myself, hyung,” Kai suddenly spoke, his eyes gleaming red as well. “In and out, no sweat,” he stated calmly. 

“Yeah, and how will you know where to look for the dagger?” Chen asked, clacking his tongue. “All of us go or none of us go, Kai.”

“What he said,” Suho sighed deeply before looking at Luhan. “Is the coast clear?” he swallowed. 

“I’m not picking up any pronounced voices,” Luhan replied, still focusing on the building. “I think the last person left. There are a few security guards though, but they’re bound to stay the night. It’s now or never,” he stated. 

“Oh, good, I was getting bored,” Sehun said with Tao nodding in wholehearted agreement beside him. Why did I get the feeling that those two were totally into this? 

“Get used to it, you’re staying in the security room to keep an eye on things for us, remember?” Suho mentioned and Sehun sulked. I nudged him supportively since he didn’t like the task that was appointed to him. Since Sehun was the youngest he was our responsibility. So, Suho put him in charge of staying in the security room to monitor everything from there. Should something come up, then he’ll be the first one to see it so he can warn the rest of us. It was probably the safest position to be in, but no less important. Still, Sehun being Sehun, he wanted to go with the rest of us, resenting it that we got to have all the fun- his words, not ours. 

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, rub it in, hyung,” he pouted. “Can we go now?” he asked. 

Suho’s eyes darted over to Luhan, who was still focused on the building in front of us. I studied Luhan’s features, how serious he looked, as if he was still listening to something. 

“Luhan?” Suho called, but he didn’t respond immediately. 

“Lu-ge, is there something wrong?” Lay asked, but again Luhan didn’t reply. He was staring off into the distance, his eyes glazed over as if he wasn’t really there. I jolted when I felt my heart pounce in my chest out of the blue and I gasped softly. The sound of a steady heartbeat filled my ears like the rhythm of a song. I heard this before, the first time Dad had brought the dagger to the house. I was overwhelmed by a strange sensation then, a painful one. I swallowed. _Wasn’t it afterwards that my wolf abilities were- awakened?_

I grasped my chest while steadying my breathing. 

A multitude of voices suddenly called out to the steady beat of a heart. I could almost feel my own heart beat to it in time. What was going on now?  

_Don’t be scared. I’m right here._

_Run with power- Don’t stop!_

_Grab me and slowly open your eyes - Wake up…_

_Don’t be too shocked! You’re ready…_

I shook my head. _Oh, shit…_ Was that the dagger? Was that thing calling out for me? But- how? I shook my head again around the same time Luhan was. Had he heard it as well? 

“Luhan?” I called out and he blinked, the glaze over his eyes disappearing. He was panting. 

“We have to move now,” he said, nodding at me. I nodded back, regaining myself. 

Suho watched the interaction, though he seemed to sense something. “Alright. Remember the plan, everyone.” He was the first one that changed into a wolf and the rest of us followed soon after. 

_Kai, your turn._

The dark wolf smirked as we were enveloped by black smoke. The next time I blinked, we were suddenly inside of a dark corridor. I held in my breath and stuck close to the pack. D.O. noticed my anxiety and flanked me, gently nudging me for reassurance. My ears twitched and my head pounded. I looked up since I thought I could sense some kind of energy coming from the floors above us. This had to be it. Sehun was right. That dagger was the heart the ghost wolf wanted me to find…

_Hey, can anyone else sense that?_ Baekhyun suddenly asked, twirling around in one place before sniffing the air and perking his ears up. _Hyung, isn’t that the energy source we’ve been hunting for so long? It feels so familiar._

_We’ll look into it later, Baekhyun,_ said Suho while looking at a nearby door. _There’s someone in here._

_Probably a security guard. What now?_ Xiumin asked. 

_Ooh, Wushu time!_ Tao exclaimed excitedly, whimpering when Xiumin knocked him down with his paw. 

_No hurting anyone,_ Suho warned. _Kai, you think you can do something about it? There’s a janitor’s closet over there,_ he suggested and Kai immediately caught on to what Suho was saying. 

_Be right back,_ he smirked a wolfish grin. 

He disappeared from sight and we waited anxiously as someone exclaimed in surprise from inside of the room. I gasped upon hearing Kai growling inside, but a few seconds later, the door clicked open and muffled sounds were heard from the janitor’s closet a few feet away. 

Kai appeared in the doorway, still smirking, and in human form. 

_What do you think you’re doing?! Get back to wolf form!_ Suho panicked. 

“Relax, hyung. Room’s secure, there’s no one here to see it, come on,” Kai urged and walked inside.

I made sure to stay in wolf form until I was properly in the security room. I looked around in awe at the modern facilities, carefully looking over the computers that stood there. Dad hadn’t been exaggerating when he said that the building was equipped with the latest tech. I’m not even sure I understand how all of these equipment work.  

 “Whoa, cool, look at all these TV screens,” Sehun cooed. “These touch panels are amazing! I didn’t think they’d develop any of this yet…why don’t they put this on the market?” he continued as though he was on a school tour instead of just trespassing and breaking the law. 

“Hey, this is hologram technology, isn’t it?” D.O. questioned, pressing a button that caused a sphere of lasers to pop out. “I think this is how you control the cameras in each floor and room,” he mused, examining it like a curious child. 

“That’s kind of like Iron Man,” Luhan grinned, carefully prodding at the lasers, expanding and minimizing the sphere again.

“Oh my God, are you serious?! Will you please focus? We’re here to commit a crime, we’re not on a science field trip!” Suho freaked out, closing the door firmly behind him as he hit some heads to get them to concentrate. 

“Alright, let’s see,” Suho murmured looking over the screens and shaking his head. “This place is huge. How are we going to find the dagger here?” 

“Let’s see. If I were a special dagger, where would people hide me?” Chanyeol suddenly mused. “What?” he asked when we looked at him. 

“We should just split up and go look for the thing, hyung,” Kai suggested. “It will take longer if we stay in a group. Besides, Sehunnie is keeping a watch on everything. He’ll notify us if he sees something.” 

Sehun nodded to strengthen Kai’s words, but Suho gnawed his bottom lip. He was hesitating. 

“This place is too big,” he repeated. “Even if we’d split up, we’ll need all night to find it and we don’t have that kind of time.” 

I could pinpoint the exact moment that Suho’s panic kicked in. He wiped the sweat from his brow and shook his head. “This is impossible,” he breathed. “Forget it. Abort mission- we need more time to think this through,” he rambled a bit frantically. “Kai, get us out of here.”

Just as Kris stepped up to calm Suho down, a pair of heavy footsteps and loud whistling from outside the room made him jump. I freaked out and in instinct changed back into a wolf. 

“Oh, good thinking, noona,” Chen said, changing back himself. As the others transformed, a frantic Suho nudged Kai. 

_Get us out of here, already!_ he pressed.

Kai hesitated a moment, and call me crazy - Lord knows everyone has the right to do so by now - I took advantage of that. 

_Kai, take us to the floor above,_ I told him instead. I was afraid that Suho’s neck might snap when he turned his head to glare at me. 

_What?! No! Get us outside, quickly!_ Suho growled and now, Kai only seemed confused. 

_We’re already inside, might as well go through with this,_ I argued, swallowing when the person outside ceased walking and was standing still in front of the door. My heart jumped to my throat when the door handle started to jiggle. 

_Kai, take us upstairs._

_No, outside, now!_

_Guys, is this really the time to argue-_

_Stay out of this, Kris, we don’t have time!_

_That was my point!_ Kris snapped at Suho, but I pushed past the bigger wolf to stand before Suho.

_Now, to the upper floor, the dagger is there!_

_We’re not ready for this, we’re going to get caught!_

_We won’t if we’re careful! We don’t have time, Suho!_

_Exactly! That’s why we need to get outside- NOW!_

The handle clicked down and the door opened painfully slow. Upon realizing this, Suho and I turned to a disgruntled black wolf. 

_Kai!_ We both exclaimed and in response, the young wolf growled viciously at us before we were surrounded by black smoke. I nearly shrieked when the door opened and a security guard walked in. The environment changed before my eyes and he was gone. 

I breathed out in relief and smirked when I realized where Kai teleported us to. 

_Good choice, Kai,_ I told him, seeing that we were still inside in the building. Suho, on the other hand looked fit to bust. 

_Why the hell did you bring us here? I told you to take us outside!_ he scolded Kai.

_Noona made a point, hyung! We’re here. Might as well get the dagger while we’re at it. You’re not going to be better prepared if you come here a second time to steal it,_ he retaliated with a growl, which Suho shot back at him as well. 

_Aigoo… In the future, will the two of you refrain from disagreeing like that and just make up your mind already? My heart can’t take this pressure!_ Baekhyun commented dramatically with a huff. He jumped and whimpered out loud when Chen zapped a nearby camera. 

_Yah! A little warning, huh?!_ Baekhyun told the grinning wolf. 

_Oh man, that was way too close…_ Luhan mentioned quietly. _What now?_ he asked, as we stuck close to the shadows and the walls. What a sight it must be, though. A pack of wolves sneaking about in a building in the middle of the night… As long as Chen zapped the cameras and we kept a lookout for people wandering about, things would work out- _I hope…_

_Without any eyes from the security room we’re going in this thing blindly. We have to be extra careful,_ D.O. mentioned.

_Well, why don’t you ask the new leader what the next step is? You know, considering that she insisted we do this thing while we almost got caught without even trying to look for the dagger first!_ Suho hissed. 

_Really?! You’re going to be cross about that like a little child?_ I retaliated. 

_Who are you calling a little child?_ he snapped. 

_Alright, fine, puppy dog then!_ I bit back, approaching him steadily as he was coming towards me as well. We might’ve actually started fighting on the spot if a large wolf hadn’t stepped in between us to keep us apart. 

_Okay, that’s it. I’ve had enough of you two! Jae, do not call Suho a puppy dog, that’s demeaning,_ Kris scolded. 

_He started it!_ I argued. 

_Yeah, well, I’m ending it!_ he answered strictly, pushing Suho back for good measure. _You two need to learn how to play nice and learn to work on your timing! We’re committing a crime here- focus!_

In that instant I felt like I was about two inches tall. Kris spoke to us as though we were children and it was humiliating. Meanwhile, the others had been following the interaction with strange fascination. 

_Is it just me or is this really weird to look at?_ Luhan wondered, tilting his head. The others bobbed their heads in assent. 

_I wonder who the Daddy is?_ Chanyeol suddenly mused. 

_Kris, obviously,_ Baekhyun commented resolutely. 

_Then, that makes Suho the Mommy with daughter issues?_ Chen questioned. 

_Oh, Jae-yah is the baby girl?_ Lay asked, trying his best to process and follow what was going on. 

_Yeah, the rebellious daughter in her teenage phase of pushing Mommy away to gain her independence,_ Baekhyun explained matter-of-factly, with Xiumin nodding in awe beside him. 

_Either that, or she’s the home-wrecker,_ Baekhyun added in a whisper. 

_Yah!_ I called out, startling them. _I can hear you!_

Baekhyun made an attempt to smirk apologetically at me while giving a soft whimper and went to hide behind the bigger Chanyeol, who was already wearing a big grin on his face.

_Whatever! Can we move on? What’s the plan?_ Kai pointed out impatiently. 

_We find the dagger,_ I answered, thinking that it should’ve been obvious now.

_Yeah, and how are we going to do that? Nothing is going as planned to begin with,_ commented a disgruntled Suho. 

_Okay, so we panicked a little, that was bound to happen. We can do this,_ I knew I didn’t sound very convincing, but I had to believe that we were capable in doing this, otherwise, what was the point?

_We just have to be more careful and more wary to avoid getting caught. I suggest we stick together to search for the dagger,_ I tried. 

_Jae is right. All we have now is our instincts. Without Sehun in that security room, we’re blind, so we need to rely on each other,_ Kris said, looking at Suho. I was glad that he was reasonable and stood on my side, but I could tell that he wouldn’t do anything without Suho’s okay first- which I could respect. Despite the fact that I disagreed with him, Suho was still our leader. 

_Alright,_ Suho sighed deeply and regained himself. _Since we’re here,_ he grumbled, _we stay in formation. No one wanders off on his own. I’ll take the lead with Jae and Luhan. Chen and Baekhyun- you flank us. Disable any light, camera, or security system we might come across, but do it temporarily. We don’t want the security guard who’s keeping watch on the monitors to become suspicious,_ he instructed like a proper leader, though the tone of reluctance was obvious in his voice. He’d still rather leave. 

_Chanyeol, Kai and Lay, walk behind us. Xiumin, D.O., and Sehun will keep guard behind them and Kris and Tao make up the rear. Let’s try and find that dagger under an hour, okay? Any questions?_ he grumbled.

_Um, you wanted us to stick together and not split up, right?_ Lay asked and I could tell that Suho was resisting the urge to sigh and roll his eyes in exasperation. 

_Yes, Lay, that’s what I said. We’re doing this as one group. I’m not risking anything anymore,_ he answered. 

_Ah. Okay. Well, then, uh…_ Lay fumbled with his words and I frowned a little as I started to wonder why he would do so. 

_Then what, Lay?_ Suho asked. There really wasn’t time for this. 

_Then, where did Sehunnie and Tao-Tao go?_ he asked worriedly. I startled myself, the sense of horrible dread overtaking me as it dawned to me that those two maknaes were nowhere to be found. They wouldn’t really have snuck off to go look for the dagger all by themselves, would they? Were they really that careless? I knew they were excited about this mission, but this took the cake. 

_Oh no- they didn’t! Sehun! Tao! Where are you, you brats?!_ Suho called out in newfound panic, gazing towards one end of the hallway and turning around to look at the other end. 

_Tao? Sehun? Where are you?_ I called out. 

_Everyone stick together! Let’s go this way,_ Suho instructed using his nose to sniff the young wolves out. We moved swiftly through the dark corridor, and I made sure to adjust my steps properly as to not slip on the smooth, shiny floor. I tried catching glimpses inside the offices and laboratories whenever I could, keeping close to the pack. D.O. and Lay made sure I wouldn’t linger, flanking me and nudging me to keep up to Suho’s frantic search for the two maknaes. 

_Where the hell are they?_ Suho grumbled. _Chen! Cameras! Those two idiots probably walked right passed those, exposing themselves-,_ he muttered on and on. 

Chen zapped the cameras easily, shutting them down without a glitch. _Calm down, hyung. They probably ran super fast,_ he tried defending them. 

I lifted my snout into the air, trying to distinguish all the new scents to sort out the freesia and the lotus. It was difficult to focus. There was a sliver of pulsating energy intertwined in all of the scents which made my heart pound, almost causing me to feverishly follow that trail instead of looking for Sehun and Tao. Maybe they felt that pull as well? Maybe they realized that it was the dagger and they followed it? In that case, shouldn’t we try and follow that? 

I was about to suggest the pack to do so when a suspicious sound alerted us. I hunched down, my ears standing straight as I scanned the environment to see where the sound came from. It was a door opening, I could hear it slide smoothly. All of us stood frozen at the sound, looking at the end of the hallway where it came from. Where could we hide?

_Kai?_ Suho asked, preparing the young wolf to move all of us, just in case. 

_We can’t keep relying on Kai to help us, hyung,_ said D.O.. _We’ll need his strength for when we found the dagger and have to get out of the building._

_Hyung, I’m fine,_ Kai replied stubbornly, though gently, appreciating the fact that D.O. was looking out for him. 

_What about Sehun and Tao?_ Chen asked, keeping low to the ground since we were out in the open here. 

_You think they got caught?_ No one dared answer Xiumin. The thought alone was tightening my chest. After all, who could forget the ‘animal-friendly’ security systems E.T. Corp had placed around the island? 

We looked up when footsteps clicked softly on the floor and that’s when the panic came back. 

_Crap! We need to hide!_ Chanyeol pointed out, one of his legs shivering. 

_Okay, everyone do like I do,_ Kris said suddenly and my eyes widened when he hovered above the ground turning upside so he could daintily land his paws on the ceiling above. 

_Hyung, are you an idiot?! How are we supposed to do that, we can’t fly, remember?!_ Chanyeol hissed. Kris rolled his eyes and they started gleaming. My head was flooding in with protests and yelps, Luhan’s being the loudest, when we were suddenly lifted into the air. The sensation tickled my stomach and I helplessly started flinging my paws. I yelped when I saw the distance between me and the cold hard floor. Should Kris, for whatever reason, lose his concentration, then there would be a Jae-shaped splatter decorating the shiny floors. _God, things were going splendidly so far, weren’t they?_

_Kris, Kris, Kris, don’t let go! Don’t let- AH!_ Luhan called frantically as he had somehow managed to get to Kris, clinging to him with his paws and tail. 

_Luhan, I will if you don’t calm down, I got this,_ Kris huffed, though Luhan continued his squirming. 

_Lu-hyung is afraid of heights,_ Chen whispered beside me, casually lying on his back as though he were floating in water. 

_You don’t say,_ I retorted, gulping when I looked down. _Though I get what he feels._

_Everyone be quiet,_ Suho growled and I held in my breath when shadows moved in the light. If whoever came through that door  decided to look up, ‘screwed’ wouldn’t be enough of a term to describe our situation. The tension rose when the figure became solid and-

_Eh? What the heck are all of you doing on the ceiling?_ Sehun asked, tilting his head curiously. Tao trailed behind him, doing the same thing. 

_This isn’t the time to play around, guys! Honestly, how are you older and more mature? Come on! There’s something we want to show you!_ Tao urged, already heading back into the corridor they emerged from. 

_What?!_ Suho squealed over Luhan’s frantic muttering and shrieking as Kris lowered all of us down. _Have you two any idea- how could you just- Argh!_

_Relax, we’ll tear them a new one later, hyung,_ Kai said, following Tao. 

_A new one? Why?_ Tao protested, as they left. 

_Oh my God, you two…_ I whined, though I was just relieved to see that they were okay. 

_Noona, I think I was right about the dagger,_ Sehun said as he walked beside me. _You should see what Tao and I found._ He motioned with his snout towards the opened door, but I halted my step when I read the warning sign. 

_Prohibited area?_ I questioned. 

_Yeah. Tao and I figured that if the dagger was really important it would be hidden somewhere where people don’t have easy access to. So, tada!_ he elaborated casually. 

_But this area is prohibited! We shouldn’t be here,_ Baekhyun argued, receiving a skeptical look from Sehun. 

_Yeah, because us being in a closed-off building in the middle of the night is totally legal, hyung,_ he answered snappily before entering. _Come on, you have to see this._

I wasn’t sure what I was looking at. This part of the building looked nothing like the clean, shiny research facility we’ve been sneaking through. This right here, was a dome, some kind of dark, forbidden dungeon that served as the laboratory of a mad cyberpunk scientist. There were no cameras or security systems here either. Almost as though people might not know that this room existed. What would something like this be doing in E.T. Corp, though? 

_We already checked the perimeter, but it’s abandoned. Apparently the warning on the door is enough to keep the obedient workers here at bay,_ Tao stated, walking towards a strange hole in the wall. 

_Sure, don’t tell them that you picked the lock and I hacked the password getting inside,_ Sehun added, his ears drooping when he caught the look of fire from Suho. To avoid getting into trouble, he leapt down the steel stairs to join Tao. _Anyway, this isn’t the interesting part. It’s this way,_ he gestured at the hole. 

_You’re kidding. We don’t have time for exploring, we have to find the dagger before anyone realizes that we’re in here,_ D.O. shook his head in disapproval. 

_We know, but this is important. Just come already,_ Tao pressed and disappeared into the hole. I sighed and jumped down, walking through the hole despite feeling weary of the situation and I found myself gasping when we were suddenly outside- or well, we were still inside, but it was made to look like the outside- wait, what? 

_The forest?_ Luhan looked around. 

_It’s not real,_ Lay said, sniffing at some leaves. _Not really._

_What do you mean, not really?_ Kris watched as the smaller wolf inspected the greenery. 

_I can’t explain, gege. They’re not really alive…They’re missing something,_ Lay mused. 

_This place looks weirdly familiar,_ I said quietly. _Where are we?_

_Don’t know, but watch your step when you get here. There’s a huge drop past the computer,_ Tao pointed out. Sure enough, he stood beside a strange mechanical contraption that was spherical of shape and was rotating like gears in a clock. 

_That’s a computer? In what era?_ Baekhyun sniffed at it and sneezed. 

_Careful. Step behind it, hyung,_ Sehun warned. _We don’t know how deep the hole goes. It looks manmade, though, like the rest of the fake forest._

I carefully stared down into the abyss and quickly stepped back when I couldn’t see the end. What the hell kind of company was E.T. Corp to drill a hole that deep? 

_It looks endless, a bottomless pit,_ Chanyeol mused. 

_You said you wanted to show us something?_ Suho then interrupted, obviously having had enough of this little detour. 

_Right!_ Tao piped up and I nearly had a heart attack when he changed back to human form. “Calm down, it’s like we said. This place doesn’t have cameras or security systems. It’s like no one wants to know that this part exists,” he quickly explained before getting scolded. 

“None that you know of,” Suho grumbled in his human form as well.

“You can stay wolf if you want, hyung,” Sehun shrugged, not at all impressed by his comment. 

“All of us go or none of us go, remember?” the leader muttered, watching Tao’s fingers fiddle with the strange computer. I huffed myself and stretched, feeling a bit better to be standing on two legs.  I jumped when Tao had activated the high tech computer and beams of lasers and lights surrounded the area. Where the huge bottomless pit was, stood a gigantic tree trunk. I looked up, but the hologram wasn’t big enough to show the tree’s leaves and branches. 

“What in the world?” Kris whispered in awe. 

“ _Human society continues to develop,_ ” a British, female voice sounded as the hologram that was projected by the computer showed images of a modern city. 

“ _The world thrives and is now powered by human technology. Driving this ongoing process is Extraordinary Technologies Corporation, E.T. Corp,_ ” the image shifted into the large logo of the company. “ _Founded by the Yok family, E.T. Corp has grown to take a leading role in developing ecological, clean energy sources that drives our beloved technology, and shall last- forever. E.T. Corp wishes to safeguard the legacy of our world through their latest project,_ ” the computerized voice explained as we watched breathlessly how the intricate hologram model showcased the gigantic tree from before. It pulsated, and in response, the environment pulsated as well, lighting up as if they were being charged by the tree that grew from the bottomless pit. 

“ _Project Yggdrasil shall ensure that our legacy is passed down to future generations. The Yggdrasil tree, otherwise known as the Tree of Life, lies at the heart of world, drawing in its energy from unique ley lines to provide energy for all._ ” 

I gasped audibly when a dagger came into sight, falling into the crevice and growing out into the tree. _Heart of the world?_

“ _Under its founder, E.T. Corp aspires to realize Yggdrasil to offer the world eternal, natural energy so that human society may thrive further in harmony with all creatures of earth._ ”

Music swelled as the voice was done narrating, the hologram showing a picture perfect world with smiling children and happy adults, before deactivating. 

“…Ad nauseum,” D.O. commented darkly as the last image disappeared. “So that’s what E.T. Corp is working on? Making a Tree of Life?” 

“That’s ambitious, even for this company,” Xiumin added thoughtfully. “But, how does any of this tie in to…” he muttered to himself, looking at the computer. 

“What’s on your mind, Baozi-ge?” Luhan urged. 

“Oh, n-nothing…I’m just trying to make sense of everything. If E.T. Corp is busy making an endless energy source to ‘thrive in harmony with all creatures of earth’, then why the security systems on the island, harming and tagging wolves? And that woman- she works here, right? What does she want with us?” he summed up. “And this Tree of Life… I don’t know, it doesn’t feel right. Remember what Jae showed us through Luhan? There was a Tree of Life there too,” he reminded us as I nodded. 

“That’s true, but then…” this was frustrating. I had goosebumps, I had an uneasy feeling, but I had no answer. No click that fitted all the puzzle pieces together. 

“How does one even go about making a Tree of Life? Am I the only who thinks this is insane?” Baekhyun prompted, genuinely confused. 

“Did no one see it? The dagger!” Sehun nearly yelled. “Heart of the world? Ghost wolf telling Jae-noona to find the heart- _hello_?! Isn’t it obvious? Whatever E.T. Corp is planning with the dagger is bad news, so the ghost wolf wanted noona to find it instead,” he stated matter-of-factly and I could see that he swallowed the ‘duh’ at the end of the sentence away. 

“But why? He’s anti endless, and clean energy?” Chen remarked in disbelief. 

“Think about it, hyung! If E.T. Corp’s motives were really that pure, then why would they have someone like that Kumiho woman work for them?” 

“Hey, my dad works here, too, you know,” I reminded him, feeling the need to defend him. 

“As do parents of other friends,” Tao soothed, agreeing with me. “But this is a strange coincidence, don’t you think, noona?” 

“So, we find the dagger and reveal the answers,” I mused.

“Maybe you’ll also wake up, like the ghost wolf wants you to, noona,” Tao added ever so quietly. I didn’t tell them that I doubted I would, though something did stir when I saw the image of the dagger, turning into a tree… Though that could’ve easily been my nerves. 

“Hey! Who’s in here?!”

A loud voice broke into the air, scaring us. 

“Oops, I think that’s our cue to split. Hold on,” Kai took charge before any of us could open our mouths and we were gone in a blink of an eye. 

I steadied myself as I felt my heart racing and it seemed that Kai wasn’t doing all too well either. Teleporting us around was starting to take its toll on him. 

“You have to save your energy, Kai,” Lay said gently as the hand on the younger man’s shoulder was already emitting a soft glow.

“Where did you take us?” Suho inspected the new surrounding as I stopped to catch my breath. My head was pounding again. Did that mean the dagger was close?

“Fancy office,” Chen mused. “Hey, Jae-noona, look at this! Look familiar?” he grinned, picking up a photo from the desk and showing it to me. 

“Oh my gosh, we’re in my dad’s office,” I automatically looked around to check for him, calming down slightly when I reminded myself that we saw him drive away. 

“You think the dagger is here somewhere?” Luhan wondered, sensing around. 

“Might as well look for it, but be careful in touching things. Don’t leave your fingerprints-, oh and don’t disturb too much, we don’t want Mr. Miyano to get suspicious and blame one of his workers. And let’s do this quickly, huh? A security guard might catch on,” Suho was gnawing on his bottom lip again as we scattered around the office. Chen was learning quickly and had disabled the cameras outside of the office just in case. But that only bought us some time. Actually, I’m surprised we haven’t been caught yet. I didn’t have time to think about what everything meant right now, but I knew that I’d feel better once we had the dagger in our possession. 

After looking through every shelf, cabinet and drawer in the room, we quickly concluded that the dagger wasn’t here. Baekhyun had put up orbs of light around the office so we could see better, but he was dejected when he took a seat in the big leather chair behind the desk. 

“This is hopeless. We’re never going to find the dagger,” he sighed. 

“We can’t give up now, hyung, we’re so close. You can feel that energy, can’t you?” Sehun tried, carefully putting back the stacks of books the way he found them. 

“Yeah, but I can’t pinpoint it. It’s like, _everywhere_ ,” Baekhyun waved, rocking on the chair. 

There was a painting in the room and I walked towards it. Dad kept a safe behind a painting of Hawaii, maybe… I carefully lifted the work of art and set it down, but there was only wall there. Nothing hidden. _Crap_. 

“I don’t think it’s here, Jae,” Kris said carefully as he helped me hang the painting back.

“It has to be. I think my father is involved in that Yggdrasil project. He wouldn’t talk about the dagger when I mentioned it, and I guess that’s why,” I told him. Kris had a look of concern on his handsome face, rubbing his short dark hair that was so much different than his usual honey blonde as he regarded me. 

“Do you think your dad- um, that is, I don’t mean any offense of course, but…Do you think he knows? You know, about all the stuff that’s going on?” he asked cautiously, already shrinking back as if expected me to grab the painting again to chuck it at him. 

“I think he only knows part of it. My dad is a good guy, and I know that sounds biased coming from me, but I know him. All the good and the bad. He wouldn’t work on this project or even allow for it to exist if he didn’t think he was working on something good. On the other hand, that might mean that he’s being lied to by _that woman_ , which means that he’s unwittingly being dragged into this misery, and I don’t know which is worst,” I shrugged, trying to smile but failing. Kris pursed his lips together.

“You need a hug, or something?” he offered hesitatingly, opening his arms subtly, smiling as if he realized how ridiculous he looked. 

“Don’t be a dork,” I chuckled, punching him playfully against the shoulder. “But thank you.” 

“For the record, if you take after your father, I don’t think you have to worry for him.” 

“Wow, look at you. You actually said something really cool, Kris.”

He beamed a gummy smile my way before he regained himself and coolly shrugged his shoulders, oozing suave. 

“Of course, why do you sound so surprised?” he winked. 

“There’s nothing here,” Suho huffed in frustration, drawing our attention. “I can sense something, but it’s like an itch I can’t scratch.” 

“We have to keep looking,” Tao pressed, even looking in the trashcan. 

“Forget it, Taozi, it’s not here.” Baekhyun leaned back in the chair too far and nearly fell but quickly regained his balance, accidentally hitting a hidden panel. 

I jumped when a door appeared where once a wall stood and it had perplexed Baekhyun to such an extent that he fell either way. 

“Whoa! This is like the movies! _Daebak!_ ” Sehun excitedly walked towards the door to examine it. It slid open when he approached it and he let out a chuckle. I’d usually appreciate enthusiasm but in this particular situation I’d say that it was misplaced. 

“Hyung, let’s go!” the maknae called out peeking his head through the door before disappearing through it completely. 

“Damn it, Sehun, wait!” Suho ran after him and we pursued them. The secret door of mystery lead us towards another laboratory, but I was feeling overwhelmed, like something was pulling me. It was difficult to describe, but we were close. Had to be. 

“Guys? I don’t feel so good,” Luhan bent over to catch his breath and Lay quickly went to check on him. “You feel it too, don’t you?” he asked the healer. 

Lay didn’t answer, but only smiled as he usually did, taking care of his older brother. 

“Um, question; how exactly do we know that this dagger isn’t bad news?” Chen pointed out, licking his lips. “I mean, I can feel it too and I’m nauseous.” 

I didn’t know who answered him, because I was too enthralled by the pounding in my head and my chest. I was floating forward, at least it felt that way, as if someone reached out towards me, pulling me, guiding me. 

The safe came into sight without me realizing I had walked towards it. Déjà vu. This overwhelming sensation- I felt it before. Prior to me discovering that I was a wolf. 

“Noona?” someone called so far away.

“Jae? What is it?” 

_I want to go back to the beginning and show you my heart,_ celestial voices sang out to me. 

_Run a little bit more, you’re almost there._

_Don’t be scared…_

_I’m right-_

“Here,” I breathed, my hand on the cold steel door of the vault. “It’s here. It’s- pulsating.” 

Dreadful silence filled the room as Kai stepped forward, his teleportation skills proving useful once more. He seemed surprised himself when he sensed the energy and licked his lips before placing his hand on the door, waiting for me to step away. I only backed off a little since the pull was too strong. 

There was no lack of concentration on Kai’s face when only his hand was riddled in dark smoke, smoothly going through the steel. He exclaimed in surprise when he felt something and ever so gently pulled back. 

Holding the velvet cloth, Kai, captivated as much as the rest of us, removed the fabric to expose this godforsaken dagger. The first time I saw it, I didn’t have time to properly look at it- heck, technically speaking we didn’t have time to do so now, but the silver was so shiny and sleek. There was a strange symbol on it, a triangle of some sorts, and it surprised me at how small and slender it really was. It somehow seemed bigger in my imagination. 

“Wow, there really is a heart on that thing,” Chanyeol reached out towards the heart-shaped seed on the tip of the hilt, but retracted his hand when it pulsated green. 

“All this trouble for a fancy toothpick?” Baekhyun shook his head and let out a shriek when an alarm sounded. 

“Chen?!” Suho yelled over the noise. 

“I deactivated everything!” he said in confusion, eyes lingering on the vault. “Oh man, it must have a system of its own…I’m sorry,” he apologized.

Meanwhile, Baekhyun rolled his eyes. “You’re kidding me! All this time and only _now_ they set off an alarm?! Quick, put it back!” he yelled in a panic. 

“What?! No, take it with you!” Sehun pushed the dagger against Kai’s chest. 

“We should get out of here before-,” D.O. didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence as the sound of approaching footsteps caught our attention. 

“Everyone, transform, now!” Suho yelled. “Kai, we’re counting on you!” 

The yelling of a couple of men sounded from my father’s office and for a split second, I didn’t think we were going to get away with this. 

_Noona, you take this,_ Kai waited for me to take the velvet cloth from him. I was reluctant to touch the dagger despite my attraction towards it, but I quickly held it between my jaws as swirls of black covered us one more time. 

Kai didn’t take a risk. He teleported us far away from E.T. Corp, onto the stone plateau that overlooked the forest. The usual spot. A safe place. Our haven. 

We were all out of breath, lying on the ground like that. I had clamped my hand around the object, though it hadn’t sunk in yet that we actually did it. We successfully stole the dagger from E.T. Corp. 

“Aigoo, I need a new liver. Mine dropped way too many times back there,” Chen huffed loudly. 

“What are you talking about, hyung, that was exciting!” Tao replied with sincere enthusiasm, making me wonder whether he hit his head or something. 

“Yeah!” Sehun added with the same kind of energy, while I breathed out in relief, happy that we pulled this off, damned the consequences at this moment. 

“Can we please never do that again?” Suho spoke in between taking deep breaths. “Jae, don’t ever suggest something that insane again, promise?” he added sternly before getting another meltdown. “Oh God, we’re going to jail,” he muttered to himself. 

I pulled the dagger towards me and removed the cloth so I could look at it. _Odd. The triangle symbol is gone…_

The green seed was glowing with light, mimicking a heartbeat. It got close, from time to time, but we did it. Luck was completely on our side for tonight. 

_Well. We’ve found you. Whatever comes next, I hope it’s worth it…_


	75. ~ "Screwed" Doesn't Cut It ~

***

“What do you mean, broken into?!”

Ryo was beside himself with shock and disbelief and now the frustration was kicking in. He got the call early in the morning and the news startled him so much that he didn’t even have the time to properly shower or tell Yoona what had happened. He just couldn’t believe it. He was CEO for barely a month and everything went disastrous. He was a good man, wasn’t he? So why was he cursed with so much bad luck?

“Exactly what I mean, Mr. Miyano. Look, I know that this is a lot to take in but I need you to calm down,” the police officer said gently while Ryo paced about in front of the building, seeing the countless police cruisers and a small crowd of employees watching in awe- but he still couldn’t believe that this was happening. 

“Calm down? This is the most secure building on the island, officer-,” Ryo looked for the man’s name tag and the man smiled patiently, lifting the tag slightly with his thumb so Ryo could read it. 

“Officer Deepak,” Ryo nodded, tempering his outrage because he knew that the policeman was only there to help. 

“Officer Deepak, E.T. Corp is the most secure building on the island,” he said as calmly as he could. 

“Yes, so you’ve told me, sir,” the officer replied gently. 

“No, you misunderstand. That building is more secure than the local bank. It houses the finest and most advanced technology that isn’t even out on the market yet! No random thief could just break in unless they had - I don’t know - superpowers!” Ryo explained a little more frantically. 

“More secure than the local bank, huh? That’s disconcerting. Hey, you think I could deposit my money at your company from now on?” the amicable officer joked, but Ryo was not amused at all. 

“Alright, I jest, Mr. Miyano. I apologize, but really, as far as we can tell, nothing was stolen. It seems like someone was just pulling a prank. The guards on duty didn’t detect signs of forced entry on the doors and the surveillance footage showed nothing out of the ordinary - other than a few glitches here and there, but those can be explained by electricity spikes due to the crazy weather we’ve been having lately. Our own team hasn’t seen any signs of forced entry either, which is rather strange, I admit,” Officer Deepak mused, trailing off. 

Ryo was usually a patient man, but with the stress he was already feeling due to work, this news just added too much pressure on the kettle. 

“If that is the case, Officer Deepak, then why did you call me to tell me that the building was broken into?” he replied a bit agitatedly. 

“Well, because the security guards claimed that there was someone in the building after closing time, sir. But they weren’t employees working in late. It’s probably nothing, but we came just to check and to see if nothing is missing,” the policeman assured again. Ryo waited for him to say more, because it looked like the man had more to say. However, he didn’t continue. 

“And?” Ryo prompted, since he was good at reading people, especially when they were hiding something. 

“And it’s procedure that we come to check in on things after receiving reports of a break-in. That’s all,” Officer Deepak smiled reassuringly, but Ryo eyed him skeptically. 

“But you just said that nothing is missing and that there are no signs of a break-in!” he stressed, looking at the man to see if he was pulling his leg. For a short moment, Ryo really hoped that this was all an elaborate prank. But, as he found out, he wouldn’t be so lucky. 

The smile on Officer Deepak’s face faltered and he scratched his cheek before adjusting his cap. “Actually, Mr. Miyano, there is one thing…” 

“Hmhm. And what is that?” Ryo stood straight in front of the shorter man, using his air of authority on the policeman. It never failed him and wouldn’t do so now. 

“Well-, that is, um…Perhaps you should come with me,” he said quietly. 

Officer Deepak lead him into the building and the first thing Ryo did was check for any irregularities in the environment. Some officers were questioning a few employees that were helping them in the investigation. One of them was a panicked young researcher, with crescent eyes, hands in his blonde hair. 

“Dee?” Ryo called out, the young man jumping slightly at the mention of his name. 

“Oh! Sir!” he replied, excusing himself quickly to walk towards his employer. “Can you believe this? I even thought of staying the night last night, but went home anyway. Maybe if I had stayed-,” 

“Then you might’ve gotten hurt if people really broke in here,” Ryo cut in, placing a hand on the scientist’s shoulder. “You couldn’t have prevented this, so don’t blame yourself for anything,” he added, smiling to calm Dee down. The youth was obviously shaken. 

“Is anything missing, Dee?” he then asked. 

“I haven’t done a proper inventory yet, sir. The other departments haven’t reported anything to be missing, though,” he reported. 

Ryo nodded, thinking to himself what kind of people would want from E.T. Corp. Were there competing companies he wasn’t aware of that would go as far as thievery?

“Mr. Miyano?” Officer Deepak called and Ryo snapped back to reality. 

“Ah, yes. Sorry, I’ll be right with you,” he replied. “Dee, grant the officers our full cooperation. When you’ve the time, I’d like to see the security footage. Those glitches people have been talking about seem too coincidental to me,” he added softly, and Dee nodded, understanding Ryo’s discretion. 

“Yes, sir,” he answered resolutely. Ryo smiled. 

“Good man,” he patted him on the shoulder and went back to the waiting policeman. “Sorry. Please, lead the way,” he motioned. 

They walked to one of the personnel’s lounges on the ground floor, but Officer Deepak stopped before they got to the entrance. 

“Before we go on, you have to understand that the man’s been pretty shaken up. Whatever he’s saying might not make a lot of sense, but it might provide some answers to this case,” he explained and Ryo frowned. 

“What exactly happened?” he asked. 

The policeman took a deep breath. “Well, we don’t quite know the gist of it, but we found the poor man locked in the janitor’s closet in the basement. He wasn’t been making much sense since then, but he might be a key witness to this craziness. He seems to be the only proof that something did happen here last night.” 

Ryo seemed more confused after hearing the man’s cryptic explanation and only raised his eyebrow in question at him. 

“It’s better if you see for yourself, Mr. Miyano,” Officer Deepak ushered Ryo inside where he saw a distraught man sitting on one of the chairs at the table, leaning his head on his hand. He had the look of a man that saw something he shouldn’t have. 

“I cannot imagine how terrifying it must’ve been for you, Mr. Qiao,” a feminine voice suddenly cooed and Ryo took a reserved step back when Miss Kumiho came into sight, placing a cup of coffee in front of the security guard. The man took it with an obvious tremble in his hands. 

“T-thank you, Miss,” he said softly, his voice frail. 

Ryo felt sympathetic towards the man but he was rather on edge with Miss Kumiho in the room. He cleared his throat after regaining himself, alerting them of his presence. 

“Oh, Mr. Miyano!” Miss Kumiho called out, quite unlike herself when she walked over to give him a hug. Ryo’s eyes widened and he tensed up, his hands hovering awkwardly over the woman, never really touching her. 

“I’m relieved you’re here. This is all very frightening. To think that someone had the gall to just break into our facility, I’m shaking just thinking of it,” she exclaimed after pulling away. Ryo caught himself staring at her considering that he wasn’t sure this was the same Miss Kumiho he had known before. It was an entirely different side of her that he had never seen and it made him a little uneasy. Then again, perhaps it proved that she was human after all, being as shaken as she was. 

_Provided that she isn’t faking this…_ he thought skeptically to himself, but shook his head once he noted how mean that sounded. 

“Are you alright, Miss Kumiho?” he asked gently, though keeping a straight, professional face. 

“Just a bit startled, sir,” she replied, straightening herself. “But I believe Mr. Qiao has had it worse. I was about to ask him what had happened. You see, as terrible as this is for everyone, Mr. Yok will want to know what had happened as well. Selfish of me, isn’t it? To continue my duties despite this ordeal-, but it’s the only way I know how to cope,” she explained, the lack of true emotion in her eyes making Ryo suspicious, but he gave her the benefit of the doubt. 

“Not at all, Miss Kumiho. It’s understandable. I’ve been meaning to call Mr. Yok myself once we know more,” he replied and then turned towards the security guard who had his eyes on his coffee this entire time. He seemed to be in genuine shock. 

“Would you like a cup of coffee, sir?” Miss Kumiho asked and Ryo nodded. 

“Thank you,” he said, as the woman went to the kitchen to make another cup. 

Ryo looked at the security guard and approached him cautiously as to not startle him further. 

“Mr. Qiao?” he asked gently, giving the man a smile when he had looked up. His eyes went wide and he attempted to stand up, but Ryo gently pushed him back down. 

“No need to stand, you take it easy,” Ryo assured, taking the chair beside him. “I hear you had a rough night. I’m sorry you had to experience that,” he apologized. 

“It’s part of the job, sir. I should be the one to apologize, I haven’t done my job properly,” Mr. Qiao lowered his head to show his regret, but Ryo would have none of that. He touched the man’s shoulder so that he would meet his gaze and Ryo gave him a warm smile. 

“No one could have foreseen this. To be honest, I’m glad no one got hurt,” he spoke softly. “I know this is a lot to ask, but do you think you can tell me what happened last night?” 

Ryo looked up briefly when Miss Kumiho placed a cup of coffee in front of him and took a seat beside him. Her gaze was focused on Mr. Qiao, her hands wrapped around a steaming cup of tea. 

Mr. Qiao heaved a deep sigh, shaking his head. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, sir. I told the police and they didn’t believe me either. Said I was in shock and I should calm down until my real memories came back,” he said, looking pained just having to admit it. 

“Why don’t you just start at the beginning? Take your time,” Ryo said calmly, waiting until the man was good and ready to tell him. 

Mr. Qiao sighed one more time and took a big gulp of his coffee. 

“I’m not crazy, sir, I swear. I’m a realistic man, a man of logic and reason. But I know what I saw,” he started and leaned forward. 

“It was a beast, red eyes, fur black as night! I can still hear it growling,” he said in an urgent whisper. “It caught me off guard. I didn’t even know how it got inside of the security room. Next thing I know, there was only darkness and when I blinked I was gagged and trapped inside of the janitor’s closet. I didn’t even know how I got there!” Mr. Qiao spoke, a wild, scared look in his eyes. “I don’t know what was in the building with us last night, sir, but it was there,” he drank his coffee with trembling hands, looking like he was about to have another breakdown. 

Ryo tried to process what the man was telling him, taking everything into consideration. There would be no reason for him to lie about this, but Ryo couldn’t help his skepticism. _A wild beast? What would a beast want in E.T. Corp?_

He carefully glanced over to Miss Kumiho and frowned when she seemed so concentrated and focused on Mr. Qiao. Was she doubting his story, or was she believing it?

“Can you remember anything else, Mr. Qiao?” she asked, her eyes never lingering from the guard. 

“I’m not sure, Miss,” he shook his head. 

“Please, do try to remember. It’s important. A story like that is difficult to believe, after all,” she added, making the guard sigh. 

“I’m not making this up, Miss. Why would I? It overwhelmed me and the next I knew, I was locked in that closet.”

“Do you remember being brought there?” Ryo tried, but Mr. Qiao shook his head. “Perhaps you were drugged?” he then said, but the guard sighed. 

“I was wide awake and fully conscious, sir. You think I don’t know how this sounds? I’m speaking the truth!” he implored and Ryo was inclined to believe him. 

“And that’s all you remember? Maybe you’ve seen a face?”

“Just the eyes. They were red. It went so fast…” Mr. Qiao trailed off, lost in thought. He blinked. “I remember shadows. Swirls of black smoke surrounding me. I thought I was going to die.” 

Ryo frowned at this. Why did that seem so familiar? He startled lightly when he thought he heard the sound of a gun go off, followed by the whimpering of a wolf, but those were echoes of his memory. Next to him, Miss Kumiho had risen from her seat, her entire body tense. 

“Miss Kumiho? Something wrong?” Ryo asked, but she didn’t respond immediately. 

“The police said that an alarm eventually went off. Is this true, Mr. Qiao?” she asked the guard instead, ignoring his question. Ryo noted how she had paled. 

“Yes, that’s true. Long after I was locked up, though. I think the alarm went off in Mr. Miyano’s office,” Mr. Qiao said, to which Ryo startled this time. 

“My office?” he repeated while the security guard nodded. He blinked in confusion when Miss Kumiho roughly pushed her chair back and briskly walked out of the lounge. 

“Miss Kumiho!” Ryo called after her, but she had already left. “Thank you, Mr. Qiao. You make sure to get all the rest and care that you need. You’ve done well,” Ryo excused himself and ran after the woman. 

“Ah, Mr. Miyano-,” Officer Deepak called, having waited in the hallway. 

“Officer Deepak, could I trouble you in taking care of Mr. Qiao? The poor man is rattled and I’d like to see him taken good care of,” he instructed in a hurry. The policeman was overwhelmed a moment before he agreed. 

“O-of course, sir- is there something amiss? Do you require my assistance?” he asked, seeing the obvious haste Ryo was in. 

“Not at the moment, officer. But I’ll let you know if I do. Excuse me,” Ryo left to rush after a distraught-looking Miss Kumiho and that concerned him. She seemed genuinely frightened when Mr. Qiao mentioned what he had seen. He had to admit that the story was rather creepy, but the one thing he was mostly concerned about was the fact that whomever was in here last night, broke into his office. 

Naturally he worried about the dagger, but no one outside of himself, Miss Kumiho, Dee, Seunghyun and Mr. Yok, knew about its existence. Not to mention that he kept it hidden in a vault in a secret laboratory. Though, having seen the shocked reaction of Miss Kumiho, could it be possible she may have told someone about it? 

This thought struck panic into Ryo’s heart and he quickened his pace. By the time he was in his office, Miss Kumiho was already there, looking around. 

“They couldn’t have…They shouldn’t even know-,” 

Ryo heard her mutter to herself, alarming him. “They?” he questioned, startling her. 

“Sir?” she tried to regain her composure, but was too rattled to do so. “There’s no signs of a break-in,” she changed the topic and Ryo looked around. Someone seemed to have been sitting in his chair since the leaning was tilted slightly back. Mr. Qiao was right. There was someone - or _something_ \- here last night. 

He walked towards the hidden panel and revealed the door to his private laboratory. Miss Kumiho wasted no time and walked inside. 

“Hurry, sir,” she implored and Ryo opened the vault, his heart pounding in his chest. When the door opened, it felt like his heart had stopped beating altogether. 

Miss Kumiho gasped audibly, a frantic panic overcoming her like he had never witnessed before. She pushed him aside to look inside of the vault, shaking her head and reaching inside to empty space. 

“No,” she murmured. “No, no, no! Impossible!” she exclaimed, looking genuinely scared, which Ryo thought was remarkable. She wasn’t worried or startled, but _afraid_. 

“Miss Kumiho,” he stated firmly, forcing her to focus. “Does anyone outside of the core group know of the existence of the dagger?” he asked calmly, even though he was close to freaking out himself. 

“Of course not,” she nearly hissed. “No one else knows! It’s impossible!” she stated resolutely, staring back into the empty vault. 

“Are you sure?” Ryo raised his voice at her.

“Yes!” she yelled back, anger obvious in her voice. 

“Well, it’s gone, isn’t it?” Ryo shot back. “Who would steal from E.T. Corp? How would they know specifically where to find the dagger?” 

“I don’t know, sir,” she panted. “We need to get it back!” 

“You think I don’t know that? This is unbelievable!” Ryo breathed, sensing a meltdown coming up. This was elaborate. Had to be. Why ignore all the other tech and inventions? How would the thief or thieves know about the dagger? Did Miss Kumiho tell someone about it? Did Dee or Seunghyun accidentally mention the dagger to someone? _No._ They wouldn’t be so careless. 

“I need to call Mr. Yok,” Ryo decided, closing the vault with a bang and walking back to his office. “And then I’ll tell Officer Deepak that we’re missing a dagger,” he stated, Miss Kumiho hot on his heels. 

“You can’t do that, sir. We have to find the dagger ourselves. Mr. Yok-,”

“Mr. Yok won’t be pleased to hear that we’ve lost it in the first place. He’ll want professionals to deal with this,” Ryo interrupted. 

“Mr. Yok wouldn’t want outsiders to know about the dagger, Mr. Miyano,” she pressed. 

“Except that outsiders apparently already know!” he gestured towards the direction of the vault. “I want to get the dagger back just as much as you do, Miss Kumiho, but still trying to keep this a secret won’t do much good,” he tried to reason. 

Miss Kumiho defiantly crossed her arms across her chest. “Very well. Call Mr. Yok. See what he tells you,” she stated. Ryo made sure to meet her defiant gaze, unwilling to back down against her. 

“I didn’t tell anyone. I know that’s what you’re thinking, sir,” she added, making him step back. 

“Whoever took it found out one way or another. No use in pointing fingers anyway. Damn thing is already gone,” he muttered, turning around to call the founder, when Dee suddenly rushed into his office. 

“Sir! I got a hold of the security footage and you’re not going to belie-, oh. M-Miss Kumiho, hello, uh-, I-I didn’t realize you were here,” Dee mumbled, holding onto a glass tablet. Ryo thought he saw something flash in the woman’s eyes when she looked at the younger scientist. 

“No trouble, Mr. Kang. Looks like you have something important to tell the boss. Found something interesting on the surveillance footage, did you?” she questioned, as Dee glanced away, shuffling his feet a bit. Miss Kumiho was quite adept in making young men blush and uncomfortable, but there was a strange tone in her voice that Ryo couldn’t place. It nearly sounded like a threat…

“A-actually, I was going to say how you wouldn’t believe how- uh, messed up the system was, last night. The glitches distorted most of the footage. I don’t think that there’s anything we can do to restore it. I’m- I’m really sorry, sir,” Dee apologized. 

“You’re kidding,” Ryo sighed dejectedly. “Well, nothing you can do about it. I need to place an important phone call. Miss Kumiho will bring you up to speed. Excuse me,” Ryo walked away so he could place the phone call privately, knowing that Miss Kumiho would decide to linger. 

When Ryo had gone, Miss Kumiho turned a cold gaze towards Dee, who was still holding onto the tablet. “Well. I supposed I’m pleased that you at least remember for whom you work for, Mr. Kang,” she commented with a bite and extended her hand. 

Dee looked at her hand a moment in hesitation before giving her the tablet. 

“Did something bad happen, Miss Kumiho?” he questioned. 

She scoffed but said nothing as she went through the security footage. She hissed softly when she saw the vague figure of two wolves flash by in one video, but panic overcame her when she saw where they were running towards. 

“You went through the footage?” she asked, Dee looking up in surprise. 

“Only briefly. I saw some black smoke that Mr. Qiao mentioned having seen. Why?” he asked. 

“How is the other project doing? The one I asked you and Mr. Tabi to set up?” she ignored his question, deleting any footage that showed glimpses of those godforsaken wolves. She knew that they were behind it. Who else was there? Those little mongrels didn’t know what they started, and in how much trouble they were going to be when she was going to end it. 

“The prohibited area? It’s on schedule, Miss, though I’m not sure why you won’t let us tell Mr. Miyano about it. Don’t you think he should know?” Dee asked, biting his lip and stepping back when she looked up to glare at him. 

“Given, his suggestion that the dagger might react well with the earth’s natural ley lines was a stroke of brilliance, but there’s no need for him to know. Not yet, anyway,” she smirked a little before she handed the tablet and its tampered security footage back to Dee. 

“Something bad happened, didn’t it, ma’am?” Dee then asked, noticing how tense she was. “It’s not the dagger, is it?!” he then panicked. 

“I’m afraid so,” she grunted, hardly looking up when Dee ran towards the hidden lab, checking the vault and letting out a yell. She had straightened out her hair and clothing when he ran back out. 

“What?! But,- how! The dagger it’s- oh no! No! The boss-, poor Mr. Miyano, poor us! Who could’ve- oh man!” Dee blabbed in his panic. 

“A minor setback,” Miss Kumiho breathed, but there was fury in her words. 

“What are you going to do?” Dee asked, seeing the determination in her eyes. 

“I’m going to get the dagger back, Mr. Kang,” she said, walking past the glass walls and checking her own reflection. 

“The dagger back… you?! But, Miss-,”

“Keep an eye on Mr. Miyano and keep him away from the prohibited area,” she instructed, looking at her reflection one more time and nearly jumping back when she caught a glimpse of Mr. Yok staring angrily at her. His eyes were glowing amber until they turned completely black. 

“Miss Kumiho?” Dee called out, seeing her so flustered. “Are you alright?” 

She still stared at the reflection that wasn’t her own and she swallowed, feeling a real sense of fear overwhelming her. 

“I will be once I retrieved the dagger,” she regained her composure and headed for the door. 

“But where would you even start looking?” Dee called after her as she was already walking away. 

“I’m going hunting,” she replied cryptically, disappearing from sight. She took the elevator down and failed to have noticed another figure lingering in the shadows, listening in on the conversation. 

Ryo felt sick to his stomach after deciding to eavesdrop on his employees, but his instincts hadn’t been wrong. He was disappointed that Dee kept things from him, though the boy probably did so because Miss Kumiho had her ways to be convincing. The fact that she seemed to know exactly where to look for the missing dagger unnerved him as well. 

Who had he really been working with all this time? Did Mr. Yok know whom he hired to be his liaison and righthand woman? His finger was hovering over his phone to dial Mr. Yok’s number, but he decided against it. 

Miss Kumiho knew who stole the dagger. Did it mean that she had told someone after all? Who else could have known? 

Ryo’s heart stopped a second time as the gentle voice of his daughter filled his mind. 

_Wow, Dad, you got a lot going on at work, huh? Hey, how are things going with that thing you brought home the other day? What was it again? A pocket-knife?_

Ryo felt his entire body shiver at the memory, seeing his daughter smile sweetly at him. 

_Oh no, wait. It was a dagger, wasn’t it?_

He crushed his eyes shut. Jae and Yoona knew about the dagger, but they were his family and they definitely weren’t thieves. They both knew better than to talk about his work to other people. Besides, Miss Kumiho seemed to know very well where to look for the stolen dagger. The only way for him to find out, was to follow her.   


	76. ~ Promises ~

***

It was a gray and dreary day today, and I was exhausted. 

The events from last night still made my head spin and it caused me to lock myself up in my room, where I could avoid my parents altogether. I had jolted awake when I heard my father’s phone ring early in the morning in the other room and quickly turned around in my bed, trying to drown it out. I knew that it was him getting a call that something had happened at E.T. Corp and I still resented it that I was the one responsible for that. 

Sure, I found a heart by stealing that dagger, _whooptie-freaking-doo,_ but it did nothing for my guilt. I wish I could turn back time- but even Tao said that he couldn’t do it so why would I think that I could?

I turned around to look at my desk, which was cluttered by all the notes I had made and shown to the boys. Out of context, it looked like the deranged scribbling of a paranoid hippie who believed in conspiracy theories. 

My fingers jolted when I sensed that pulsating energy and I stared at my drawer. I checked to see if my door was closed and then slowly opened the drawer. The cloth of the dagger had slid off slightly, revealing part of the hilt and the green heart-shaped seed. 

It was by far the strangest weapon I had ever seen, almost as if it was alive and sentient. What was I supposed to do with this thing? The ghost wolf failed to mention that. 

I took a deep breath when I reached out to pick it up. The heart glowed green, the silver shining like it had recently been polished. It felt light in my hands, but heavy at the same time. My skin was tingling wherever it touched the dagger, but it wasn’t unpleasant. At the same time, I felt uneasy holding it. Familiar and so very strange…

“What am I supposed to do with you?” I wondered out loud. “What even _are_ you?” 

What else had the wolf told me on abandoned Exo planet? 

_Find the heart. Remember. If you find the heart, you might save your home._

Well. I found the heart, now what? Did it automatically mean that my world was saved? Was this it? Should I wait for more instructions? But the wolf also said that it wouldn’t be able to help again. 

“Save the world…How is this thing supposed to save the world?” I scoffed and clacked my tongue, sinking down on the chair behind the desk. “What the heck did we do? We’re like lost sheep…” 

I breathed out as calmly as I could. What if the fate of this world really was in the hands of a group of teenagers with super powers? That was an awful heavy burden and a terrible responsibility. Let’s be honest here; the world would totally be screwed if we were the ones that had to save it.

_But then again, who else was going to do it? You know another group of responsible people who happen to have supernatural abilities that can save the world?_

“Maybe they know how to do it,” I muttered sarcastically to myself, wrapping the dagger in the cloth again. 

“Oh my, do I want to know what ‘it’ is?” 

I let out a shriek as I jolted up, looking behind me to see my mother leaning against the doorpost while eating a cup of yoghurt. She laughed at my startled reaction and entered my room. 

I threw the wrapped dagger into my drawer and slammed it shut, quickly trying to clean my desk and hiding the notes I had written down. 

“Mom! Eh, h-hi, good morning,” I greeted rather stupidly, trying to look casual.

“Wow, on edge much? You know, you’d think that a student whose school got cancelled would be a lot more relaxed,” she remarked. “Something bothering you, baby?” 

“No, it’s nothing,” I smiled, coughing. “W-why would you think there’s something going on?” I muttered oh-so-smoothly.  

She narrowed her eyes at me as she slowly walked in my room. “Did you take your medicine? Don’t make me call the doctor on you again, Missy,” she warned and I shook my head. 

“I’m fine, Mom, I promise. I was just daydreaming,” I dismissed. “So, have you heard from Dad yet? He left kind of sudden this morning,” I said to put the attention away from me, but I wasn’t out of hot water just yet. Mentioning my Dad gave me an ulcer and having to pretend like I didn’t know what was going on was even worse. But the alternative would be telling her that I stole a dagger from Dad’s company with my friends because a ghost wolf told me to. So, the first option seemed like the lesser of two evils. _Relativity’s a bitch, ain’t it?_  

“No, he hasn’t called,” she confessed, looking worried. “Something significant must’ve happened, otherwise he would’ve already called. But maybe he’ll do so later on,” she shrugged her shoulders a little. My mom was smiling, but I could tell that there was something bothering her. 

“Dad is fine, you know,” I told her because I knew that was what she needed to hear,  and she chuckled, taking a deep breath, her shoulders relaxing. 

“Oh, I know, baby. But with the weather lately, and him staying at work all night and then being called to work in the morning-,” she sighed deeply as I bit my lip. “I’m just a little worried. He’s spending an awful lot of time at that company.” 

I gave her a comforting smile. “Yeah, but you know Dad gives his all where his work is concerned. He’ll be fine,” I tried, glancing briefly at my drawer, where I knew the dagger was pulsating..

Mom nodded absently, the spoon dangling from her mouth. “Do you think I overdid it when I invited Miss Kumiho over for dinner? Your father didn’t want me to invite her. What if that just drove him right into her perfect little arms?” she asked out of the blue, causing me to snap my head up at her.

“Oh boy, Mom this is _so_ not appropriate,” I groaned. “Come on, you’re talking about Dad here. Trust me, he doesn’t even like _that woman_ ,” I gritted my teeth. 

“Good. I don’t like her either,” she decided firmly, heaving another sigh. “So then, now that’s out of the way, what’s been eating my teenage daughter lately?” she asked with a teasing smirk. 

“Me? Nothing, Mom,” I said casually, shrugging my shoulders though I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans. 

Mom regarded me thoughtfully, a sad smile on her face this time. “Nothing, hm?” she asked as I did my best to keep a straight face. I only lifted my eyebrows as confirmation. 

She chuckled and caressed my cheek. Her hand was a little cold, but her touch burned. 

“You are so much like your father, do you know that?” she mused gently. 

“Hey, you’re trying to insult me?” I tried to joke. 

“You’re good at keeping secrets,” Mom clarified soberly, nearly stopping my heart. Her smile this time showed that she knew I was keeping something from her, and that it was hurting her. My mouth was dry as parchment and it was so difficult for me to swallow. I searched for the right words to say, but I drew a blank. Somehow it felt like I would be insulting her if I persisted that there was nothing going on. Instead, she was the one who broke the silence. 

“I’m here, too, baby,” she said. She had told me so before, and I should’ve known that I couldn’t pass anything by her. I felt the guilt come back with a vengeance so I just stared at the floor as if it fascinated me to no end. Mom’s eyes were gentle, I know, but her staring felt unbearable. 

“Jae, baby, when do you think you’ll be able to tell me? Whatever is going on with you?” she asked straightforwardly this time, the way only a mother with sharp instincts could. 

Denying anything would be hurtful to her, since she’d know that I’d be lying. So I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders and gave a wan smile. 

“In due time,” I replied in a mere whisper, my eyes stinging slightly as I pushed the tears back. Mom heaved a sigh as well, but I couldn’t tell whether it was one of relief because I’d confirmed her suspicions, or of concern, because she was right about me having secrets and not told her about them. I’d like to think it was one out of relief. 

“You trust me, right, Mom? I-,” a sigh escaped my lips. “I _need_ you to trust me.” I gathered my courage to look her in the eyes and she took full advantage of that. Mom scanned my face, reading my expression, my eyes, and nodded hesitatingly while gnawing on her bottom lip. 

“I always do, baby. Just…be careful. You’re my daughter. I know you. So, you come to me when you’re ready, okay?” 

_Someone punch me in the gut and slap me nine ways till Sunday! I’m a horrible, horrible daughter…_

“I will, Mom,” I breathed, my voice frail. “Don’t worry about me. All you need to know right now is that I love you.” 

Mom nodded so patiently, so understandingly. She kissed my forehead. “I love you, too, baby,” she whispered and then regained herself, giving me a bright smile. “Well then. I was planning to head into town today. Try and seize it despite the grimy weather. You wanna come with?” she suggested cheerfully. 

“Oh, well, actually, I’ve been meaning to ask. Since we don’t really have school right now, I thought I’d hang out with friends. Is it okay if I have some come over today?” I asked, rubbing the back of my head. We still needed to find the answers, and if I had the house to myself anyway, might as well invite the guys over to figure things out. 

“Ah, that sounds like a nice idea, honey. There’s plenty of drinks and snacks downstairs so you have some fun, okay?” Mom pecked my cheek. “But no funny business, hear me? Your Dad will have an aneurysm for sure if he suddenly came home and caught you with Suho, or that other boy we saw- Luhan, I believe? Or one of the group of cute guys you introduced us to the other day,” she managed to tease, laughing at me when I groaned out loud out of embarrassment. 

“Oh, Jae, is it such a bad thing to have a boyfriend?” she smacked me playfully on the arm. “You’re young and so high-strung. Live a little, baby,” she winked. “I’m gonna head out. You’ll be okay entertaining friends?” 

“Yeah, for sure. You be careful, Mom,” I blurted before realizing what I had said. “Uh, because of the weather and stuff. If it gets bad then come back home, okay?” I added quickly and she gave me a warm smile.  

“Will do, baby. Be good,” Mom waved and left. I waited until I heard her leave the house before breathing regularly again. I opened the drawer to check on the dagger and closed it again, shaking my head. I grabbed my phone and sent a message to the pack. 

_I’ve got the house to myself. We have stuff to talk about. Can you guys be at my place in about an hour?_

My phone was spammed with messages after I sent it, and again, it felt pretty nice to know that I at least wasn’t alone in this madness. I wonder if they were able to sleep last night. If they could, I hope their dreams were good. Mine had been vague and flooded my brain with scrambled images that didn’t make a lot of sense. Dreams of red skies and black water, of freezing fire and burning ice. Dreams of tall trees and shiny daggers. One big, confusing mess. 

I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the drawer and soon reached out to it again, grabbing hold of the dagger so I could stare at it. Carefully, I removed the velvet cloth and cautiously held the dagger in my hands, fully exposed. The blade shimmered and I thought for a split second that familiar-looking symbols reflected within it. I searched for the triangle I saw on it last night, but there was no sign of it. Maybe I had imagined it after all. 

“So. Here we are,” I mumbled absently to the thing, still examining it. “I don’t suppose you could start talking and tell me what to do with you, eh?” Of course there were no voices this time. That would’ve made things too easy. 

 “How does this work?” I ever so gently tapped against the pulsating, lightly glowing seed and tried to see where the batteries were hiding, but I couldn’t find anything. How did E.T. Corp even get by a trinket like this? Or was it an invention from E.T. Corp? Is this new technology? A new gadget that would turn into a Tree of Life and provide endless energy? 

I jolt up when the doorbell rings and I blink, checking the time. Only fifteen minutes passed. Who could be at the door? 

Just to be safe, I carefully walk over to my window and take a peek outside. I huffed in relief at seeing a smiling and waving Sehun on the front lawn. 

“Hi noona!” he greeted cheerfully when I answered the door, looking clean and fresh. I doubted he had trouble sleeping last night. 

“Hey, Sehun. You’re early,” I chuckled, letting him in. 

“Oh, yeah, well, I was in the neighborhood when I got your text, so I hope it’s okay I got here sooner,” he shrugged ever so casually, running a hand through his platinum blonde hair. “Ah, t-these are for you,” he moved his hand from behind his back, revealing a modest bouquet of white roses, almost as if he had picked them along the way. 

“Aw, you didn’t have to get me anything, Sehun,” I accepted them. “Thank you, they’re beautiful. They kind of look familiar, though,” I said, frowning a little as I caught the look of guilt on his face. 

“Better not put them where your neighbor across the road can see them, noona,” he said with a mischievous smile, closing the door behind him. 

“You’re unbelievable, Oh Sehun,” I laughed, leading him to the living room. 

“So I’ve been told,” he boasted playfully, looking around. “I’m the first one, right, noona?” he asked. 

“Yeah. The others won’t be till later, I reckon,” I nodded, walking to the kitchen to get a vase. “Make yourself comfortable, okay? You want something to drink?” 

Sehun followed me and shook his head. “I’m good, thank you. Where are your parents, noona?” 

“Mom went out into town,” I started, trying to swallow away the lump in my throat. “Dad is, well, at the office,” I bit my lip and Sehun cringed. 

“Sorry,” he apologized.

“Don’t be. I suggested it, remember?” I shrugged, putting the roses in the vase and arranging them a bit. 

“Here, I’ll put them on the dining table. They’ll look nice there,” Sehun remarked, grabbing the vase from my hands, his fingers ghosting slightly over mine. 

He smiled brightly and walked towards the dining room, completely at ease, as if he was already familiar with his surroundings. I admired how calm he was, too. As if this whole end-of-the-world-dagger business wasn’t fazing him at all. 

“You know, noona, I know that I’m the youngest of the pack,” Sehun suddenly started. “But, that doesn’t mean that you can’t confide on me. If there’s something troubling you, you can rely on me. I’ll be happy to listen and help in any way I can,” he suddenly said in a quiet voice. 

I blinked rapidly at him and chuckled. “Is it that obvious?” I asked, a little embarrassed. “My mother asked me if I was okay too, before she left. Guess I have to work on acting, huh?” 

“Not at all, noona, I think your mom just has good instincts. I can’t tell by looking at you, but I can sense that there’s something up. I get it, though. All the things that have been going on, must be hard,” Sehun rubbed the back of his neck and beamed a smile my way. “But that’s where I come in! What can I do to cheer you up, noona? It feels like it’s been forever since you laughed,” he added gently, standing in front of me. 

“I laugh,” I protested, putting on a smile to make a point. Sehun only looked at me, judgment clear on his face when he propped up a single eyebrow. I looked away, giving in. 

“It’s okay, noona. I’ll make you properly smile and laugh, I promise,” he said sweetly, not a care in the world. 

“How do you do it?” I blurted, the words flying from my mouth. 

“Do what, noona?”

I paused a moment. “Everything,” I said quietly, looking at him. Sehun bore a look of temporary confusion on his face, waiting for me to explain. 

“How have you dealt with everything all these years? Keeping things secret from your family?” 

Sehun nodded understandingly, standing in front of me. “It wasn’t easy in the beginning, but you learn how to adjust,” he started. 

“You never feel guilty for hiding something so big from them?” I continued. 

“Of course, but I guess I never told them because there’s no use for them to know. I know it feels like things would be easier if they knew, but I don’t think outsiders could really understand,” he tried. “But then there’s the hyungs, and there’s you, so I don’t feel so bad about it,” he added quickly. “Though I can imagine that sometimes that’s not enough,” he murmured. 

“Of course it’s enough,” I replied, seeing his smile reappear tentatively. “But it would’ve been a little easier if I didn’t have to stress about keeping it a secret,” I admitted, to which Sehun nodded understandingly. 

“It’ll all be alright, noona. Really,” he said. 

I nodded at him. “Yeah, I know. Thanks, Sehunnie,” I know that I didn’t sound convincing at all, so I wasn’t surprised that Sehun regarded me skeptically. 

“You’ll see. Where’s the dagger?” he asked. 

“The dagger? Upstairs, in my room. But we should probably-,”

“Great! Come on, noona,” Sehun pulled me along with him, finding my room with ease, feeling absolutely comfortable walking into it with me in tow. Suho had been nervous and shy about the mere idea that he was alone with me in my room, but Sehun wasn’t even blushing. 

I shook my head in amusement and walked to my desk. He followed my movements and looked over my shoulder when I opened the drawer. 

“Cool,” he cooed, gently taking the dagger from my hands to inspect it a moment as he plopped down on the chair behind the desk. “So has this thing helped you wake up yet, noona? Is it some kind of weird alarm clock?” he asked and I shook my head, leaning against the desk. 

“I don’t think the ghost wolf meant for me to wake up in such a literal sense. To be honest, I don’t know what the dagger is or what it’s for,” I sighed, and frowned when I thought I saw another strange symbol etched in the blade while Sehun was holding it. 

“Well, we should try and figure it out,” he stated matter-of-factly. 

“Yeah, that’s why I asked all of you guys to come over, remember? We should wait until the others get here,” I replied, grabbing the dagger from his hands again. The moment I did so, a sudden dizziness overwhelmed and I needed to steady myself. The dagger was pulsating brightly for a moment before the light faded again. 

“Noona! Whoa, careful, are you okay?” Sehun held me upright and I chuckled out of embarrassment. 

“Yeah, I’m okay, I’m fine. S-sorry. That happens a lot, lately,” I breathed, trying to stand straight, but failing. I leaned against Sehun’s chest, who held me protectively against him. 

“Is it the dagger, noona?” he asked, glaring at the thing in my hands. 

“No, I think this is just a Jae-thing,” I looked up at him. “I get sudden panic attacks,” I confided, my voice soft. 

“Panic attacks? That sound serious,” Sehun muttered worriedly. “Here, noona, sit down,” he guided me to my bed and waited until I was properly seated before he knelt down before me. 

I was short of breath and did my best to calm down. 

“I’ll take that, noona,” Sehun said quietly, grabbing the dagger, but I pulled back on instinct, startling him. 

“S-sorry,” I apologized. “I’m sorry, but, I’d like to keep holding it for a while,” I felt like I’d feel worse if I wasn’t touching the dagger for some reason- maybe this was a dagger-thing after all. 

“Okay,” Sehun said, pursing his lips and holding my shoulder when I took deep steady breaths. “What do I need to do? What do you need, noona?” he asked. 

“I just-,” I inhaled for breath, wondering why I still felt this way. I thought the dagger was the answer to everything, but that’s apparently not the case. The anxiety took over, that horrible sensation of not belonging anywhere, not remembering anything from my past, took over. The dagger felt warm in my hands and I could feel it pulsating like a steady heartbeat. When I closed my eyes, I could see a green, glowing heart thump in my mind’s eye. 

“Noona? Jae-noona?” Sehun called softly, shaking me lightly to get me to open my eyes, but I couldn’t. Was the dagger alive after all? Was it sending me images that it wanted me to see? 

A white light twirled around the heart, followed by a shadow of similar size. When the shadow swallowed the light, the heart cracked and I could feel its pain. Its sorrow. All of those emotions made way for the purest of fear when the shadow proceeded to swallow the heart as well. I knew this story. I saw it somewhere before. The ghost wolf showed it to me on Exo planet. 

I heard the sound of my rapid breathing, felt how my shoulders shook. 

“Noona, open your eyes,” Sehun’s voice sounded from far away, but I couldn’t. 

“Noona! Noona, stop!” 

Stop? What did he want me to stop? 

“Noona,- Jae, don’t be afraid. I’m here,” Sehun said ever so softly and I could feel his presence in front of me. _Why couldn’t I open my eyes?_

“S-Sehun,” my voice was shaky, panic kicking in when I lost control over my movements. “I can’t open my eyes,” I trembled, the grip tightening on the dagger. 

“You need to calm down, noona, I’m right here,” he told me, but he seemed worlds apart. 

“I-I can’t,” I breathed, my body stiff with tension. In the dark, my heart thumped rapidly as fear started gripping it. “I can’t!” 

Where was this coming from? Me, touching the dagger? But I’d touched it before, so why would I react like this right now? Was it the stress of all the events that had occurred? There was a quiet storm, wherever I was. This terrible cold and dark place, with no one around that I could hold on to. Were these the emotions of the dagger? Could it _feel_? I was trembling so much, my body was so tense- frozen with fear and despair. I was drowning in a black abyss, disappearing, sinking further into the darkness-

But then it all suddenly stopped. Two warm, reassuring hands cupped my face, thumbs gently wiping away what I assumed were tears. Had I been crying? 

A gentle, summer’s breeze made my skin shiver pleasantly, a ripple of warmth flowing through my body as that wind played with my hair. My body relaxed slowly, my breathing slowing down. I became breathless when the same pair of thumbs ever so gently caressed my eyelids, the touch so careful and tender like the beat of a butterfly’s wing. The gesture calmed me down and I wasn’t drowning anymore. 

I gasped softly when the tender touch was replaced by chaste and careful kisses on each eye, making my eyes flutter. I was covered by a sense of security which washed away the fear and the pain I felt before. I gained control over my body once more as if a connection had been broken. I could breathe again. 

When I opened my eyes, Sehun was there, inches removed from me. His hands were still cupping my face, but I didn’t mind. He was smiling when I looked at him, his thumbs softly caressing my cheeks for comfort. 

“That’s better,” he murmured with a smile. “Everything is going to be alright, noona. Don’t be afraid, I’m here,” he reassured me, for which I was thankful. 

“Sehun,” I sniffed, trying to regain my composure. I was so happy to see him. What I felt before was beyond terrible. I never wanted to feel like that again. Letting out a breath of relief I leaned forward and hugged a surprised Sehun. He steadied himself and wrapped his arms around me. I felt safe as I allowed the scent of freesias overwhelm my senses. I didn’t mind. 

“Thank you,” I whispered and he responded by stroking my back, soothing the last bits of nerves and anxiety I’d been feeling. 

“I was worried, noona. You hurt yourself by gripping the dagger too hard,” he explained calmly when I had pulled back. “I wanted you to stop, but you were already out of it,” he got up from the floor and sat next to me while holding my wrists, gently prying the dagger from my hands. I think he expected it to be stained with blood, but there was nothing there. The damned thing shimmered and shone as if nothing had happened. 

I looked at my hands and they were fine as well. Not a scratch on them. I don’t think I felt a sting on my hands to begin with. 

“That’s weird,” Sehun murmured under his breath. “You were bleeding, noona,” he elaborated without panic in his voice, as though he deliberately controlled his emotions for my sake. He held my hands to inspect them and didn’t let go when he asked, “what happened?”

I let out a deep, exasperated sigh and lifted my shoulders, feeling like I’ve aged a century. 

“Did you wake up?” he then asked, but I shook my head. Whatever I just went through was anything but an awakening. 

“I don’t feel any different,” I told him. 

“But you did see something, didn’t you?” Sehun read off my face. 

“I’m not so sure what, though,” I bit my lip. “Sehun, if I told you that I think the dagger might be alive- sentient, somehow, would you believe me?” I asked him in all the graveness I could muster. The maknae gave me a puzzled look before his eyes darted over to the silver dagger, the heart pulsating softly. 

“Well, I don’t see why you would lie about something like that, noona,” he answered with a shrug. “You think it’s alive?”

“I think it just made me feel what it felt,” I started, fully aware at how ludicrous this sounded. “And it wasn’t necessarily good,” I said with a sarcastic chuckle. At this, Sehun watched the dagger again and cautiously grabbed it. There was a pensive look on the boy’s face, but I couldn’t read it. 

“Hm,” he hummed, rubbing his chin absently. “What if it’s some kind of USB device? Or an external hard-drive, a place to store memories? Maybe what you saw and felt were data belonging to someone else, noona. A dagger can’t be alive, you see. It’s an object. But if it’s some fancy new device created to transfer saved data to another person, it wouldn’t be so surprising that you could feel and see what it had recorded,” he tried to reason, but even to me it sounded rather farfetched. 

Sehun seemed to realize this as well as he scratched his cheek and flushed red. “What exactly did you see, noona?” he asked to change the topic. 

“I saw a green heart being swallowed by the shadows. The next thing I know I’m drowning into the abyss as well. I’d probably would have been stuck in that darkness if it weren’t for you. So, thank you, Sehunnie,” I smiled genuinely this time and it made him cheerful as well. 

“I told you that you can rely on me,” he boasted, a smug grin on his face. He then glanced at the dagger and picked it up, walking towards the drawer. 

“What are you doing?” I asked, seeing him wrapping the weapon neatly in the velvet cloth before putting it back where he had found it. 

“We’ll get to that dagger once the others are here. I don’t want to risk anything happening to you, again,” he explained. 

I watched him carefully as he smiled. Sehun had gentle eyes, and even though he didn’t look it, or acted on it, I could tell that he had a good, and caring  heart.

“You’re something else, did you know that, Oh Sehun?” I told him, taking one more deep breath for good measure. 

“Naturally. What else would I be? I’m pretty amazing, noona, I’m surprised you haven’t caught up to that yet,” he stated in such a casual, naive manner that I blasted out a laugh, immediately feeling better. I punched him against the arm before I leaned my head on his shoulder, feeling grateful once more that he was here to talk me down. If he hadn’t decided to come early and I had picked up the dagger like I did, I wouldn’t know what could have happened. All these boys seemed to have perfect timing. They were there when I needed them, even before I realized that I needed them. 

“Hey noona?” Sehun called. 

“Hm?”

“Do I get something for keeping my promises?” the cheekiness that dripped from each word were impossible not to notice. 

“What promise would that be?” I mused as he leaned his head on mine. 

“I made you laugh and I made sure you can always rely on me,” he answered casually, though I could feel him become a bit warm. He was blushing. 

“Well, I guess that’s true,” I mused again, gently pulling away so I could look at him. Sure enough, the tips of his ears were red and he was trying to hide the fact that he was feeling shy by putting up an act of confidence and cheekiness. I played along. He did help me, after all. 

“Name your price,” I said and he blinked, probably not thinking that it would be so easy. 

Sehun smiled, unable to keep up his act and he flushed. Then he looked at me with a pair of adorable puppy dog eyes that nearly made me want to reach out to pinch his cheeks and then go to buy him all the bubble tea he wanted. Thank goodness I had a thing called self-control. 

“Do you think that- ehm…well,” he stammered shyly, swallowing hard. “Ask me to the Homecoming Dance, noona?” he questioned, lowering his gaze so he wouldn’t have to look at me. Now it was my turn to turn into a tomato. 

“T-t-the Homecoming D-Dance?” _Oh, eloquence that is me!_

Sehun nodded, pursing his lips together to prevent from laughing out of nervousness. “Yes,” he still managed to answer. “Don’t worry. When you ask, I promise I’ll say yes,” he added with a cute little wink that made him feel even more embarrassed. 

I chuckled and covered my face. What could I say to this? Gosh, I wish I could be as carefree as he was. I’d forgotten about Homecoming all over again. 

“What if Homecoming Dance gets cancelled anyway because of the weather?” I answered after giving it a serious thought. 

“Then I’ll settle with a dance,” Sehun replied promptly. “Do we have a deal?” he held out his hand and waited for me to shake it. 

“Just one dance?” I teased. He laughed.

“If you want more then all you need to do is ask, noona,” he retaliated cleverly. 

Chuckling again, I took his extended hand and shook it firmly. “It’s a deal,” I promised. 

Later I would wonder why I felt a little uneasy making this promise to Sehun, but I couldn’t pinpoint the reason. Maybe it had something to do with the end-of-the-world-brouhaha that was still hanging over our heads. 

It won’t be long now. 

We had the dagger. 

Time for some answers. 


	77. ~ Black Pearl ~

***

“Time for a break! I don’t get any of this!” Chen whined, holding his head in frustration. 

“A break? It’s been fifteen minutes, Chen,” I told him, placing some snacks on the table now that everyone had arrived. The dagger was placed in the middle of the coffee-table, though it had been passed down around the group so everyone could take a look at it. 

“I could use a break! Yeah, let’s talk about why and how Sehunnie was already here while the rest of us came together,” Baekhyun said in an accusing tone, making the maknae roll his eyes. 

“Jealous much, hyung?” he provoked with a smug grin, obnoxiously sucking the straw of his bubble tea. 

“Guys, enough,” Suho warned, looking on edge and acting tense with the dagger around. “Sehun, don’t be a brat. Baekhyun, we’ve more important things to talk about,” he added for good measure, causing both Sehun and Baekhyun to pull faces at him. 

“Are you sure you’re alright, Jae-yah? I can heal you if you want, you know,” Lay asked, helping me to bring in more snacks before he sat down. 

“I’m good, Lay, don’t worry. I’ll let you know if I need some healing,” I promised. When they arrived, the first thing I made sure to tell them was what happened with the dagger when Sehun was here to witness it. After hearing that, the assumption that the dagger might somehow be sentient didn’t seem all too strange anymore. They each inspected it, but no one knew what to make of it. I guess all of us had expected the answers to just fall on our laps after requiring the dagger, so I wasn’t the only one who was disappointed and frustrated, as Chen had expressed. 

“So, if this thing is alive, wouldn’t it be able to tell us the answers? Provided that this was the heart the ghost wolf was talking about,” Luhan asked, making Suho jolt when he casually reached out to grab the weapon, twirling it around deftly before grabbing it tightly by the hilt. 

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Be careful!” Suho called out, taking the dagger from a surprised Luhan and ever so gently placed it back on the velvet cloth on the table. “If that thing is alive, it won’t appreciate you for handling it the way you just did,” he hissed worriedly.

“What’s it going to do? Stab me?” Luhan provoked. 

“It’s a dagger! It might!” Suho nearly shrieked, and I leaned over towards Lay. 

“Maybe Suho could use some healing and relaxation,” I commented softly, making him chuckle. 

“I already tried, Jae-yah- that’s the sad part,” Lay whispered back as I bit the inside of my cheeks to prevent from laughing. I was glad that I managed to relax somewhat now that the others were here, but the fact that these guys didn’t know what to do with the dagger either was unnerving. 

“Didn’t the ghost wolf tell you what you’re supposed to do with it, Jae?” D.O. asked, frowning at the dagger as it lay innocently on the table. 

“No. Otherwise I would’ve already done it,” I shrugged, twirling absently with a stray lock of hair. 

“And you haven’t woken up yet?” Tao questioned, to which I shook my head. 

“Great. So, why did we steal this thing then?” Kai remarked dryly, but because he was looking at Suho my guess was that he made the comment on purpose to irk the leader just a bit. The muscle beneath Suho’s eye twitched. 

“There is no way that I have risked imprisonment and shame to my family for something that’s not important,” Suho exclaimed, biting his nails. 

“Will you relax? Look, the thing has a little heart and everything, I’m sure this is what the ghost wolf meant,” Kris patted the leader on the shoulder, sounding cool and calm as he reached to grab some chips. Suho glared at him as he watched Kris chew on the crispy delights, the silence that fell being only broken by the _duizhang_ crunching down on the snacks. 

“How can you eat at a time like this?!” Suho asked, astonished. 

“It’s easy, you get some chips and put them in your mouth,” Kris said casually, lazily grabbing a handful of chips and stuffing his mouth. “See? Easy,” he said with a muffled voice while I had subconsciously leaned back out of fear that Suho was going to explode when he was obviously trying to find the right words to scream during his impending freak out. 

“Okay, so, the dagger,” D.O. called out while raising his voice just a little to get everyone to focus. “How is it going to help Jae wake up and how will it help us save the world?” he deadpanned, looking around as though someone had the answer. 

“Maybe we’re supposed to plant it instead of E.T. Corp? You know, free energy for everyone?” Chanyeol was brave enough to reply to D.O., but it only resulted in him getting chucked at the back of the head by the smaller teen. 

“Yah! What was that for? It could happen,” he defended. “Remember what we saw at that fake forest? The dagger has to be linked to that tree, somehow.” 

“That’s actually a pretty valid point,” D.O. admitted, a tiny smirk on his face when he went to pat Chanyeol innocently on the back, while the taller teen flinched in fear at him. 

“So, what? We stick this thing in the ground and- _Ow_!” Luhan retracted his hand from the dagger, grabbing his head in alarm, causing Suho to stand up. 

“See! I told you!” he pointed, while Luhan rubbed his sore fingers, face contorted in pain as he rubbed his temple. The dagger glowed a moment, the heart pulsating briefly. I was just in time to catch a weird symbol disappearing from the blade. 

“Did anyone see that?” I asked. 

“Luhan getting attacked by that dagger? Yep!” Suho panicked and I rolled my eyes. 

“Not that. There was a symbol on the blade just now. I’ve seen different symbols on that thing but they keep disappearing,” I mused, carefully reaching out towards the dagger. 

“Don’t touch it, Jae,” Luhan warned, squinting his eyes in pain.  “It feels like that thing just stabbed my brain,” he complained hissing through his teeth when he inhaled for breath. Lay got up at that moment, rubbing Luhan’s head while taking care of the pain. 

“It never done something like that before,” I mused, taking another gander at it. Then again, what did I know about this thing? 

“Jae, don’t touch it,” Suho repeated Luhan’s warning, but did I listen? 

_Nope_. 

I felt the strange energy pulsate underneath my finger tips and a warmth shooting through my hand when I touched it. I picked it up gently, treating it like it was alive just to be sure, and inspected the blade. 

“There’s nothing on it now, noona,” Chen said, reaching his finger towards it. The dagger grew mysteriously warmer in my hands when he did so. 

“Um, Chen, maybe you shouldn’t-,” I started, holding in my breath when he didn’t do as told either. 

We both shrieked when Chen was thrown back by an invisible jolt of electricity, while I felt the energy jolt through my body like I was some kind of conductor. 

“Whoa! That thing is evil, noona! Put it down!” Chen protested, getting up with help from Tao and Baekhyun to get off the floor. I was so startled that I threw it back on the table. What was wrong with that thing? 

“Why is it so angry, all of a sudden?” Sehun questioned in concern. “It didn’t do anything like that when it was just the two of us, noona,” he reminded me. 

“Maybe it doesn’t like it when others touch it?” Baekhyun stated. 

“But we’ve all touched it before and it was fine then,” Tao argued, keeping a weary eye on the gleaming weapon. 

“It’s like it’s angry we don’t know what to do with it,” Xiumin suddenly commented. 

“Well if that’s the case then it should just tell us,” Chen grumbled, still peeved that he got shocked. “I say we call an exorcist, though,” he sulked. 

“Hold on,” Kris piped up. “You just got stabbed in the brain,” he looked at Luhan. “And you just got shocked?” he looked at a frowning chen who nodded while pouting. “That’s…” he mused, while we anticipated what he was going to say. 

“Weird,” Kris finished, bobbing his head seriously. I heard myself scoffing. 

“Keen observation, hyung,” D.O. remarked, shaking his head. 

“Yah, what’s with this hyung? I thought you were going to say something useful,” Baekhyun argued, Chanyeol laughing at the confused _duizhang_.

“What?” Kris replied, shaking his head. “No, I mean-,”

“It’s odd that it attacked using the abilities similar to the people who touched it,” Xiumin interrupted. 

“Whoa, you’re right, Xiumin-hyung! You think it can sense what we can do?” Tao asked. 

“Maybe,” he shrugged. “If that is the case though, then it means that we’ve got the right heart. The only thing to figure out now is what to do with it,” Xiumin mused, looking at the dagger. 

Tao nodded wholeheartedly and smacked Kris on the arm, who was sitting nearby. “How come you didn’t say that?” he accused. 

“But that’s what I meant to say!” Kris replied and clapped his hands together. “Great minds think alike, right, hyung?” he said with a wide grin. 

“Though some great minds are faster than others, Kris,” Xiumin joked, stunning Kris while the others laughed. We were silenced when the dagger jittered slightly on the table as if it was responding to our laughter by laughing as well. This thing was seriously starting to freak me out. 

Senses on alert, we watched it gleam and glow. I didn’t think any one of us wanted to touch it, until Lay, of all people, spoke up. 

“ _Hao ba,_ ” he stated resolutely. “Okay, let me try,” he said, rubbing his hands on his jeans before standing up to get the dagger. 

“Whoa, hold on!”

“Wait, Lay-hyung!”

“Don’t be stupid, Lay!” 

The healer looked utterly confused at the rising protests and refrained from touching the dagger- for now. 

“What is it?” he asked and I still couldn’t believe that there would be anyone on this earth this naive and clueless to a fault like Lay. 

“What is it?!” Suho repeated in disbelief. “Have you been sleeping all this time? That thing is alive and hurting everyone it touches!” 

I was surprised when Lay looked at Suho before laughing. 

“This isn’t funny, Lay!” Suho replied. 

“Yeah, that dagger doesn’t play around,” Luhan added, frowning a bit as though he’d never expected having to say a crazy sentence like that.

“It uses our strengths to hurt us, hyung,” Chen said slowly to clarify to Lay what everyone was trying to say. Judging by his smiling face, I doubted whether Lay was aware of this. 

“I know,” Lay then answered calmly.

“Do you really?” I blurted out as he turned around to meet my gaze. He nodded. 

“Yes, Jae-yah,” he stated. 

“And you still want to touch it?” Baekhyun asked, Lay letting out another chuckle again. 

“Sure,” he answered matter-of-factly, a carefree smile dimpling his face. 

“Lay-,” Kris tried, but Lay sighed now, shaking his head and still chuckling at an inside joke. 

“I know, gege, I know,” he said. “Think about it. Chen just said that dagger-nim uses our strengths against us to hurt us. But what could it do when I touch it? Heal me to death?” he laughed at seeing our faces get hit by realization. “And I always thought I was the slow one,” he added good-naturedly before turning his attention towards the weapon again. 

There was just a shimmer of hesitance in his eyes before he regained himself and slender fingers wrapped themselves around the hilt of the dagger. I held in my breath when Lay picked up the dagger, worried that something might happen to him as well. 

“Oh,” Lay suddenly cooed, holding the dagger in both hands. 

“What is it, hyung?” Sehun watched him as intently as the rest of us, but it didn’t seem like he was experiencing any kind of pain. Lay held up the weapon into the light, frowning as he gazed at the blade. I craned my neck slightly to try and see what he was staring at and my eyes widened as a green glow started to outline a symbol in its blade. 

_I knew it! I wasn’t just seeing things; they were really there!_

“A unicorn?” I squinted, jumping a little when at the same time, Lay dropped the dagger and staggered backwards, Luhan and Kris catching him on time. The dagger fell, but Chanyeol caught it, yelping out pain when it seared his skin and he threw it up again. We backed away out of instinct when the dagger plummeted down before clattering on the floor. I was wrong thinking that that would be that, since the weapon started jittering again and on its own accord started moving. 

_The freaking thing moved!_

And not in a slow way, sliding over the floor leisurely- nope! The possessed weapon from Hell shot all over the place like an unguided missile, wreaking havoc as it shot over us. Baekhyun dived down when it came too near, while Chen and D.O. laid flat on the floor. 

“Whoa! What did you do with it, hyung?!” Chen called out, the dagger bumping against furniture, its heart glowing a fierce green. I’d almost think that it behaved this way because it was reacting to us, somehow. Maybe it was reacting to our energy? Being together in a room like this? Was it too much for it to handle? 

“I-I didn’t do anything,” Lay breathed, ducking his head as the dagger continued shooting wildly in the air, the tip of the blade scratching against the wall, making a screeching sound as it dragged over the floor. 

“Let me try this,” Xiumin followed the dagger with his eyes and at the right moment, shot a blast of ice its way, encasing it. The dagger fell promptly on the floor, but it bothered me to see that its heart was still beating vigorously and I pointed at its blade when it showed yet another symbol. 

“Tell me that you guys saw that!” I exclaimed. 

The dagger shuddered and right before our eyes the ice around it broke off, shards of it flying over the room. 

“Whoa! Let’s not do anything against that thing, we’re just pissing it off!” said Baekhyun, as I watched another symbol disappear from the blade while the dagger ran rampant. 

“We have to stop it somehow- ah!” Suho held to his hand when the dagger skimmed past it. The wound closed as easily as it was made, and seeing the symbol appear and disappear on the blade again got me thinking. 

“I think it’s looking for something,” I mused, ducking again when it flew over my head, missing me by a hair. 

“Looking for something? Oh man, what if it has a built-in security system and it gets activated once it realized that we stolen it?!” Baekhyun replied, seemingly being the only one to have heard me. 

“Fat chance! I’m telling you, that thing is possessed!” Chen piped up again, using a pillow to knock it down. We watched as it spun in the air, heading straight to a stunned Kai. 

“Kai, watch out!” Sehun yelled as the dagger soared towards the youth - blade first. I thought it was going to hit, but the dagger flew through a black cloud and pierced the couch where Kai had been sitting. 

Kai reappeared, startled and fell down on the floor as the weapon tried to escape again. 

“Oh my God, that is it!” I ran forward and grabbed the hilt, damned the consequences. How was it going to hurt me anyway, since I needed the strength of others to put my power to use? The hilt felt hot as I held it firmly in my hand and this time, the weird triangle symbol stayed on the blade. 

“Careful, Jae,” Suho panted, swallowing hard. “It’s not hurting you?” 

I shook my head. “I think it tried to earlier, but now it just feels hot in my hand,” I breathed, keeping a close watch on it, just in case it started to play satan again. 

“Sheesh. Kai, are you okay?” Kris asked, looking at the startled teen on the floor. D.O. helped him up as he only nodded, unable to speak. 

“Oh man, what the hell was that all about?” Luhan asked, disgruntled. 

“I’m sorry, maybe I did-,”

“It’s not you, Lay-hyungie,” Chen cut in immediately, pointing accusingly at the glowing dagger. “That thing is the spawn of satan! What is that ghost wolf thinking, making Jae-noona go look for it?!” 

I was about to reply when I felt the dagger tug in my hand, the outline of the triangle glowing as it pulled towards Kai. 

“Hey, noona, that’s not funny!” Kai scolded, but I shook my head. 

“It’s not me, I swear,” I said, pulling back the dagger and letting out a squeal as I felt it literally drag me towards him. 

“Whoa!” Luhan reacted first, placing his hands around my waist to keep me in place while Tao and Sehun stood in front of Kai. 

“W-what’s going on?!” I cried out, hearing Luhan grunt something unintelligibly behind me. 

“Don’t let go, Jae,” D.O. said, helping Luhan to keep me from moving. The three of us exclaimed when the dagger pulled again, tugging us forward. Xiumin came, wrapping one of his hands over mine so I wouldn’t let go of the dagger. 

“Sorry for the cold,” he grunted, pushing back with Luhan and D.O.. 

“What cold?” I asked, but Xiumin didn’t answer. I caught the quick look he gave me before he turned away, using his strength to prevent the dagger from dragging us forward. 

“Yah! What is it with that thing? What does it want with Kai?” Chanyeol asked, but no one knew the answer. 

“Does it matter? How do we stop it?” Suho pulled on my arm, surprise evident on his face when the dagger forced me to jolt it back forward. 

I felt the sweat beads form on my brow while using the little strength I had to prevent the dagger from slipping from my hands. Why was it acting this way? How was this going to help us save the world, or wake me up, for that matter? Was everything the ghost wolf told me a lie? Was it maybe a ruse from _that woman_ after all? Was the ghost wolf on _that woman’s_ side? 

Or was this the key to our answers? Just now I thought the dagger was searching for something, the way it went through the boys, frantically flying about with those weird symbols. The triangle was still on the blade. It hadn’t disappeared. Last night the symbol glowed as well, but it shimmered blue, like it was doing now. The other symbols had been green.

I gasped when the dagger pulled harder again, as if it could hear my train of thoughts. 

_Black pearl_ , I heard a voice say. Was that what the dagger was? A precious gem? A rare black pearl? 

_What are you?_ I thought, actually believing that it could hear me. I froze when an image surged from the weapon into my mind. I found myself standing on a round platform again, one moon above me, another below me. I’ve seen this before, but what was new, was the fact that the platform I was standing on resembled a large clock. In each part of the hour stood one of the symbols I had seen on the dagger and I realized now that I saw those symbols hover around a huge tree before. 

Of the symbols in the clock, the one with the triangle and a weird eye inside of it was lit. What was I looking at? But when I looked at my feet, I noticed that I was standing on a lock. _A keyhole?_

My mind was spinning when I was back in the living room, the dagger throbbing briefly before its force noticeably died down. 

“Wah!” I shrieked, my hands snapping back towards me as I fell back against Luhan, who toppled over D.O., as Xiumin domino-ed along with Suho as well. 

“Ow,” I rubbed my head as the dagger laid innocently still in my other hand. 

“What happened?” Luhan asked, looking down at me. I tried to hide the fact that I was blushing into his chest and attempted to get up, except that Luhan still had his arms firmly around me, so I couldn’t actually move. 

“Noona! Are you okay?” Sehun rushed over, nearly prying me from Luhan’s arms to get me up. 

“I’m fine, Sehunnie, thanks,” I said. 

“Are you sure? That was a hard fall, Jae-yah,” said Lay, already looking me over to make sure I was uninjured. 

“Oh yeah, no, we’re fine, thanks!” Luhan interjected sarcastically, getting up on his own accord. 

“Is it over? What happened to it?” Chen asked as he watched the dagger in my hand. 

“I don’t-,” I bit my lip, holding the weapon up and carefully touching the blue symbol on the blade. “Wake up,” I mused, my thoughts leading me through a sea of theories and possible answers. 

_My beautiful black pearl,_ I heard it sing, as the clock appeared in my mind’s eye again, with in its center, a keyhole. 

The boys had been looking for answers for years. What if the dagger knew how to unlock them? What if it would help bring back their memories and with it- my own? Was that what it tried to tell me? 

“Noona?”

“Jae?” 

“Xiumin,” I called out, surprising the young man in question. “Xiumin, you said that you thought that the wolf wanted me to wake up because I was somehow linked to you getting memories again, right? So if I would wake up, then it would mean that you guys could wake up and get your memories back as well, right?” 

Xiumin rubbed his neck and shrugged a little. “Um, I guess. But I was just thinking out loud.”

“I think you may have a point, but it’s backwards, you see,” I knew I sounded like a babbling baboon, but I think I figured out what the dagger was trying to do, what it was trying to say. “I think this dagger is the answer to our questions, but I think it’s reversed. I think you need to wake up first in order for me to do so.” 

To me, everything was clear as day now, but judging from the looks on the boys’ faces, I figured they were still lost. 

“So, what? We need to wake up first?” Tao was trying his best to wrap his mind around this. “But the ghost wolf said you, specifically, noona.” 

“But it didn’t say how. I think the dagger helps with that, and you guys too. It’s obvious by now that we’re all involved and I think this dagger is definitely the missing piece to the puzzle. I mean, you guys want to know the answers too, don’t you?”

“Sure, but not if that thing means to stab all of us,” Chen replied sassily. 

“I know, I know,” I quickly waved off, holding the dagger up. “Trust me on this,” I told them, looking at Suho. “Please?” 

The leader frowned at me before glaring at the weapon in my hand and sighed ever so deeply. “Okay, Jae,” he nodded. 

I smiled gratefully, feeling scared and excited at the same time, now that I knew what to do- well, sort of. I just hoped I was right in my interpretation of what the dagger was trying to tell me. 

“Kai, get over here,” I called. 

Kai’s eyes widened and he shook his head. “Are you crazy, noona? Suho-hyung might trust you, but I don’t! I’m not getting near that thing. It tried to kill me!” he immediately protested. 

“And I take my trust right back!” Suho added. “Jae, what?” he exclaimed. 

“Guys, please. It won’t hurt him,” I said, though I didn’t know where I got the confidence from. “Just try it,” I urged.

“Try what, exactly, Jae?” D.O. asked, holding Kai back. 

“I don’t-, um… Try holding it,” I said, holding the dagger by the blade so Kai could easily grab the hilt. The triangle shone a brighter blue when he neared it and he shook his head again. I extended the weapon further towards him. “Go on,” I smiled tentatively at him, and Kai clacked his tongue, reluctantly grabbing hold of the hilt. 

I wasn’t sure what happened next. I doubted Kai knew, either. The triangle symbol gleamed as Kai held it in his hand, watching breathlessly as it slid over the blade, up the hilt and onto his fingers. Startled, Kai dropped the weapon, where it lay motionless on the floor, the symbol traveling up his hand until it found a place between his collarbones. 

“Whoa,” Kai uttered, trying to wipe it off his skin, but failing. 

“Okay. That is freaky,” Baekhyun commented, carefully touching it. 

“Is it- is it dangerous?” Kai asked, looking at Lay for some reassurance. The healer immediately responded, hovering his hand over the new tattoo. 

“Does it hurt?” he asked, and Kai shook his head, his eyes wide with bewilderment. 

“It doesn’t seem to be dangerous,” Lay finally concluded. “Do you feel any different?” 

“Not really,” Kai walked to the mirror that hung over the mantelpiece of the fireplace, jumping back when the symbol disappeared into his skin. “What happened? Noona?” 

My chest tightened at hearing the helplessness in his voice. Kai usually had a bit of a stoic pokerface, so to hear him like this almost made me want to wrap him in a blanket and tell him that everything was going to be okay. 

“Don’t worry, I think that’s meant to happen,” I stammered, picking up the dagger from the ground. 

“You _think_?! You mean, you’re not sure?!” Kai argued. 

“Hey- I’m _pretty_ sure,” I said sheepishly, feeling the dagger tug at my hand again. “Oh!” I exclaimed and blinked. “Luhan?” 

“Nope. Keep that thing away from me, I don’t even like tattoos,” he attempted to move away, but that didn’t mean a thing to the dagger as it dragged me towards him. 

“I think you should just do as it wants you to, Luhan,” Xiumin said, holding me steady. 

Luhan narrowed his eyes before reaching out to the weapon. “Black pearl? What does that even mean?” he asked. 

“I heard that, too,” I told him. “I guess we’ll find out soon.” 

Luhan sighed and carefully grabbed the hilt, scrunching up his nose as if he was expecting to get hurt again. But the same thing happened with him, as it did with Kai. Another symbol shone blue on the blade before traveling up where it stayed on the nape of his neck before it disappeared. 

Next up was Tao, whose symbol was an hourglass, and disappeared into his wrist. Chen was absolutely reluctant to touch the dagger again, so after attempting to run away from it, Kai and Tao pinned him down where a strange scorpion crept its way up his skin and settled itself on his upper arm. Each time a symbol appeared on the blade and was transferred to one of the guys, I saw the clock lighting up inside my mind, one hour piece at a time. 

Sehun’s symbol was etched on his hand and Lay’s - a unicorn - settled on his collarbone. Xiumin’s tattoo stayed on the palm of his hand while D.O.’s symbol moved to his bicep. 

Baekhyun was a whiny mess when his symbol moved to his throat and disappeared there. Having a flair for dramatics, he coughed and pretended to choke. Suho, who genuinely did not like the idea of his skin getting tainted, closed his eyes in defeat and sulked when he saw the water drop symbol on his left chest, just below the collarbone. 

Kris, rubbing his hands together, nodded in approval at seeing the symbol of a dragon form on the blade before it flew over his arm and disappeared underneath his clothes. 

“Oh, it’s a shy dragon,” Lay commented. Kris rolled his shoulders and pulled his shirt up before I had the chance to look away. 

“Where is it?” he asked, moving to the mirror. “Ah, nice. _Duizhang_ approves,” he stuck up his thumb when he saw the dragon shimmering on his shoulder blade. “I think I’ll call him, Ace the Second,” he grinned. 

Shaking my head, I gave the dagger to an eager Chanyeol who exclaimed happily when the symbol of a phoenix soared up from the blade and branded the side of his neck. He stood next to Kris in front of the mirror, the two of them smiling cheerfully and admiring their tattoos before those, too, disappeared. That was it. The clock was completed. 

“Okay, so, now what? We become the Power Rangers?” Baekhyun asked.

“Shouldn’t noona touch the dagger as well?” Tao stated, waiting for me to take the dagger back from Chanyeol. 

“Um, I guess,” I breathed, though I doubted anything would happen. I held the dagger firmly by the hilt and watched curiously for a symbol to form as well. When it didn’t and the dagger didn’t seem to react much, I huffed out of exasperation. _Of course. I’m the odd one out…_

“Well, that was disappointing. I had expected some kind of awesome climatic event to happen,” Tao muttered. 

“So, all this was just for show?” Sehun questioned. 

“I don’t know,” I muttered, looking at the weapon. “I don’t understand, I thought-,” I abruptly shut my mouth when I realized that I wasn’t the only one talking at that moment. I turned around and saw Kai rocking back and forth gently, facing the door and mumbling something. 

“Kai?” Suho called, but there was no response from him. 

“Kai, what is it?” D.O. tried, but Kai didn’t even turn around. 

“Map… my heart will-, rough the road- obstacles-,” he muttered under his breath as though he was saying a prayer. 

“Kai, snap out of it,” Luhan called out, but he was starting to look a bit iffy as well. The heart on the hilt of the dagger started pulsing again and I swallowed when I approached Kai and he sharply turned around. His eyes were crimson red, and fangs protruded from the corners of his mouth. He was transforming, but why? 

“Kai, are you okay?” I asked. His eyes darted across the room and without warning he ran to the front door and out of the house. 

“Whoa! Kai! Get back here!” Suho yelled, suddenly gripping his chest as though he were in pain. 

“Suho? Oh my God, what’s wrong?” I grabbed his arm to keep him steady, feeling a sting inside of my head when Luhan promptly ran by, following Kai in his footsteps. 

“Jae, stop them,” Suho breathed, but all I could do was jump back when Tao pushed Xiumin roughly out of the way, his eyes shining red, glazed over as though he wasn’t really there. One by one I lost them, as if they were suddenly possessed by something. 

“Suho, don’t! Fight it!” I called out in a panic since I had no idea what the hell was going on. It dawned to me that when I saw Chanyeol running out of the house last, that I was left alone. The dagger still tugged on my hand, as though it wanted me to follow them. _Unbelievable_. 

I ran after them, hoping that no one had seen them bolt past. I only stopped in my tracks shortly when I heard their voices flood my mind. 

_No need for a map, my heart will find the way._

_Not caring how far I have to go, how rough the road or how many the obstacles._

_My heart never left you for a moment, or forgotten you._

_I wish to find your face above that distant horizon…_

I ran to follow their tracks. Ran to follow their voices. Something had a hold on them and I needed to make sure they stayed safe. 

_I raise the sail and begin the journey, the wind behind me all the way._

_The tempestuous ocean even turns calm in my wake._

_Flowers bloom in the dark, a stream of moonlight on the sea._

_A mysterious place…_

Where were they running to? Why were they running at all? Did it have something to do with the symbols? Did the dagger do this? _Argh! What is going on, and why am I, again, the last to know?!_ My sudden rage had caused me to shift shapes as well. I quickened my pace, the rush of the wind pushing my cyan green tresses from my face. 

_Is this reality, or fiction? - I don’t believe it._

_Have I been in a dream world all along?_

_You seem to be there, a fairy tale, within a myth._

_I looked for traces of you between time and space._

_For you, day and night, I imagine the moment I can reach you._

I think I knew where the boys had run towards. The path ended here. I ran along the cliff, towards uprooted trees and dead earth. This was the place D.O. had shown me before, but why would they go here? 

_In the thick fog, in the surging sea, a blurry shape appears._

_In my deep remorse, in this sad song, resounds faintly;_

_My beautiful black pearl._

The voices stopped and fog rolled in, because the environment here wasn’t scary enough as is. 

“Guys? Kai? Suho?” I peered through the mist, the throbbing green heart being the only vague light source around. 

“D.O.? Luhan? Guys, say something!” I gasped when I thought I saw Chanyeol in the distance before he fell from my sight. I quickly ran towards him, but my legs turned to lead when I found them. The dagger fell from my trembling hand as I looked at a horrific sight. 

The boys lay scattered around me, unconscious, unmoving. I couldn’t even tell whether they were still breathing. 

“Oh my God,” I breathed. “Oh my God… Guys! Lay, Xiumin? Tao, Sehun! Chen- get up! Baekhyun, Chanyeol?” I ran towards the person that was closest to me and fell to my knees. “Kris? Kris, this isn’t funny, get up!” I shook him by the shoulders, but he didn’t respond. His eyes were closed and wouldn’t open. 

_Oh God, no- no! What have I done?_

My eyes were wide with fear when I heard something drag over the hardened, barren earth behind me. The last thing I saw before darkness took me was a pulse of bright green light and shimmering silver. 


	78. ~ Cloak & Dagger Activities ~

***

Sniffing out the scent of a bunch of juvenile wolves was easier said than done, but Miss Kumiho knew from the get go that they were the filthy thieves that dared steal Mr. Yok’s most prized possession. 

The private laboratory had been riddled with their stench and all that was left for her to do was to sniff them out. 

Humans, she had long decided, stink, so it was somewhat of a challenge to distinguish the wolves from the rabble, especially since they, in a way, were human as well. 

She knelt down briefly to study the tracks in the wet earth, sniffing the air and straining her ears. She hated to think that she was out of practice, but she honestly could not remember the last time she had fully transformed. How long had it been? She recalled a fleeting memory when the skies were painted red and the earth was scorched black with soot. 

A pair of gorgeous green eyes had looked at her in disbelief and disappointment. But there was more she had seen in those eyes. Heartache. Her own reflection. 

“Argh!” she fiercely shook her head, her own eyes flashing an angry lime green before she steadied herself. She didn’t have time for this. 

Regaining herself, Miss Kumiho walked briskly towards the town where she was immediately hit by a thousand sounds and odors, cringing her nose in disgust. 

“Where are you, little mongrels?” she mused, spotting a peculiar café where she picked up the distinct scent of one of the wolves. 

 “Happy Virus Café, eh?” She pushed down on the door handle, but the establishment was closed. “Not here,” she grumbled. “Well, at least I’ll know which people to hurt if I can’t find them myself,” she muttered, taking a deep breath and rearranging her hair. “Always think positive,” she smirked, looking at her reflection in the glass. 

She gasped when her eyes shone a golden amber and the angry face of her employer appeared in the reflection. 

“Mr. Yok!” she exclaimed, quickly looking around to not raise any suspicions. 

“ _Miss Kumiho,_ ” the reflection hissed with obvious rage in his calm voice. “ _May I presume that you are taking care of this little setback?_ ” 

“I’m looking for the dagger as we speak, sir. I will not disappoint you,” she whispered firmly. 

“ _My dear,_ ” he chuckled threateningly, “ _you already have. How do you plan to make amends?_ ”

Miss Kumiho swallowed as a wave of despair overwhelmed her. “I’ll get it back, sir,” she said. 

“ _Must I remind you how valuable that dagger is to me? What powers it possesses? How that power will indubitably be squandered on a bunch of brats?!_ ” the glass shuddered at his outburst and Miss Kumiho jolted back. She glared at people who happened to pass by and they lowered their heads without question, quickly going about their own business. 

“I’m sure they wouldn’t know what to do with it, sir,” she stated confidently.

“ _That is beside the point, Miss Kumiho. The fact that they managed to steal the dagger right from under your nose is saying enough. Their memories will return and when they do-,_ ”

“I am fully aware of the consequences, sir,” she cut in. “Time is running out. I’ll find the dagger and ensure your right to the throne of this world. I swear it on my life,” she stated. 

Mr. Yok scowled at her before softening his expression. “ _Very well, my dear. I hope to hear good news from you- soon._ ” 

Miss Kumiho nodded and waited until her reflection was her own again. When she went to adjust her collar, she noticed the slight tremble in her fingers and shook it off. She blinked when her reflection had changed in the glass once more, but this time, a rather chubby man with a friendly face appeared at the door, unlocking it for her. 

He reeked to Miss Kumiho, but she plastered a smile on her face for good measure. 

“Hello, there,” he greeted amicably. “May I help you with something?” he asked kindly. 

“Ah, not at all, thank you,” she replied. 

“Are you sure? My wife said she saw you standing here for a while now. We’re sorry but we’ve closed for today. The news said that the weather is a bit unstable so everyone should stay home if they don’t have anywhere else to be,” he said. 

“Of course. One should obey the authorities,” Miss Kumiho replied with a sweet smile that made the older man blush. 

“I take it you own this - _lovely_ \- establishment?” she inquired, leaning a bit forward to make sure she could charm him to her will. 

“Why, yes. I’m Mr. Park,” he extended his hand and waited for her to shake it. Miss Kumiho smirked and maintained eye contact with him, so he couldn’t see the green glow coming from her hand when she shook his. 

“Charmed, I’m sure. Are you, per chance, Chanyeol-sshi’s father?” she asked sweetly. 

“Why, yes, but how do you know my son?” 

Miss Kumiho waited until the suspicion left him, his eyes glowing a faint green for a split second. 

“We have history,” she replied cryptically, but the man only smiled foolishly. 

“Ah! You’re a friend of Yeollie!” he exclaimed happily. 

“Indeed, I am. I’m actually looking for him. I don’t suppose you know where I can find him?” Miss Kumiho asked, still holding onto the man’s hand. 

“Of course, of course! I believe Chanyeol went to meet his friends. He won’t be back until later this evening,” he replied cheerfully. 

“Oh my, did he happen to tell you where he would meet his friends?” she continued asking.

“Ah, I think he said something about meeting a girl? There’s a new girl at school that Yeollie’s sweet on, it’s very cute,” he blabbed. “I think her name is Jae? Jae Miyano. I think you’ll find him there,” the man answered guilelessly. 

“Of course I will,” Miss Kumiho retorted sharply, feeling agitated at hearing the news. She roughly let go of his hand and Mr. Park staggered, trying to regain his balance. He shook his head in confusion and cleared his throat. He blinked in confusion at the beautiful woman standing before him and he frowned. 

“Oh, I’m sorry, I don’t know what happened there,” he chuckled apologetically. “I’m afraid I forgot what we were talking about,” he mused, looking expectantly at Miss Kumiho. 

“Not to worry, you’ve been very helpful,” she said with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. 

“I- I was?” Mr. Park scratched his chin. 

“More than you know,” she winked. “If you’ll excuse me. It was nice talking to you,” she greeted and the man nodded, still a bit dazed when he closed the door behind him. 

The moment she turned away from him, the smile on her face disappeared and she resolutely walked to her destination. She was starting to regret not having killed the little bitch when she had the chance. What use was little Jae to their plan to begin with? She only proved to be a nuisance now. 

Miss Kumiho gritted her teeth and quickened her pace. She picked up a scent and knew which way to go now. She felt the beautiful rage built inside of her and she couldn’t wait to unleash all of it on those little mongrels. They won’t know what hit them. It was only a shame that she wouldn’t be allowed to kill them- yet. Though she was sure that no one would give a damn if she strangled precious little Jae with her bare hands. 

She woke from her thoughts when she had arrived at the Miyano home, sensing distinct energies coming from within the house. She felt all of her senses sharpening when the dagger pulsed, and she heard a growl from the back of her throat. How long has it been since she was _this_ enraged? 

Miss Kumiho prepared herself to enter the house, but was stopped when the door opened with a bang and one of the boys ran out as though he was being chased by a monster. She watched in alarm when a second one followed soon after, one right after the other running from the house as though they were possessed. She hid and waited, squinting her eyes in anger when finally, Jae ran out of the home, calling after her friends. She would usually find it interesting to know what had occurred, but at the moment, there were other matters she needed to tend to. 

The energy inside of the house was overwhelming. Miss Kumiho needed to be sure that they hadn’t left the dagger inside of the house. She had no trouble picking the lock and walked deftly inside, only to find the living room in a state of chaos. 

_Shit!_

She hissed and sharply turned around to run after them. She was driven by a need for vengeance and retaliation. She’d get that dagger back, by any means possible. 

However, it was the second time that day that Miss Kumiho had been careless. 

Ryo’s heart had thumped anxiously when he stealthily followed Miss Kumiho with his car. The woman was eerily fast on her feet and to be honest, he wasn’t sure what he was looking at when he saw her talking to that restaurant owner. 

_Was her hand glowing?!_

No, it had to be a reflection of some sort, or maybe he had imagined it. How could her hand have been glowing? That was preposterous! The only way for her hand to glow like that was if she could do magic of some sort and everyone knew that magic wasn’t real. 

Ryo rubbed the side of his head as he realized how he was trying to reason with what he saw. He was a man of science, not fairy tales. Of course there was no glowing magic hand. He was only seeing things. 

He could quite literally feel his blood pressure rising when he followed Miss Kumiho down a very familiar path. 

“Woman, what do you think you’re doing at my house?!” he murmured to himself, keeping low as he spied on her. He hadn’t imagined it when she said that she was going to get the dagger back, this morning. That had to mean that she _knew_ who was responsible. 

_But why would that lead her to my house?_

He swallowed and felt sick to his stomach as he breathlessly watched the scene unfold in front of his very eyes. Ryo was panicking. There was nothing left of the usually calm and poised demeanor. 

His wife and daughter were the only ones outside of the company who had accidentally seen the dagger. There was no one else. He hadn’t told either of them what the dagger did, or why it was important. 

Ryo took deep, steady breaths as his reasoning was bringing him to a conclusion he simply refused to accept. 

Yoona would never steal. She wouldn’t. So why would Miss Kumiho go to his house? 

Ryo cleared his throat, trying to calm his heart, still refusing to even think about this- but his logic couldn’t deny it. 

Jae had expressed interest in the dagger for no apparent reason. She’d asked about it even, while she usually wouldn’t meddle in his business. 

_No._ “No! Don’t be a fool, Miyano, that’s your own daughter you’re thinking badly of!” he said strictly. “What would Jae even want with a dagger?” 

He sunk down in his seat when he saw someone burst out the front door, followed by a string of others like him. Ryo felt a different kind of anger now since he recognized some of them as Jae’s friends. 

“She did not,” he breathed. “She invited boys over?! Yoona, where are you?!” he instinctively grabbed for his phone, but slouched even lower in his seat when he saw Jae run out a few moments later, calling out names. 

This was something he found peculiar. The distress and helplessness in her voice made him anxious. 

“Oh, Jade, baby…What have you gotten yourself into?” he wondered out loud, gripping his steering wheel until his knuckles went white. His paternal instincts told him to forget about Miss Kumiho altogether and follow his daughter instead. 

Ryo perked up when he saw that Miss Kumiho disappeared in his house and that nearly made him want to get out of the car to drag her back out, except that he didn’t have to do that. She reappeared after a few seconds and started running like the devil on heels. 

“Oh, shit,” he cursed as he watched the woman run towards the direction he saw Jae disappear to and for a second, he didn’t know what to do. Should he follow? Should he call the authorities? Should he call his wife? 

Why would that woman follow his daughter? 

_Did Jae-,_ he stopped his thought, shaking his head. Jae couldn’t have stolen the dagger. Not his daughter. Not his little girl. There had to be a valid explanation for this. 

Ryo would have loved to put the blame on those boys that were undoubtedly a bad influence on his daughter, but that was him being a biased father. He had met Suho, after all, and the first impression he had of the boy was that he was genuinely well-mannered and a bit of a dork. He’d be the last person to commit a crime. Then again, kids these days caved easily under peer pressure, and he resented the alternative option that perhaps his Jae was the bad influence.

“Okay, okay, calm down, Ryo,” he soothed. “Don’t rush to any conclusions. Take it one step at a time,” he shifted gears and drove after Miss Kumiho, feeling a bit more anxious at what he might see once he reached his destination…


	79. ~ El Dorado ~

***

_When the storm suddenly hits, danger screams at me…_

_I won’t let it push me in the wrong direction, I won’t let it stop my progress!_

_Fear can’t stop me now – not when I haven’t even begun…_

_I accept the challenge._

 

“I don’t want to go!” 

A young voice cried out from the darkness, his tiny voice sounding shrill in my head as it echoed. I groaned, my head hurting as though I was suffering from a major hangover. 

_Ugh, someone shoot me now_ … _Wait. Where am I?_

“I _said_ : I. Don’t. Want. To. Go! You can’t make me!” 

I frowned at the unfamiliar child’s voice and blinked my eyes open. The influx of light nearly blinded me and I gasped when I saw that the dead forest was gone, and instead, a cozy, warm home was my new environment. 

_What in the world?_ I startled when I looked down at my hands and saw that the dagger was nowhere to be found. _Crap! Where had I dropped that thing?_

I started searching the wooden floors, stepping quietly and carefully, when a pair of footsteps approached and I stood frozen. The little boy had beautiful bronze skin and innocent-looking eyes. He was holding onto a little brown puppy dog with dear life, the animal happily wagging out its tongue in the boy’s tight embrace. He was blinking, and I thought he was looking at me, until he ran off, right towards- and _through_ \- me. 

_Oh my God, what’s going on?_

“Kai! You get back here this instant!” a woman shouted, appearing in the room, looking exhausted. 

Baby Kai defiantly shook his head, hugging his puppy closer to him. “I’m not going! I don’t wanna!” he protested. “I-I was just joking, when I said I heard that voice! Yeah! I made it up!” he argued as I watched in utter confusion. Was this- Was this Kai’s memory? 

“Kai, my darling, you have been chosen. This is a great honor to all of us. You’ve been blessed, my child. You answered the call and you’ve already accepted,” the woman pleaded gently, and as I looked at the resemblance, I concluded that this woman must be Kai’s mother. 

“But I don’t want to go! I’ll be all alone, and I’d miss home!” Kai’s bottom lip started quivering and I found myself cooing endearingly in response. I moved to comfort him, until I remembered that these memories didn’t know that I was here. 

“Kai, my sweet, little skylark,” his mother approached him, Kai wasting no time to run into her arms to sob. “You won’t be alone. I’ll be here, and right here,” she pointed at his head and his heart. “Monggu will be waiting here for you as well. But you must go, my skylark. I’ve always known that you were destined to be very great,” she said encouragingly, wiping away his tears while letting hers fall freely. 

“You promise?” he sniffed as he started to wipe her tears away as well. 

“On my life, my little skylark,” she nodded, smiling at him when he finally managed to smile back. 

“Okay, but then you’ll have to catch me first,” he said mischievously, disappearing in a cloud of black smoke, his mother sighing in exasperation, though there was a proud and sad smile on her face. 

She was holding the puppy Monggu in her arms and the dog licked her tears from her chin. 

“I’ll miss him, too, Monggu,” she whispered to the dog. “But he’ll make us proud. You’ll see.” 

I bit my lip as I watched this woman and I wanted to reach out to her. I wasn’t sure what they were talking about, but it was evident that she loved him very much, and that she was sad to see him go. But, where was he going off to, alone? 

_Noona_. 

I jumped. _Kai? Kai, where are you?_ I turned around and saw a glimpse of him walking through the backdoor. I followed quickly, opening the door and stepping into the bright light. 

_Kai?_

“What was that? No, no, of course not. I kind of know what it feels like when people don’t understand. Hm? I do _so_ understand!” 

Another child’s voice called out this time, having a conversation, seemingly by himself. The garden was peaceful and so very beautiful. Flowers bloomed everywhere and strange spheres of glass floated lazily about. 

“My father didn’t believe me when I said that I was chosen, and that I was special,” the boy continued the conversation. “He says that nobility doesn’t serve the common man. Yeah, that’s what he said! I don’t know what it means either,” he shrugged and I stared in disbelief at a little Luhan, absently making a bunch of glass orbs float about while conversing with a bunch of mice. 

“Father says the voices in my head aren’t real, but don’t worry, I know that you can think as I can. That’s why I like talking to you. At least you listen to me,” he smiled, but there was something inherently sad in his bright eyes as he petted the mice and even chuckled when one of them was crawling on top of his head. 

“Thank you, I know my hair is soft,” he grinned, picking up the mouse from his head. “But I’m afraid I can’t let you stay there, mother doesn’t like mice,” he whispered as though he was sharing a terrible secret. 

“Master Luhan, what are you doing there?” an old man approached, looking at the floating orbs with his eyes before shaking his head. “You know what your parents think about you spending time in the garden like this. You’ve more important matters to attend to. Please get up so we can clean you up,” he said. 

_Sheesh. Who’s the penguin?_

“I don’t want to,” Luhan mumbled softly, putting all of his attention on the mice. Seeing this, the old man, whom I presumed was a servant of some sorts, softened and smiled at the boy. 

“Your parents have left for the city for a good few days,” he started, squatting down with much effort. 

“Oh,” Luhan responded like he wasn’t surprised at all. 

“Which means that they won’t be here to stop you from answering the call,” the old man suggested innocently, Luhan looking up at him with anticipation and excitement. 

“I… I can go?” Luhan asked, the mice in his hands and on his shoulders. 

The old man laughed tenderly and ruffled his hair. “Not looking like a mess, you’re not,” he winked. 

“But, Father, and Mother?” he asked in concern. I held in my breath when the old man sighed deeply and winced a bit. 

“They’ll understand, eventually, so don’t you worry one bit, Master Luhan. Not everyone is given an opportunity like this, and with someone of your gifts- well, I can only say what an honor it is that I know you, sir,” he bowed before the little boy and was surprised when Luhan went to hug him instead. 

I was smiling like an idiot at the scene, conveniently forgetting how creepy it was on my part that I was watching all of this shamelessly. But then it got me wondering. What exactly where they all talking about? An honor to leave their homes? Where were they going to? Who called them, and where did Kai go? 

I startled when a pair of hands had suddenly covered my eyes, my body tensing up. 

_Jae,_ Luhan whispered in my ear and I quickly turned around- only to find myself in a large chamber with ceilings so high they seemed miles away. I was starting to think that this was the dagger’s doing. It had somehow sent me into the memories of the others, but why? Were the boys here, too? Did they see this? 

The sound of chanting drew my attention and I saw twelve hooded figures standing in twelve beams of light. 

_Guys?!_ I ran towards them, until I saw their faces. They were young. Xiumin was the eldest of the group and he looked to be about thirteen years old? Maybe fourteen. What were they doing? They bore smiles on their faces as they looked at each other, except for Tao, who looked like he was about to either cry or puke - I wasn’t sure. 

He isolated himself somewhat from the others as they started chatting and laughing together. He snuck away into another room and I was inclined to follow him. He pulled the hood further over his face, sat near the window and pulled his knees up to his chest. Hugging them tightly, he started sobbing. 

“Tao? Tao, are you here?” 

I stepped away when Kris approached, even though I knew that he could walk right through me. He searched the room until he found the younger boy, curled up near the window. 

“Hey, what are you doing here by yourself?” he asked, walking towards him. Tao startled and started wiping his face. 

“I’m not crying!” he immediately piped up. “I’ve something in my eyes!” he said as a preemptive strike. Kris suppressed a chuckle and sat down beside him. Tao instinctively turned away from him so he could wipe the rest of his tears away. 

“Okay,” Kris nodded. “So, why are you _not_ crying?” he asked cleverly, removing the hood from his head. 

“I’m _not_ crying, because…I’m _not_ scared,” Tao replied in the same manner, sniffing softly and still turned away from him. 

Kris watched with the patience of an older brother and nodded his head. “Aha. I see,” he replied. “What are you _not_ scared of?” he then asked, curiously peeking at Tao in hopes that the boy would meet his gaze. 

“… _Not_ disappointing everyone,” he mumbled softly and finally removed his hood to look up at Kris. “I don’t know if I can do this, gege,” he admitted. 

“Are you crazy? If there’s anyone who can do this, it’s you,” Kris said encouragingly, surprising Tao. 

“M-me? Really?” 

“You bet!” Kris nodded. “You’re the only one of us who knows how to fight, for starters,” he said. 

“Yeah, but everyone’s afraid of me. I’m alone, and I can’t do this alone,” Tao said in a trembling voice, this time, surprising Kris. 

“Alone? You’re not alone, Taozi,” Kris said, puffing up his chest. “You’ve got me,” he pointed confidently at himself. “You got that little kid, Sehun. Lay is nice, too, isn’t he? The others are there for you as well, you know, and should any one of them make any trouble - though I doubt they will - then you come and tell me. We’ll kick their butts, together,” he decided.

Kris smiled a gummy smile when Tao smiled tentatively at him. 

“I actually don’t want to kick any of their butts, gege, but thank you,” Tao said, his smile widening into a full grin when Kris winked at him. 

I chuckled myself and turned around when the door opened a moment later, ten heads peeking in. The other boys walked in to comfort Tao, so it seemed, but there was another familiar face waiting by the door. He smirked at me. 

_Tao? Tao, wait!_

I ran as fast as I could, but the moment I passed the threshold, I found myself in the middle of a thunderstorm. I shrieked when the lightning hit not too far from where I was standing, and memory or not, that just scared the living crap out of me!

“Chen, stop it, you’re acting like a baby!” Suho yelled through the storm. 

“Oh, what, so _I’m_ the baby, huh?!” Chen replied angrily, the lightning flashing to mimic his rage. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever seen him this angry before. 

“You went too far, Chen,” Suho tried to reason, but the younger kid didn’t want to hear about it. 

“No one around here can take a joke! They get so offended as if I mean to hurt them!” he shouted, the thunder roaring. 

“We know you don’t mean it, but all of us were tired from training and we’ve only just getting used to doing this task that was appointed to us. You’re surprised that we’d get annoyed?” Suho did his best to stay calm and speak to Chen in a gentle way, even though the younger boy was giving him attitude. 

“I tease the people I like! You were tired, so I thought I’d joke around to cheer you up, and instead, everyone gets mad at me! Brothers, my ass!” he shouted emotionally, the thunder bouldering and the lightning flashing wildly. 

Suho licked his lips, trying to console Chen. “We _are_ brothers, Chen,” he said. “Look at us, we’re fighting! That’s what brothers do, and that’s okay. We’re sorting it out, aren’t we?” 

There was an angry pout on Chen’s face and the storm seemed to quiet down just a bit. 

“Everyone thinks I’m annoying,” he grumbled. “Why can’t they see that I tell people I care about them by teasing them?” 

“Maybe it’s because you tease just a bit too much. Try to just care sometimes, without making insults. You can’t keep calling Sehun a crybaby when you try to cheer him up, because he’s the youngest. He’ll start crying,” Suho said as an example. “You can of course tease us, Chen, but you sometimes have to take our feelings into consideration. See if it’s appropriate to make jokes, or to just be there for someone.” 

Suho smiled when he saw that he was getting through to Chen. “Besides. No one thinks you’re annoying. Baekhyun- now _that’s_ someone who’s annoying,” he managed to joke, causing Chen to tentatively smile as well. 

“He’s right behind you, you know,” he told Suho, as the thunderstorm laid down. 

Suho startled, but didn’t look behind him. “Ha, good one! See, you’re adjusting,” he nodded. 

“No, he wasn’t joking, hyung. I heard that,” Baekhyun piped up, causing Suho to shriek in surprise. The twelve of them laughed and Chen carefully approached his brothers. 

“You guys came to look for me?” he asked them. 

“Yeah, but we were also worried that Suho-hyung might’ve been turned into a crisp,” Baekhyun answered. 

“What do you mean, a crisp? He’s not the one named Bacon,” Chen prompted immediately, slapping a hand in front of his mouth. But Baekhyun laughed and playfully punched his shoulder. 

“Yah, you want trouble?” he provoked without malice. Chen smiled. 

“I’m…um, I’m sorry,” he apologized, rubbing the back of his neck as he bowed before his brothers. 

“We are, too, Chen-Chen,” Lay said. 

“Let’s go home, huh?” Suho suggested and they agreed, walking back home, loudly chatting. 

So then. They were brothers all along? They knew each other before they met on the island. This was their history, wasn’t it? One they shared together. But then, how did I-? 

_Newbie-noona._

_No! No, do not dare disappear on me- Chen!_

His distinct laughter rang in the air, but by the time I tried to follow him, he was gone. My eyes widened at the sudden change of scenery once more. 

_A ball? Really?!_

The music floated sweetly in the air as fancy dressed people danced with one another, moving elegantly through me as I tried to make my way to a quieter part of the ballroom. It didn’t take me long to spot a familiar, bored face. 

Sehun looked so young. He still had some baby fat on his cheeks, but the amount of sass in his expression looked very mature. He was slumping in his chair, arms crossed over his chest, all dressed up and nowhere to go. 

He pulled a face when he saw a young Luhan being swarmed by girls that wanted to dance with him, and he glared a bit when he saw Lay being the perfect gentleman and politely accepting the hand of the girls that wanted to dance with him. He was completely amicable through the entire ordeal. 

Sehun blew out a huff of air, smirking to himself when the wind accidentally picked up and lifted the skirt of a young woman. He blushed as he did his best to keep his laughter suppressed and moved to look away. 

Tao and Kai were attacking the buffet table, while Chanyeol, Chen and Baekhyun were admiring the female musicians. Lay and Luhan were off dancing, as were Xiumin and Kris. Suho attempted to dance, but he got credit for trying. Besides, the girl he was dancing with didn’t seem to mind his fumbling at all, the way she smiled at him. 

“Ugh, this is _so_ boring,” little Sehun said, pushing himself up on the seat and swinging his legs. 

“I know, right?” D.O. responded, appearing beside him. Sehun’s eyes lit up when he saw his brother and looked relieved to know that he wasn’t the only one that wasn’t having a good time. 

“You don’t like parties either, D.O.-hyung?” Sehun asked, still swinging his legs. I chuckled at hearing his voice. It sounded so tiny. 

D.O. resolutely shook his head. 

“Dancing?” Sehun asked. 

“Nope.”

“Talking to grown ups?”

“Nope.”

“Food?”

“N- Well, the food is alright,” D.O. shrugged and Sehun giggled. 

“What about girls?” Sehun pulled a face again, but saw that D.O. seemed to hesitate. 

“Eh- n-no,” D.O. mumbled, though the maknae seemed to read off D.O.’s expression that there was something wrong. He smiled. 

“Yeah, I find it hard to talk to girls as well, but I think it’s because of my lisp,” he started blabbering. “But you don’t have a lisp, do you, hyung? So why do you think it’s difficult to talk to girls?” he asked shrewdly, the childlike innocence dripping from everything he did. 

“I-I just do, that’s all,” D.O. shrugged, obviously feeling uncomfortable having to talk about it.

“Is it ‘cause you’re short?” Sehun then interjected guilelessly, earning a punch on the arm that had him wincing in pain. “Ow!” he complained. 

“You’re shorter than me, you brat,” D.O. reminded him, though he was smirking.

“I’m gonna get taller, you’ll see!” Sehun stated. 

“Fat chance, shorty,” D.O. teased, chuckling when Sehun stuck out his tongue at him. 

They pretended not to be bored senseless for about two seconds when Sehun suddenly turned towards him. 

“Hyung, you wanna play a game?” he asked. 

“What kind of game?” 

“Wanna see how we can mess with the other hyungs before they find out?” Sehun suggested. 

D.O. clacked his tongue in disapproval. “This party is supposed to be for us, you know. We’re the guests of honor. Can’t go messing around,” he started strictly before he grinned. “Let’s do it. I get Suho!” 

“Aw, hyung, no fair, I wanted to get Suho-hyung!” 

The two ran off to hide as they used their powers subtly and sneakily at their brothers for their own amusement. 

As I looked around the dance floor, I caught sight of the older Sehun, walking away from me. I only followed him, knowing that he wouldn’t respond to me calling him if I would. 

“I’m scared, Lay-oppa,” a little girl was clinging to Lay’s hand and I jumped at hearing the sound of explosions. 

There was a fire outside of the cave I was standing in, and I caught sight of some of the boys doing their best to douse it. Lay was here with a bunch of kids, covered in soot. They had no wounds, which I assumed Lay had already healed. 

There was a reassuring smile on his face, but he limped a bit when he turned to guide the girl to the other kids. 

“Why are you scared?” he asked her, cleaning off the dirt from her face. “We are here now. We’ll protect you,” he soothed. 

“What about our parents?” another boy asked, inching closer. 

Lay was at a loss for words a moment and I still couldn’t understand where he got his strength from. It was both admiring and worrying how he kept his own pain and sadness hidden. 

“The other older brothers are trying their best. Right now you’re my responsibility, and I promise I won’t let anything bad happen to you,” he promised, lifting a girl gently so she could sit on his lap. 

“Lay-hyung, how come the Great One doesn’t do anything about the shadows?” another boy asked and this piqued my interest. 

_Great One, huh? Is he talking about the Tree of Life?_

“But the Great One is,” Lay answered simply. “That’s why we’re here. We’ll do everything in our power to keep you safe.” 

_But why is that your responsibility?_

“Alright, let’s all gather around closely and tell stories while we wait for our mamas and papas, okay?” 

The children obeyed readily and he played with them and comforted them, keeping the dangers from the outside world away from them. 

I shivered at feeling the touch of fingers trail lightly over my hand. I looked behind me and saw Lay. I grabbed his hand on instinct, but I was gripping air, so I fell and landed on a patch of soft grass. 

I was relieved to see Xiumin, since he looked about the same age as I know him, but something still felt off. He was standing at the side of a waterfall, watching Luhan, Suho and Kris having an argument. 

“That’s impossible, Luhan,” Suho said, shaking his head. 

“I’m telling you, I know what I saw,” Luhan argued and Xiumin caught the look Kris sent his way. 

“Xiumin-hyung, you were with Lu, weren’t you?” Kris inquired to which Xiumin nodded. He didn’t look at ease at all. “What did you see?” 

“I’m not sure,” Xiumin answered and I saw his fingers twitching. “I froze,” he said, looking at his hands. 

“You froze _it_ , you mean?” Suho tried, but Xiumin shook his head. 

“I meant figuratively,” he said. “Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea warning-,”

“We don’t want to worry the Great One for nothing,” Suho interrupted and I looked up. 

_Again with the Great One._ It was clear by now that I was somehow reliving the memories that the boys have lost, but why was I seeing this? And where were the real guys? And most importantly, the question I didn’t dare answer; where was I? Where were my memories? 

A gust of icy wind made me shiver and I followed where the wind blew. Xiumin waved me over before he disappeared into the forest and I found myself staring up at the silhouette of a gigantic tree, with a full, large moon as its backdrop. Looking around, I recognized this place. I’ve been here before. 

_Wait just a minute! Is this- I mean, it can’t be- can it?_

A wolf suddenly ran past me, heading straight towards the tree in the distance. I ran swiftly after it, recognizing him as D.O.. He changed into his human form when he neared the base of the tree, out of breath and leaning against it for support. 

“You were right. There’s something here,” he panted. “The others are looking for it, making sure to protect whatever needs protecting. Don’t worry, we won’t let anything bad happen,” he said and I presumed he was talking to the tree. Would the tree talk back? 

D.O. looked up at the majestic tree as if it said something only he could hear. 

“Of course we have faith in you, it’s just that sometimes we wonder whether you’ve made the right choice- concerning us, I mean,” he smiled to himself and lowered his head. 

“Good friends does not always equal good guardians,” he replied and my eyes widened. 

_Guardians? What does he mean, ‘guardians’?_ I breathed. _No, wait, not yet!_

_Jae. It’s okay._ D.O.’s voice echoed and the world around me spun. 

_In what world is this okay?!_ I shouted, seeing a horde of strange, creepy shadows move towards me. I automatically ducked down and covered my head as they steadily approached. However, while I was crushing my eyes shut, a blinding light flashed and when I blinked my eyes open, the shadows had evaporated. 

I heard someone panting nearby and flared up my eyebrows at seeing Baekhyun, wiping the sweat from his brow and cracking his knuckles. 

“More and more are coming, as if someone is purposely trying to test our strengths,” he commented with a snarl, sitting on a boulder to take a rest. He looked so serious, and genuinely concerned. 

“I thought that darkness was long gone,” Chanyeol mused, offering Baekhyun a flask of water so he could drink. 

“Darkness is never gone, Yeollie,” Baekhyun grimaced as if he, a wielder of light, knew all too well about darkness. 

“It- it isn’t? But I thought it was defeated the last time,” Chanyeol said with a pensive look on his face. 

“Well, yeah, can’t you remember the teachings? Darkness can be conquered, but not vanquished. It’s part of us, part of the world. It keeps things balanced. How can you have light if there is no darkness to shine it in?” Baekhyun explained matter-of-factly. 

“Oh,” Chanyeol mused, taking the flask back and gulping down some water himself. “Well, what if darkness conquers over light? I mean if light is able to defeat darkness, then can’t darkness do the same thing?” he asked worriedly. 

“I guess it could, but that won’t happen,” Baekhyun stated resolutely. 

“How can you be so sure?” Chanyeol challenged. 

“Because, light is good, and good always triumphs over evil. Everyone knows that,” he said a little smugly. 

“You really believe that?” Chanyeol questioned a bit skeptically. 

Baekhyun grinned a perfect square. “Not only believe, I _know_ , especially with me to wield the light. Darkness won’t stand a chance! Ha!” 

I shook my head in mild amusement, squinting my eyes at Baekhyun’s bright light. I heard his voice calling to me, and I tried to follow it. I was hit by a warm breeze and floating petals caressed my skin. I stood in a pink forest of cherry blossom trees. 

I watched breathlessly as Suho was picking up the petals and carried them carefully towards the same tree I saw D.O. talk to. He bowed before it and started to decorate its base with the flowers and petals he had picked up. 

“I remember that time you told me that you wanted me to lead them,” he regaled softly. “It was my proudest moment, to become the guardian of guardians. I’ll never forget it,” he chuckled, moving his hand as the clearest of water appeared and sprinkled the roots of the tree. I was biting down on my thumb as I knew that this place had to be the place I saw before, and the way the boys spoke, what their memories showed me- it seemed like an impossible dream, but why would their memories lie? 

“We’ll always stay beside you. No matter what happens,” he promised solemnly to the tree, suddenly laughing. “What do you mean, protect us? We’re the ones protecting you and our home,” he replied, listening closely. I wish I could tell what the tree was saying to him. Suho had such a tender look in his eyes. 

“Don’t be ridiculous. Exo will exist for a very long time, you’ll see,” Suho said as my breath caught in my throat. 

_Exo…Exo! B-but that’s impossible! Why would their memories be of a planet that might not even exist?! Wait- their home? Exo is- Exo planet is_ **_their_ ** _home?! No, that can’t be! That’s not possible!_

I shook my head in shock and utter disbelief, my chest heaving as I tried to control my breathing. I stumbled backwards when I heard Suho call for me, but where could I run off to? 

I was standing on the top of a green mountain, watching a boy without wings soar through the sky. Kris floated in the air as though he was being carried by the winds themselves. He watched over the landscape from above, smiling down at the people he saw from up there. He looked so- _happy_. 

I still couldn’t believe it. Exo planet? The planet the ghost wolf had called its home, it was their home as well? It had to be a mistake. That made no sense- _did it?_ It would perhaps explain how they came by their powers, how they were able to turn into wolves. I inhaled for breath. This Tree of Life… was that alive as well? Was it responsible for making the boys the guardians of this world? 

_Oh my God, I’m in a scifi movie!_

There were no words to describe my shock as I put the pieces of the puzzle together. If this was the truth, if this was the secret, the answer to our questions, then I wasn’t sure if I was ready for it. This was _a lot_ to digest. 

_It couldn’t be,_ I shook my head firmly. _If this is how the boys got by their abilities, then it would mean that I had to hail from Exo planet as well, and that’s definitely not the case. I distinctly remember being born on Earth- last I checked-,_ I halted my thoughts. The boys probably remembered being born on Earth as well- though they did say their childhood was vague. 

_Oh shit. What did I get myself into?_

_Jae,_ Kris called out. _Fly with me?_

“Oh man, I wish I could fly!” Chanyeol piped up, watching Kris and Kai race together through a golden field of corn. “It would be totally awesome. I’d be a real phoenix for sure!” he stated cheerfully. He nudged Chen with his elbow enthusiastically. “You think Kris will be able to teach me how to fly?” 

“How is he going to do that? Think, Yeollie,” Chen replied. “You can’t teach him how to play with fire, so what makes you think that you’re able to learn how to fly from him? It’s as silly as me wanting to learn to stop time while I try and teach Tao how to shoot a lightning bolt from his fingertip,” he remarked. 

Chanyeol wasn’t dissuaded though, the big grin of admiration on his face as he looked at Kris. “Ah, you’re a grouch, Chen-hyung. You’ll see. Kris-hyung and I are similar in many ways. He’ll be a real dragon one day, and I’ll be a real phoenix,” he decided with a firm nod of the head, clapping his hands in glee when Kris won the race. 

I shook my head when Chanyeol appeared behind me, trying to usher me forward. What was the meaning to all of this? Was this real? Was this some trick of the mind? Was this the dagger’s doing?

_It’s impossible, right? This can’t be real._

I blinked and turned around calmly, knowing that the boys- the real boys - were there. 

_There’s more, Jae,_ Suho stepped up, looking different but still familiar at the same time. _We know what happened now. We remember it._ He looked like he was about to cry himself, and I was already having trouble processing everything- I couldn’t imagine how they were feeling. These were their memories after all. I was just a witness. An NPC in their memories. 

_Jae,_ Suho called out, reaching for my hand and grabbing it gently. My relief was short-lived as the boys gathered around me. 

_We know now why the ghost wolf wanted you to find the dagger and why it wanted us to safe the world._

I think both of my lungs collapsed because I honestly found it hard to breathe at this point. I looked at all of them, trying so very hard not to freak out or faint, or something! 

_What do you know?_ I asked. 

_Close your eyes, Jae,_ said Luhan ever so gently as he tenderly caressed my cheek. _You’ll see for yourself._

I took a last, deep breath before I plunged myself into darkness once more. The boys’ voices were no more but faint whispers from a fleeting dream when they said, 

_Here. We’ll show you._


	80. ~ The Fallen ~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, another long chapter ahead!   
> Thank you so much to the readers who are sticking along with this story as it progresses and an extra special thank you for the people who take the time to comment. You're awesome <3

***

It was a day like any other. 

There really wasn’t another way to describe it. The world was quiet, and peaceful. The sun shone brightly and the breeze was warm and mellow. It drifted through the shiny green leaves of the trees, gently bended the soft grass and pushed away the clouds that would keep the sun from shining on the earth. 

The sky was an amazing azure blue, where the birds flew and chirped their happy songs. 

_And still…_

Something felt off. The serenity of the world seemed too quiet, too still, as if everything was holding in its breath, anticipating _something_. 

Twelve young men had gathered near the base of a most sacred tree. It made them look so small in comparison to the majestic behemoth. They seemed to be discussing something. Their faces stood grave and on alert. 

“Why are you telling us this?” Suho asked, though it was clear that he was speaking to the tree. 

“What do you mean, ‘precautions’? We’re here, aren’t we? I mean, why else would you have chosen us?” Kai interjected, standing on one of the tree’s roots. 

“The black snake? You’ve seen it?!” Suho exclaimed in alarm, which brought the others to their feet as well. 

“That’s impossible, the black snake is gone,” Kris said, still coolly leaning against the bark of the tree, one knee pulled up, his arms crossed over his chest. 

“ _Imoogi…_ ” Luhan murmured, shaking his head. “We won’t allow anything bad to happen. We’ll stop it.” 

The twelve guardians nodded their heads resolutely at this and for the moment, everything seemed fine. 

_Until…_

It was dark. Really dark. It had started with a simple downpour of rain, and then the thunder came, the lightning flashed, and the winds picked up. The silence of the world was broken, and the crimson sky was filled with outcries of fear and pain. 

Exo planet was burning. 

Kai ran. There never had been more fear in his eyes than there was now. He ran through the forest, not caring a damn if branches slammed against his face or cut his arms and legs. He only stopped when the person he was dragging along had tripped and fell. 

“Come on, hyung! We have to hurry, there isn’t any time!” Kai helped D.O. get to his feet as they continued running. D.O. had been injured but he still did his best to keep at it, trying not to cling to Kai too much. 

“Can’t you just teleport us? All those people- our home, Kai,” D.O. breathed, grimacing in pain. 

“I can’t, hyung,” Kai said helplessly, the both of them flinching when something flew overhead and an explosion sounded not too far off. “There’s something wrong with the Tree. I think the Black Imoogi might’ve…” he trailed off and shook his head, supporting D.O. as they continued their track. “I just hope Suho-hyung has an answer, or we’re all-,” 

“Dead. There were so many- we- we couldn’t save them all,” Suho breathed, holding back his tears. He had made it to the Tree, looking for guidance, but what could they do? The attack had been unexpectedly fierce and so utterly devastating. None of them had seen such careless malice and destruction. They needed a miracle to get them out alive, to save the people- it was too late for the world they called home. 

“Where is everyone?” Suho sought shelter by the Tree when a tornado of fire and ice blasted by. 

“What are you talking about? We can’t do that!” Luhan suddenly yelled from behind him, but Suho knew that he was talking to the Tree. “How am I even supposed to-,” he was cut off as he listened to the Tree’s voice. 

“How can you be sure that that is the only way?” Luhan questioned, his eyes wet with unshed tears. 

“L-Lu-ge,” Lay called out to him, groaning out of pain as he tried his best to stand straight. “The people, all those animals, I need to get to them,” he said, but Luhan kept him in place. 

“It’s too late, Lay,” Luhan explained gently, trying not to look all too worried at seeing the mean wound on the boy’s waist. 

“N-no, we can’t- we can’t just abandon them. W-we’re their guardians. Who-who will protect them if not us?” Lay panted heavily, the side of his clothing wet with blood. 

Luhan looked over at Suho in concern before the two of them looked at the Tree. Luhan backed away when the roots gently covered Lay in protection and the two guardians nodded. 

“Sehun and Tao? I’m not sure where they are,” Suho said as Luhan tried to track his brothers so he could tell them to get to the Tree as fast as possible. He did as the Tree instructed and told Sehun to remember a silver weapon. He would be responsible to look after it. 

“Come on, guys. Where are you? We don’t have much time left,” Suho said worriedly, gasping when he felt vines creep over his hands and legs.

“Tao! Tao! Did you hear that?” Sehun blasted a whirlwind towards entities in the shadows as Tao grabbed his hand to make a run for it. 

“I heard it. We have to hurry!” Tao twirled his staff to slam the creatures in the shadows away, buying some time. 

“Can’t you do something? Freeze time! We need time!” Sehun pleaded, though Tao shook his head. 

“I can’t, Sehun, I don’t think I’ll be able to reach so far. Where are Kris-ge and Chanyeol-hyung?” he searched the sky in desperation and startled when he saw how red it was. Like blood, muddled with black and grey clouds that carried thunderstorms with them. His chest tightened when he saw a distinct figure in the sky, doing his best to stay afloat.

“Hold on, Chanyeol!” Kris bouldered, his eyes gleaming as red as the sky. He was holding onto an unconscious Chanyeol with every bit of strength he could muster. He tried not to look down on the destruction of his home too much, didn’t want to see how many people they failed to save. Everything was red to him, the ugly color of blood covering the world. 

How did it come to this? How had they allowed this to happen? How could they have known that the darkness festered and grew during the quiet period of peace they so foolishly thought would last for an eternity? All this careless death and devastation, and for what? Power?

Kris grunted as he carried Chanyeol through the sky, worried that he hadn’t heard anything from the boy for a while. 

“Chanyeol? Hey, Yeollie, come on stay awake, we’re almost at the Tree,” he tried, but Chanyeol didn’t move, didn’t respond. 

Kris tried to stay as calm as possible, biting down on his lips to prevent from crying out loud, yelling out all of his pain and anger and frustration. 

“Yeollie, hey, come on. You always said you wanted to fly like a real phoenix, right? I know the view is a bit bad right now, but you gotta stay awake. Chanyeol?” Kris called, holding onto the boy tighter when there came no response. 

“Chen, which way are you going? The Tree is the other way!” Xiumin yelled, shifting an unconscious Baekhyun on his shoulder. Chen’s face was covered in soot, dirt, and blood. He pushed his wet hair from his face as he looked around frantically. 

“No, but- hyung, this is the path we usually take!” Chen called out, quickly running towards Xiumin when he saw that his older brother was about to collapse out of exhaustion. 

“Come on, we’ll carry Baekhyun together,” Chen offered and Xiumin gladly accepted. 

“We’re not getting out of this one, are we?” Xiumin wondered as they made their way back as best as they could. 

“We have to keep on trying, hyung. Baekhyun tried his best protecting us, we can’t just give up now. The others are waiting for us,” Chen said.

“Chen,” Xiumin called out. “I…I don’t recognize this part of the forest,” he breathed. “I haven’t heard anything from Luhan for a while either,” he swallowed. 

“No worries, hyung. I know which way to go. We’ll get out of here, _all_ of us,” Chen looked at Xiumin and waited until his older brother would meet his gaze. Then, he smiled the brightest smile he could muster and Xiumin held back his emotions when he saw his younger brother like that. He would never forget how much he admired Chen in that moment and it gave him the strength he needed to keep going. 

A black snake slithered over the earth, reveling in the power of destruction that he had created. He needed to consume this world in order to rule it, but before he could satisfy his appetite, he needed one more thing. A _yeouiju,_ a black pearl, to ensure his reign and his power. 

He laughed a horrendous laugh, the sound of it echoing through the dying lands, a terrible last lament for many that lay waiting for death on the scorched earth. 

The sacred Tree of Life broke and withered away, the sound of its branches and mighty bark cracking mimicked the breaking of the earth beneath their very feet. 

It was heartbreaking to see such a majestic giant topple and fall, its leaves blown away like ash in the cold, harsh winds. The branches blackening and turning to dust… 

_I watched with tear stained cheeks at the world ending. This world that was my home as well, I had to witness it die while I was helpless to prevent its demise. I lay wounded in the middle of a field, without a mother, without a father, looking up at the terrifying red sky._

_When I had closed my eyes to sleep, this world was at peace. I never thought I would open them to see that I was left with nothing._

_The world around me was so loud, but I heard nothing. There was deafening silence as I looked at my surroundings. I was alone. There was nobody left. My grief and pain were the only things that kept me company in the dark. I had a home before I slept, and now I wish I had never fallen asleep at all._

_I tried to sit up, in this abandoned meadow, shadows creeping up around me… Then, suddenly- They were there. Twelve beautiful lights that graced the sky. The chosen ones that once guarded this world, the chosen ones that the Tree had chosen to save so that maybe- just maybe - they could come back and save our home as well._

_Twelve stars floating in the sky above me, they were the hope I thought had died when this world had._

_I gasped when I felt the cold steel of a blade prick my naked foot and I picked up a dagger, so pure and untainted it looked like a shining jewel, rather than a weapon. It appeared to be the only thing left that was beautiful and I hugged it tight to my chest._

_The light shifted and shadows were formed. I looked up at the sky and a sob escaped my lips. The stars of hope, the guardians of my home, had started to fall, and they slowly disappeared from sight. The dagger in my hands gleamed and glowed and I perked my head up at seeing a creature, made of darkness, slither towards me, hissing menacingly._

_Swallowing, I saw the last bits of the stars leave and with all the strength I had left, I threw away the dagger, so high it had become a star itself and followed its fallen brothers._

_The black snake, the Imoogi of darkness, roared, I think. So outraged at the last act of defiance, it had made use of its rage and rushed towards me. The giant snake’s filthy body coiled around my broken body and squeezed the air from my lungs._

_I had already lost everything. What would it matter, if I lost my life as well?_

_I had wished that the last moments of my life had been better. I wished that I didn’t have to feel my body break one bone at a time, wished I didn’t have to hear the nauseating sound of broken vertebrae or the horrendous popping of my veins. I wished I had looked at those shining stars longer, instead of gazing helplessly at the ugly face of death, bearing its slimy, poisonous fangs at me._

_It’s so hard to breathe…_

_So…hard…to…-_

 

I woke up with a start, trying desperately to gasp for air. I didn’t even have the time to properly panic as a pair of hands had found their way to my neck and I coughed and moaned in alarm at seeing a terrifying woman on top of me. She seemed to be half human and half monster, resembling a demon fox from Hell. Was I still dreaming, or reliving a horrendous memory? No- the forest, the fog, the pain! This was real!

I looked up at my assailant with wide eyes, my brain trying to make sense of everything. Where had she come from? How did she find me? I gasped again as I struggled underneath her weight while I attempted to identify the attacker. I felt another surge of panic when I finally realized who she was. If it weren’t for her green eyes and ruby lips, I probably wouldn’t have recognized her. 

_That woman_! How did she even get here?! How did she know where to look?!

Finding strength in my body again, I started punching her arms and gripping her wrists in a poor attempt to make her stop, but this only tightened her grip on my neck and I wheezed to desperately suck in some air. 

_Oh my God, I’m going to die!_

“Did you really think that I wouldn’t find out?” Miss Kumiho hissed as she squeezed my throat even tighter, not at all fazed at me trying to kick her off, not showing a hint of pain when I scratched her hands, pinching her. 

“I had hoped to have a little bit more fun with you before I kill you, but I must say that there’s something very exhilarating about seeing the life slowly leave your eyes,” her voice was a nightmare to listen to. I whimpered when she leaned her face forward, resenting the fact that I couldn’t do anything else. She smiled. 

_The bitch smiled!_

“This is a lot more personal, isn’t it?” 

I tried to turn my face away when I saw the elongated fangs from both the upper and bottom corners of her mouth. The upper fangs crossed the bottom ones so it would look like the corners of her mouth were sewn shut. I wriggled weakly underneath her, feeling lightheaded.

Where were the boys? Were they still unconscious? 

I felt the cold, relentless grip of fear overwhelm me when the thought entered my mind that perhaps she had already killed them. The idea alone made me numb for a split second until pure and utter rage took over. I surprised her by fighting back, pushing as hard as I could. I scratched her arms and wrists until my nails drew blood and had her cursing. 

My momentary outburst was stopped when she raised a hand to strike me across the face. 

Her shrill laughter rang through the air until she suddenly released the grip around my neck and pulled me up by my collar. The sudden influx of oxygen hurt my lungs, but it didn’t prevent me from gasping for air. I coughed and gagged, tears stinging my eyes. 

“Where is it?” she asked harshly, striking me across the face again when I wasn’t fast enough to answer her. 

“Where is the dagger?” she demanded to know as I tasted my own blood. I turned to look at her and spat right in her face. She shrieked out of anger and knocked me back down on the hardened ground. 

The back of my head throbbed and her hands were secured around my neck again, choking me. 

“Do not make me ask again,” she hissed. “Where is it?!” she screamed as my eyes rolled back and the world became a haze. 

I wasn’t sure what happened next. _That woman_ was choking me the one moment and the next she had suddenly been knocked over. It took me a few more seconds to realize that D.O. had come out of nowhere and tackled her. He was wrestling her and changed into a wolf, biting her shoulder so hard it made her scream. 

“D.O.?” I blinked my eyes, taking shallow breaths as I watched him fight her off. Despite of everything, there was a moment of relief and happiness to see that D.O. was alright. 

_Jae! Get out of here! Run!_ he warned, yelping when she punched him in the stomach and threw him off of her. 

“D.O.!” I cried out, seeing him on the ground, wincing in pain. He quickly changed back to his human form, breathing heavily. 

“You little mongrel, you honestly think you have a chance when fighting me?!” _that woman_ boomed, getting to her feet, her eyes shining a lime green. “You can’t even com-,”

She was cut off when balls of fire and ice simultaneously hit her against the head and she fell down, unmoving for a moment. I used the opportunity to sit up straight, feeling an immense gratitude at seeing Xiumin and Chanyeol appear from the fog. 

I startled when Chen and Lay had appeared beside me, and Kris had risen nearby. 

“Guys,” I started, but was silenced again. 

“No time, noona,” Sehun appeared, holding something in his hand. “We have to run,” he said, as the others helped me up. 

“Where are the others? Is everyone safe?” my voice cracked and sounded hoarse, but that was the least of my concerns right now. 

“We’re fine, despite current circumstances,” Suho replied, as he and Baekhyun helped D.O. get to his feet. “Come on, let’s get out of here!” 

We ran through the dissipating mists, trying to put distance between us, the crazy lady, and the dead forest. 

“You insolent little mutts! You dare defy _me_?!” _that woman_ shouted from behind us, and honestly, she truly scared me. Especially when she emerged from the fog out of the blue, pouncing like a wild animal, hungry for its prey. 

Kai reacted first, shift shaping into a wolf as he jumped at her, growling viciously as he attacked her. She shrieked as she fought him, eventually overpowering him and casting him aside. The boys were ready to fight her, all of them standing in front of me to protect me. 

_That woman_ had a wild look in her eyes, insanity, I believe was the correct term. She tilted her head to the side, cracking her neck. 

“Where is the dagger, boys?” she asked, a crazy-looking smirk on her face. 

I tried to stay collected when Sehun subtly slipped the dagger into my hands. 

“Don’t know what you’re talking about. Care to be more specific?” Luhan replied with an obvious bite to his words, and she smiled mockingly in return. 

“Well, well, well. Look who found their courage to speak up! Very manly. Do you feel you’ve proven anything?” I cringed when she raised the tone of her voice as she uttered the question. 

“Hand over the dagger, and I can assure you that you come out of this alive, boys. Scathed, but alive,” she cooed. 

“As if! You just tried to kill Jae!” D.O. shouted angrily at her and she pretended like her nose was bleeding. 

“Who? Me, kill precious, little Jae? No! Preposterous!” she feigned, straightening her hair. “Though, I had every right to do so considering that she has stolen property in her possession,” she added darkly. “Choice is yours, boys. Hand her and the dagger over and we’ll never speak of this unpleasantry ever again. Refuse- well, you don’t really have the choice to refuse,” she shrugged, letting out a giggle. 

“Lady, your cheese didn’t just slid off your cracker, it flew off, didn’t it?!” I yelled at her, tightening the grip on the dagger when I heard her laughing. 

“We will never give up Jae, nor the dagger to the likes of you,” Suho stated. 

“Yeah!” Tao shouted, standing at the ready to Wushu the bejesus out of her. 

“Ah, very well,” she replied. “I tried asking, but I guess we’ll have to do this the hard way,” she whispered and moved her hand forward. From her nails flew out thin needles that appeared to be drenched in poison. We scattered at the attack, and the boys went on offensive in the blink of an eye. 

I hated to say this, but _that woman_ wasn’t playing around. She fought off the attacks the boys sent her way, and even though they landed a few good hits, it didn’t prevent her from locating me and barging straight towards me. 

“Jae, run!” Suho shouted at me as he encased her in a water bubble. I did as he said and turned the other way. The fog was slowly dispersing, but to me it still looked thick. I was only just in time to prevent myself from running off a cliff. I stopped and turned around, only to see that _that woman_ had somehow escaped Suho’s attack and was running straight towards me. 

Luhan appeared behind her and with a wave of his hand she flew against a nearby tree, but she picked herself up again, pushing Luhan away. 

“Oh, little darling Jae,” she sang provocatively. “Why are you running, darling? All I want is that shiny dagger in your hands, and perhaps, your life as an added bonus,” she sang. Her voice echoed around me as I continued running along side of the cliff, making sure I wouldn’t fall in by accident. I could even hear the sea rushing, the waves crashing wildly against the wall of the cliff. 

“Ah!” I screamed when I tripped and from the mist appeared the ragged, fuming figure of _that woman_ , her hell green eyes gleaming at me before it darted to something beside me. The dagger had slipped from my hand and I crawled to retrieve it again. My body was driven by adrenaline at this point and I wasn’t even scared or being careful when I got close to the edge of the cliff. 

I screamed again when _that woman_ was ready to pounce on me at seeing me attaining the dagger again and holding it tightly to my chest. 

“Jae, watch out!” Sehun sent a gust of wind her way, making her lose her balance. D.O. stomped the earth as hard as he could and I heard it quake and crack beneath me. The woman fell and attacked them with more needles, but none hit their target, as Lay had put up a protective shield around all of us. 

“You filthy, little street rats! How dare you stand in my way?! I will make you suffer in ways you cannot possibly imagine,” she threatened, though it frightened me to see a certain desperation in her eyes as well. I knew that desperate people would do desperate things to get what they wanted, nothing would go too far. 

“I’ve had just about enough of you, lady!” Kai remarked when he jumped her, grabbing hold of her and disappearing in a cloud of smoke. 

I jumped and blinked, mouth agape and chest heaving. 

“Oh my God! W-where did he-? Kai?!” I yelled, touching my throat as it was still sore. 

“Shit. Kai!” Kris cursed, his voice echoing through the silent forest, bouncing off the walls of the cliff below. 

We all startled when a few seconds later, Kai reappeared, looking exhausted but relieved at the same time. 

“Are you okay?” Chen helped him up as Kai nodded, taking a deep breath. 

“Where the heck did you put her?” Baekhyun managed to chuckle. 

“I could go as far as the other side of the island. The remote part. That should buy us some time,” Kai answered out of breath, though he managed to smirk, and I - freaking finally - got a moment to just breathe. 

I sunk down to the ground, still clutching the dagger as though my life depended on it- and I guess it sort of does - while huffing out some air. I tilted my head back and saw how the grey skies had darkened further and I felt the first drops of rain fall on my face. A soft rumble sounded, and the wind had picked up slightly, warning us from another impending storm.

“Are you okay, noona?” asked Tao, looking worriedly at me from his place on the ground a few feet further away. 

I sighed. “Have I ever told you guys how my life used to be dull and boring before I met you?” I asked, seeing some of them smirk already. “Boy, those were good times,” I joked, chuckling out of relief as they laughed as well. 

“We should probably figure out what to do next in case Lady Crazypants comes back,” Xiumin suggested after we took a break. 

“You’re right. We should recap and process everything,” Suho agreed, getting to his feet. I nodded when he looked at me, but when I stood up, something felt _off_. Was I- Was I shrinking? 

I gasped audibly when I looked at the earth beneath my feet as it cracked and started to crumble. With the cliff behind me, I was guessing that this was not going to end well. 

I didn’t know who was the first to notice my predicament, but all of them startled as they saw the ground disappear beneath my feet. 

“Guys!” I screamed in alarm. 

“Jae, watch out!” Luhan yelled. 

“Noona!” Chanyeol called out. He reached out his hand and I went to grab it, but my fingers missed his by a hair. I felt myself plummeting down, screaming in shock when Chanyeol dove in after me. His arms around me, we soared through the air. Of course it started raining then. An entire waterfall plummeted down on us. I caught a glimpse of Kris going after us, but a gust of wind knocked him away, as the storm started mercilessly. 

The ocean below us was wild and all I could do was brace for impact and hope that I’d survive it. 

“Chanyeol…” I trembled.

“Hold in your breath, noona, and don’t let go!” he instructed, yelling over the wind. I did as he said.

Chanyeol’s face was the last thing I saw before I slammed into the water and drifted away. 


	81. ~ Phoenix ~

***

“Oh, damn it!” Ryo cursed when he saw that the path ended and he wouldn’t be able to continue following Miss Kumiho through the forest. He pulled over, a little suspicious at seeing the fog roll in. He slammed his hand against the steering wheel, peering through the dark woods where he had seen Miss Kumiho disappear before. 

It worried him that he saw no sign of Jae, or her friends and this place was giving him the creeps. Ryo looked behind him and in front of him and saw that he was alone. Utterly so. 

What would have possessed Jae and her friends to go all the way out here? He thought it had been a relatively long drive as well, so it genuinely surprised him that none of them had stopped to rest along the way. 

“Jae, please tell me you’re not on drugs,” he huffed, trying to calm himself down. 

_What should I do?_

Ryo clacked his tongue in derision and roughly unbuckled his seatbelt and stepped out of the car. The weather had changed drastically and it was already starting to rain gently. He rubbed his arms for warmth and chewed on his bottom lip. He made sure he had his cellphone with him and grabbed a flashlight from his emergency bag he kept in the trunk. 

“Alright, Ryo, I know that it’s been a while since boy scouts, but once a Fighting Monk Seal, always a Fighting Monk Seal,” he mumbled a bit nervously to himself, thinking about his boy scout’s mascot of a time when he grew up in Hawaii. 

Armed with a flashlight, he locked his car, did his best to remember where he had parked it, and walked into the unknown woods. He was vaguely confident that he had seen Miss Kumiho run through this way, but he kept a weather eye open. 

“Whoa, what in the world was that?!” he exclaimed as he steadied himself against a nearby tree. The earth had just shook and he was sure he heard something crumbling from a distance. He startled again when thunder sounded and rain started to pour down from the heavens. 

“Shit!” Ryo cussed and pulled up the collars of his jacket in a poor attempt to shield himself from the rain. He continued walking, feeling more concerned about Jae at the moment than following Miss Kumiho. The local authorities had warned the island that people should stay at home with the liable weather conditions, since it could get dangerous. If Jae was caught up in the upcoming storm- well, Ryo didn’t want to hear the end of it. 

_Why did they even go out in this weather to begin with?_ he grumbled, squinting his eyes and turning on his flashlight as the fog still hadn’t properly dispersed. 

“ _Hyung! Hyung! Hurry!_ ” 

Ryo froze when he heard the voice of alarm from the distance. Now, he didn’t care if he would be accused of spying or stalking, that voice was filled with dread and panic. Someone was in trouble. 

“Hello? Is there someone out there?!” Ryo called out, rushing forward in hopes that he could determine where the voice came from. 

“ _Can anybody see them?! Can anyone see them?!_ ” another voice called out, and Ryo spun confusedly in the dense fog and downpour of rain. The voices echoed around him so he couldn’t determine where they came from. 

“H-hello? It sounds like you can use some help! Tell me where you are and I’ll help you!” he called out, but it didn’t seem like anyone heard him. 

“ _There! Luhan, can you hear them?!_ ” 

Ryo’s eyes widened when he heard the name. That was one of Jae’s friends, wasn’t it? He worriedly ran forward, but couldn’t see where he was going. 

“Hey! Who’s out there?” he bellowed, but he doubted anyone could hear him through this wind and rain. 

“ _They’re being pulled- hyung! The river!_ ” 

Ryo listened breathlessly at the conversation, following the voices as best as he could. He finally saw a glimpse of a young man he thought was Suho, but they ran off before he had a chance to call out to them. 

“Hey! Hey! Wait a minute!” Ryo screamed and stopped just in time when he saw that he had been running near the edge of a cliff all this time. His brain started spinning as he tried to make sense of the conversation he had heard and he swallowed hard, looking down at the cliff. 

The waves of the sea were high and crashed wildly against each other. It was a long, painful fall. If he had fallen in, he would’ve most certainly- 

_No. I-it couldn’t be…_

Ryo looked down the cliff, looking for signs of someone having fallen in. He hadn’t seen Miss Kumiho, or heard Jae, for that matter. 

_Oh God, please, no!_

“Jae?!” he shouted, the thunder mimicking his outcry as Ryo quickly regained himself to search for those boys. He growled in frustration at seeing them gone. He was alone- again. 

_Didn’t they mention a river?_

Ryo checked the currents of the wild oceans below and saw that they moved inland. He made his decision and quickly ran back to his car. It was a wild hunch but his gut told him to get to that river as soon as possible. He would think about what all of this meant later. 

His phone started buzzing just when he started the engine, and for a moment he was filled with hope that maybe it was Jae calling him. However, he saw the caller ID and cringed. He didn’t have time to deal with Dee at the moment. Ryo clicked the ignore button and raced away. 

***

The water was freezing and unbelievably powerful. Chanyeol felt the shock throughout his body when he slammed into the water, making sure he’d be the one to hit the ocean first so Jae was mostly protected from the impact. 

It hurt, of course, and there was a part of him that thought that they would die on the spot, but they had luck on their side- sort of. Chanyeol grimaced as he struggled in the water, trying his best to keep hold of Jae, who bore an expression of pain as well, and he tried to pull them both up to the surface. 

When he attempted to use his left arm to swim up, he yelled, quickly closing his mouth again to prevent the water coming in. 

He felt Jae’s hand reach out to his left shoulder and she shook her head at him, holding on when the current of the water nearly pulled them apart. 

Chanyeol locked his right arm around her waist so they wouldn’t get separated, while they both looked up, trying to get to the surface. He felt that it was his responsibility as the man to look out for her, but he didn’t know what to do. His clothes was wearing them down and the injury to his shoulder wasn’t helping. He tried pushing them both up, but the wild waves kept them down. If they couldn’t do anything, they’d drown in a matter of seconds. 

Chanyeol reacted in surprise when Jae carefully moved away from him, but still firmly held his hand. He nodded when he realized what she wanted to do and they both swam up with all the strength they could muster. 

He gasped for air when they managed to get their heads out of the water, but it was just as wet on the surface as it was under the water. 

“Noona!” he called out, seeing Jae drifting away with the currents. He reached out to her, and pulled her in using only his right hand, embracing her tightly to prevent her from going back down or getting slammed against a rock. 

“Chan-Chanyeol,” Jae breathed, coughing. 

“I got you, noona,” he breathed, biting through the pain when a wave crashed down on them. 

“Can you swim?” Jae yelled at him over the deafening sounds of the ocean and the pouring rain. They were already drifting helplessly along wherever the water was taking them. 

“I don’t think so, noona,” Chanyeol answered in defeat. “My arm,” he pointed and she nodded in understanding. 

“Where is the water taking us?” she wondered out loud, trying to look for an escape. She cried out in alarm when she was being pulled down by the whims of the ocean and Chanyeol quickly grabbed hold of her, exclaiming as he pulled her back up. She was so unbelievably tiny and vulnerable in this mess. He had to do his best to keep her safe. He was, as he realized with mild shock, a guardian, after all.

“I think it’s going to take us back to the river- if we’re lucky, noona,” Chanyeol replied after orientating himself. He held in his breath when another wave washed over them. 

Jae coughed and inhaled sharply for breath, clinging her arms tightly around him. 

“Doesn’t that mean that we’ll be slammed against countless of rocks before we plummet down a waterfall?!” she shouted and Chanyeol cringed when he realized she had a point. 

“Well, the other option is that we drift out into the open sea, noona, and then we’ll be even farther from home,” Chanyeol breathed, being able to see the water bottlenecking back towards the shore. 

“This is gonna hurt, noona, but don’t let me go, okay?” he warned beforehand, knowing that his useless left arm was going to suffer the most of it since it was already injured. 

“Chanyeol, we’re gonna die if we keep going like this!” Jae screamed anxiously, but he managed to smile reassuring at her. 

“No, we’re not, I won’t allow it,” he told her. “See it as a water slide, noona,” he attempted before pulling her protectively closer. 

“I like water slides,” Jae said, smiling weakly at him, bracing herself bravely. 

It wasn’t the first time Chanyeol had wished that he had the ability to fly, but he was a wingless phoenix and this was the best he could do. He’d use his body to protect Jae, he could bear that pain far better than the mere thought that she got injured instead. 

The river was as wild and merciless as the ocean had been, with the additional rocks, boulders and fallen trees scratching their skin, beating them up. Chanyeol made sure to take most of the beating, even when Jae tried to do the same thing. He didn’t yell out when he got hurt. He just bit it down and made sure that Jae couldn’t see him suffering. 

However, he couldn’t hold it back when the water pushed them against a boulder, hitting his left arm. 

“Chanyeol! Hold on,” Jae screamed out in alarm. 

“I-it’s okay, noona, I’m fine,” he tried, too late to respond when the girl managed to reposition herself so that she would be able to protect his left side from any incoming beatings. 

“Eh, Chanyeol? I don’t think I like this water slide!” Jae called out  as he could feel her trying to fight the current. His own eyes widened in fear at seeing the approaching waterfall, but where else could they go? The water was too powerful, so they couldn’t even try to hold on to a rock if they tried. 

“Chanyeol!” Jae cried out helplessly which woke up a fierce desire to protect her. 

“Noona! Jae, hold onto me!” he said, but he screamed just as loudly as they plummeted down the waterfall. He lost grip on Jae along the way, but after enduring more tugging and pulling of the water, things quieted down significantly, and Chanyeol felt himself floating in space. 

He shook himself awake, quickly moving to the surface where he gasped for breath. Only the rain caused the ripples in the water and he frantically searched for Jae. 

His heart stopped when he saw her body bobbing up, floating along, unmoving. He made his way towards her as quickly as he could, clacking his tongue in derision when he saw the dagger still in her hand. 

“Noona? Noona, wake up,” he called out, gently carrying her as they floated along the stream. He panicked when she didn’t respond and he placed his hand over her mouth and nose. She wasn’t breathing. 

“Noona?” he mumbled, frozen with fear. “Jae!” Chanyeol quickly used whatever strength he had left and guided both of them to the shore. His wet clothes weighed him down, and he couldn’t use his left arm much. Still, he managed to pull Jae safely onto the shore and knelt down beside her. 

Chanyeol watched her helplessly for a moment, pushing his hair back and biting on his nails. 

“Jae-noona? Wake up,” he murmured, brushing her hair from her face and tilting her head back slightly. He made sure that she lay flat on her back and carefully leaned down to press his ear against her chest. 

He lifted his left arm and forced himself to use it when he started to perform CPR. 

“Come on, noona, don’t do this,” he muttered under his breath, pushing down repeatedly on her chest, keeping count before listening again. When Jae still didn’t respond, he gently lifted her chin and overcame his own shyness as he carefully pressed his lips against hers to blow air into her lungs. 

He immediately pulled away when she stirred and coughed out the excess of water, Chanyeol patting her back in utter relief. 

“Thank God,” he muttered to himself. “You’re okay, noona, you’re okay,” he soothed, seeing her look around frantically. 

“Chanyeol?” she questioned, catching her breath before she narrowed her eyes at him. “Did you- did you just kissed me?” she asked, obviously still dazed. Knowing how she tended to react when she got upset, Chanyeol quickly scrambled away, trying to shield himself as best as he could with just his functioning right hand. 

“N-no! Why would you think that, noona?” he rambled, waiting anxiously when she looked at him. 

“Thank you,” she said unexpectedly, lying back down to relax. Chanyeol huffed out some air as well, finally allowing himself to calm down and regain himself. 

“Are you okay, Chanyeol?” she asked beside him. 

“I’ve had better days, noona,” he chuckled. Chanyeol startled when Jae loomed over him and started hitting him. 

“Yah! What the heck, noona?” he asked, trying to evade her little fists. 

“What were you thinking? Jumping after me so carelessly!” she scolded. “Just because I’m an accident-prone idiot, doesn’t mean that it gives you the right to be the same way! You could’ve gotten killed!” her attacks became weaker and Chanyeol knew that she was angry because she was just as scared for his safety as he was for hers. 

He smiled. “I’m okay, noona,” he said calmly, Jae looking up at him with soft brown eyes, pouting slightly when she saw his left shoulder. 

“Are you really?” she ever so gently pressed on his injury, but the pain shot up through his body anyway and he hissed. “Oh yeah, you’re a picture of health,” she tsked, glancing at the dagger for a moment before she put it safely away. 

“Can you stand?” she asked, suddenly starting to examine him for injuries. 

“Hey, I’m the one that’s supposed to protect you, noona, so don’t fuss over me,” he stated boldly, though his exclamation lost credibility when he let out a whine while attempting to get to his feet. 

“Here, come on. There’s a big tree over there. We can hide under it for a while,” she helped him and looked around. “Where are we, anyway?” 

“I don’t know, somewhere on the island. It’s better than being lost at sea, though,” Chanyeol replied, wincing again when he leaned his back against the tree. 

“I guess,” Jae looked him over and pursed her lips together. Chanyeol’s eyes widened and his cheeks flushed when she suddenly removed her vest, leaving her in a snug, wet tank top that seemed to hug her tightly. 

He tried to nonchalantly look away, blinking at her as she approached. Neither of them spoke when Jae carefully bound his injured arm to keep it steady, and Chanyeol resented his lack of self-control. He couldn’t stop staring at her face as she worked on his arm seriously, and sometimes, he embarrassedly admitted, his eyes shot a bit further south from her face. He swallowed hard as heavy drops of water slid down her neck, over her collarbone, dipping down onto her-

“Ahem,” Jae cleared her throat in warning and he quickly looked away, though he grimaced out of embarrassment again when she gently flicked his ear which was probably burning red. He grinned sheepishly when she glared at him for a moment, but then she managed to smile back. 

“There, that should hold for the time being. I’m sorry I’m not Lay,” she apologized. 

“This is fine, noona, don’t worry about it,” Chanyeol said, looking at his arm. “Thank you.” 

Jae sat down beside him, rubbing her arms which were covered with bruises and cuts as well. Without thinking, Chanyeol reached out to touch her skin, following the lines of her wounds. 

“S-sorry,” he apologized when she watched him. 

“It’s okay, it doesn’t hurt,” she said quietly, but Chanyeol didn’t believe her. He continued watching her until he caught sight of her neck again and he frowned this time. 

_That woman_ … 

It was scary, suddenly getting all of his memories back. He felt strangely at ease as though his entire life made sense now, but at the same time, he felt like having more questions than answers. It still wasn’t clear to him, or to any of his brothers, who Jae was exactly and why she wasn’t in their memories with them. Most importantly, why did that woman want to kill her? He only had a faint idea who _that woman_ could have been, but he felt like that was a memory before his time. Of course he had seen what Jae had seen, but he still didn’t understand where Jae was concerned. 

She was part of the pack, so why wasn’t she there, in their memories? 

“Chanyeol?” Jae suddenly called, pulling her knees up. 

“Hm?” he asked in a daze, blinking at her. 

“You’re staring,” she said in a shy whisper.

“Ah? Ah! Sorry, I didn’t mean- I mean, don’t misunderstand, noona, I wasn’t- ehehe,” he lowered his gaze. “How does your neck feel? Those bruises look bad,” he asked instead. 

Jae carefully touched the red, sensitive skin and retracted her fingers. “I’ll probably feel it in the morning, like everything else,” she joked, gesturing at her entire body. 

“Are you okay, noona?” Chanyeol inquired, his voice low and soothing. 

“Yeah, fine. Don’t worry, I’m really not hurt,” she said and turned away to look at the rain falling down. “You think the others will know where to find us?” she asked, changing the subject. 

Chanyeol smirked gently behind her back and subtly inched closer to her. 

“They’re looking for us as we speak,” he confirmed. “And,” he continued, moving just a bit closer so she’d notice. “That wasn’t what I meant,” he said, seeing Jae sigh before she chuckled. 

“Yeah, I know that’s not what you meant,” she cleared her throat, hugging her knees tighter. 

Chanyeol waited patiently for her to say more and Jae ran her fingers through her wet, sleek hair. 

“It’s a lot to digest, you know,” she started, nodding mostly to herself as she carefully grabbed the dagger. Chanyeol was mesmerized for a moment as well, now that he knew that it was the weapon the Tree wanted them to take care of. He found himself in a strange state of not believing anything that had just happened, even though he knew that they were real. 

“You probably do know,” Jae then said with a light shrug. She then handed the dagger to him. “You want to keep this? It shouldn’t really be in my possession, I think,” she mused, waiting for him to accept it. 

Chanyeol read her expression and narrowed his eyes slightly at seeing a sadness in them. 

“I’m not a guardian, after all,” she breathed with a wan smile. “It should be kept by a proper guardian,” she decided. 

The dagger shone in her hand, the green heart still emitting a soft glow. Chanyeol looked at the weapon, this strange object from Exo planet, and smiled. He pushed the dagger back towards Jae. 

“Then I hereby dub you, Miyano Jae-In, as the official keeper of the dagger,” he said with a big grin that only widened when he saw that he was successful in making her smile. 

“So, noona,” he then asked after a moment of silence, “was that the only memory you have? Waking up and then- you know,” he stammered. 

“Yeah,” Jae nodded, rubbing her arms again. “Doesn’t make a lot of sense though, huh? I only feel like half of the puzzle is finished,” she said quietly, leaning her chin on her knees and sighing. Chanyeol nodded absently, knowing exactly what she meant. 

“Do you feel like you’ve woken up, noona?” he then asked gently, wanting to wrap his arm over her shoulders when she heaved another deep sigh and leaned back on her elbows. 

“I don’t know,” she breathed. “This is a lot to digest, I mean- what, we’re aliens from a planet called Exo? We’re supposed to save this world because we couldn’t the last time? I mean, I say ‘we’ but, judging from what I saw, I don’t think I was one of you…” she trailed off and Chanyeol tensed up, unsure what to do. 

“So, how did I even get these reflection powers? And why does _that woman_ keep wanting to kill me?” 

“Because she’s crazy, noona, haven’t you figured that out yet?” he answered, shaking his head and shivering when he thought back to her. 

“Does she seem at all familiar to you now? Can you place her in your memories?” Jae wondered, resting her eyes on him. 

“I’m not sure, actually,” he replied. “She’s bad news, that’s for sure. Let’s just hope that she’ll take a while to get to us again, provided that Kai brought her far enough,” Chanyeol mused, watching the rain fall. “But you don’t have to worry about her, noona. Now that we’ve our memories back and know that our powers have a purpose, we won’t let her harm you,” he stated determinedly, puffing up his chest a bit and lifting his chin, grinning widely until Jae would mimic his expression. 

“That’s a comfort,” she replied in a gentle voice. “I’m sorry,” she suddenly said, looking at him. “This can’t be easy for you either,” she said, shivering slightly and rubbing her arms again. 

Chanyeol chuckled to keep the mood up a bit. “I’m still figuring things out and putting everything in place,” he admitted. “It’s kind of like my brain is scrambled and I have to rewire some things. But I think we’d both feel better to sort it out with the others, when they finally get here,” he stated and Jae nodded in agreement. 

Another silence fell and Jae looked ahead of her to watch the rain fall, shivering as she continued rubbing her arms. 

“Are you cold, noona?” he then piped up, putting more cheer in his voice. 

Jae chuckled shyly. “A bit,” she nodded, smiling apologetically. 

“Aha! Say no more, Chanyeol has got this covered!” he focused on a spot on the ground in front of them and snapped his fingers. A tiny spark came to life and danced before them. He smiled proudly and looked to see if he had impressed her. She was smiling at first, but then pursed her lips together as though she prevented herself from laughing. 

Frowning, Chanyeol followed his gaze and saw that his flame had been doused by the moist atmosphere. 

“ _Omo_ ,” he exclaimed, snapping his fingers again to ignite another flame which he hoped would turn into a nice campfire for Jae to warm herself with, but the flame danced and flickered and was doused again. 

“Damn it. This is why I don’t like water,” he complained, sulking a bit. 

“Don’t worry about it, Chanyeol, I’ll stay warm,” Jae tried to guarantee, but Chanyeol could tell that she was freezing. After a moment’s thought, he snapped his fingers again, but this time it was because he had thought of something, though it made his ears burn once more. 

“Noona,” he started, wondering how he could tell her how to stay warm without sounding like a creep. “You know, I’m kind of- uh…” his brain deserted him when Jae glanced up in expectation at him. “F-fire, me, uh,” he stammered, feeling the heat inside of him grow. “That is, um- oh, what the hell,” he eventually decided and moved to embrace her. He crushed his eyes shut and his body tensed, however, hoping that she wouldn’t go and start picking up pebbles and branches to throw at him. 

“Chanyeol, what are you-?” Jae exclaimed in surprise until she relaxed and leaned into his embrace. “Wow, toasty,” she mumbled into his shoulder. “You’re so warm,” she carefully embraced him back and he could feel himself glowing out of glee. He was happy that he could at least be of some use to her, though he’d be lying if he said that he didn’t like the fact that he got to hold her close. 

_She smells so nice,_ he thought to himself, blushing, making sure to remember this particular scent. She always smelled like jasmine, but this was jasmine in a spring rain, mixed with a hint of tinder. Since he felt so relaxed, Chanyeol moved to lay back, Jae exclaiming in surprise again, but not necessarily struggling. 

“You should take care of your shoulder, Chanyeol,” she warned him, but he had already closed his eyes, pulling her close. He hadn’t realized how tired he was. Jae must’ve felt the same way. 

“We should rest until the others get here,” he mumbled, already starting to drift off. He only opened his eyes briefly to see her shift her position so she could comfortably rest her head on his chest, though she made sure not to burden his injury. 

“Yeah, I wouldn’t mind resting,” she replied, suppressing a yawn. 

“Then rest, noona, I’ll keep you safe,” he promised, stroking her wet hair until her breathing became steady and even. She wasn’t shivering anymore. He hoped that she would dream good dreams, and quietly pinched himself to make sure that he wasn’t dreaming himself. Jae-noona looked small, lying with him like that. Of course it urged him to want to keep her safe and protected. 

Chanyeol sensed around to make sure that there was no threat nearby until allowed his own exhaustion to take over. He listened to the rain fall, to Jae breathing. Finally, this lullaby sang him to sleep himself.   


	82. ~ Rediscover ~

***

_Raindrops are blown into flowers by the wind._

_Flowing time cannot catch up with the galloping white horse._

_Clouds rolling up and down in summer; tears are evaporated by flowing time._

_All of us along the way, did anyone get lost?_

_We promised not to leave each other, must always be together._

_Snowflakes are blown into shining pieces by the wind…_

_We said that we would venture into the world together._

_Do you still remember it?_

_You said that you would not part with me, and that we would be together – forever._

_Was it just the mindless babbling of a child?_

_Oh, the heavy snow, please do not erase the traces of our past._

_Oh, the heavy snow must not be able to erase the memory we left to each other._

_Hand in hand, we may form a boat, carrying us across the river of sadness…_

_May the bright moon accompany you a thousand miles away…_

 

I woke up with a sadness in my heart that spilled over to, and from my eyes. Confused, I absently wiped the warm tears away, though I wasn’t sure why I felt so sad. It was just a dream. A vague dream that made no sense. I was fine. I was safe and sound- for now. 

I blinked sleepily as I turned around, frowning, when I found myself wrapped in blankets and Chanyeol nowhere to be seen. 

Jack-knifing into a sitting position I tried to orientate myself. _A cave? Wait. I’ve been here before…_

“Chanyeol?” I called out into the dark cave, seeing the grey light of day spill in. It was still drizzling somewhat, and everything felt very moist and cold. 

I moved myself carefully since I remembered taking quite a beating in the river, but I couldn’t feel any pain. The scratches on my arms and legs had vanished and even the bruises around my neck didn’t hurt anymore. 

What happened again? I tried to process how Chanyeol and I ended up here, but all I remembered was falling asleep in his arms. His body was naturally warm, since he wielded the power of fire - being a guardian from another planet came with its perks, I suppose - and he kept me safe as I drifted off to sleep. So then, how did I get here? And where was Chanyeol? 

Startling lightly, I searched for the dagger and held it close when I found it. A sigh escaped my lips as I inspected the weapon briefly. 

“You’ve caused so much trouble, do you know that?” I muttered to it, the blade shining innocently, the green heart gleaming like a jewel. 

“ARGH!” 

I jumped at hearing the scream of agony, and looked outside.

“Chanyeol?” I called out, but there was no one that responded. When I recognized his voice cry out again, I kicked the blankets off and ran outside. 

A shiver of freaking freezing cold rippled through my body when the light drizzle of rain touched my warm skin. The wind wasn’t helping much either. It was a slight relief at least, to see that I was at the stone plateau the boys would always take me to, which probably meant that we were safe. But then, why would Chanyeol-?

“Holy Mother of Rilakkuma! _HYUNG!_ That hurts!” 

A little to the side of the entrance of the cave stood a heightened platform of boulders where Chanyeol lay, being held down by Xiumin, Tao and Kris, while Lay was healing his shoulder. 

“I’m sorry, Chanyeollie, but if you would just sit still and not squirm so much, I can do this quickly and painlessly,” Lay told him strictly, pushing down on the injury, making Chanyeol hiss. 

Despite of seeing him in pain, I was able to smile because it was such a relief to see them. It explained how I felt perfectly fine since Lay must’ve healed me. 

“Ah, ah, ah! Xiumin-hyung, hands- cold!” Chanyeol yelled loudly, making a fuss. “Yah! Lay-hyung I wasn’t even struggling, why does it hurt?!” he scrunched his face in pain and discomfort as an awkward blast of laughter escaped his throat. “Kris-hyung, stop tickling my feet! Tao, stop laughing!” 

The brothers still laughed at Chanyeol’s misfortune and when he was finally, loudly, healed from his injuries he looked to be more exhausted than when he had dragged me out of the water and saved my life. Remembering that made me feel thankful, of course, but it left a bitter taste on my tongue to know that I had escaped death again. I know a cat had nine lives, but it felt like I’ve been spared from certain danger more times than that and there was a part of me that was really starting to worry that my lot would be up one of these days. Especially with _that woman_ being so determined to want to strangle me. 

I shivered again, but this wasn’t because of the cold at all. 

“Oh, Jae-noona,” Tao called out, being the first one to have noticed I was there. He left Chanyeol’s side without a hitch and ran to give me a hug. 

“You’re awake. Thank goodness,” he murmured, pulling gently away as he appraised me, as though he wanted to make sure that they had healed all of me. “We were so worried. Chanyeol-hyung was squeezing you in your sleep so we thought it best if we keep you separated as far as possible,” he spoke hastily, reaching in for another hug as I stiffly returned it, having processed what he just said. 

“Squeezing? What?”

“Yah! That’s a lie!” Chanyeol protested, panting heavily on the stone table he was draped on. “They found us at the bank of the river, noona, and after picking you up gently to not wake you, they scolded me for being too forward!” 

“Too forward?” I repeated again, letting out a chuckle. “You kept me warm, that’s all,” I said, looking at the others. “I was cold and Chanyeol couldn’t start a fire, so he let me rest close to him,” I explained, but it didn’t seem that Tao or any of the others were listening. 

“Exactly! Don’t pay attention to them, noona, they’re just jealous,” Chanyeol pouted, lying back down properly to catch his breath. 

“How are you, Jae?” Kris asked after shaking his head at Chanyeol. 

“Oh, you know, I’m positively splendid,” I replied sarcastically, followed by lifting a judging eyebrow at him. He bore a sympathetic expression on his face that made me sigh. “Sorry,” I apologized. “I’m fine, thank you,” I said more sincerely. “You know, considering someone nearly killed me and then I nearly killed myself by falling off a cliff, but yeah- who keeps track with all of that anyway?” I couldn’t help but add. 

The boys smiled at me nonetheless and in the silence I quietly regarded them. The dagger had given them their memories back. Their questions were answered now, their search for their origins story was completed. Strangely, though, none of them looked particularly happy about it. Not that they were given some time to breathe to process it properly and to react to it, of course, but I guess I had expected- _hm, perhaps that’s not entirely fair._ I didn’t really know what to expect, to be honest. 

“How are you guys doing? Everything must be such a shock, I mean- is it?” I asked, feeling a little awkward, pushing away my own fears and self-doubts about the fact that I was still nowhere to be found in their direct memory, and I only had the one waking up in a field, only to be killed by that black snake moments later. I subtly took steady breaths, figuring I’d deal with that later. 

“It’s weird, but it feels right,” Tao started, having trouble trying to say what he meant. “I guess it’s a shock as well, but it makes sense too, you know? I mean, well- um,” he pondered, finally looking at Kris. “Gege?” 

“A-ah,” Kris responded smoothly, running his hand through his short dark hair, eyes still red, though that was hardly noticeable in the grimy weather. 

“I think what Taozi means, is that it kind of feels like…” he paused a moment, pursing his lips together. “It’s like when you recover from amnesia,” he suddenly remarked. “That sounds silly, I know, but you know how you walk to your room with a purpose but then you forget what it was and you just pace around until you suddenly remember what you came to do? It’s that kind of feeling, of everything that never made sense, suddenly clicking into place,” he explained, using excessive gestures to make his point across. 

“I guess that’s why it doesn’t feel so shocking because it’s our memories. We lost them, but now that we have them back…” he trailed off, his gaze distant, before his eyes found me. “Well, most of them are back, anyway,” he suddenly corrected. 

“It’s a little difficult to explain, Jae-yah,” Lay tried. “But I think all of us feel normal, but with our eyes opened, this time.” 

“Like we were sleeping all this time and we’ve finally woken up,” Tao added whilst nodding, until his eyes widened and he covered his mouth with his hand, directing himself at me. 

“Does that mean that you woke up as well, noona? Did we do everything the ghost wolf wanted us to?” he asked, the excitement clear in his voice. 

“Sorry, I don’t feel any different, to be honest. I actually feel a lot more confused now than before,” I chuckled. “Guess I’m the only one who’s shocked about all of this,” I shrugged, smiling apologetically. I felt uncomfortable, to be honest. I was glad for the boys that they knew who they were and that everything felt so natural to them, but I still felt none the wiser. 

“It’s not like all our questions are answered either, Jae,” Xiumin spoke gently, though that one sentence did have enough power for me to feel a little relieved as well. I may be the only one sort of shocked about everything, but at least I wasn’t alone in regards to being lost. 

“Hey, where are the others, by the way?” I asked, realizing that I had subconsciously started to look for them and couldn’t find them anywhere. 

Kris jerked his head to the side. “The others are-,”

“Right here,” Suho cut in from behind us, appearing with the rest of the pack in tow. “We were checking the area just to make sure it’s safe,” he elaborated, giving me a tentative smile. 

“Noona! You’re awake!” it suddenly sounded and I was surprised by Chen and Baekhyun rushing in to hug me. I steadied myself, and chuckled when an angry gust of wind tore them away from my side and Sehun appeared to take their place. 

I let out a soft shriek when he lifted me up to spin me around, hugging me tightly. “We were worried,” he mumbled, setting me on the ground, but refusing to leave my side. 

“No need, I’m fine,” I said, though I wondered how often I’d have to say that today to sound convincing. 

“Hey, and where are my hugs?” Chanyeol demanded, sitting up to pout at his brothers. 

“Ah, don’t whine, you’re fine,” Baekhyun waved dismissively, causing himself to be tackled by the much taller boy. 

“Okay, you won’t give me a hug, I’ll get one myself!” Chanyeol declared with a wide, nearly maniacal grin as Baekhyun desperately tried to escape. 

“Chen! Help!” Baekhyun called out, but the boy simply turned away, dusting off his shoulders. 

“Sorry, hyung, you’re on your own,” he grinned. Though, as he walked away, Chanyeol sneakily snaked an arm over his shoulder and pulled him down as well. 

“ _Wae_?! Let me go!” Chen protested, but Chanyeol wouldn’t, of course. 

Suho shook his head as he watched the noisiest brothers wrestling on the ground. “Well, that hasn’t changed a bit,” he mumbled under his breath, and I felt a slight pang of regret and envy when he said it.  

I put up a polite smile when he turned to look at me. “Talk about a rough day, huh?” he remarked.

“Yeah,” I nodded. “And it’s hardly midday. Still a long day ahead,” I huffed. “Oh,” I held out the dagger and handed it to Suho. “Chanyeol said that I should keep it, but I wouldn’t know what to do with it, so…” I trailed off and waited for him to take it. 

“Noona, I told you that you were the official dagger keeper, you should hold onto it,” Chanyeol protested after roughhousing with Chen and Baekhyun. 

“I know, but like I said, I could keep it, but I wouldn’t know what for,” I tried to explain gently. “I saw your memories and this thing seemed pretty important. So it’s best if you don’t go losing it again,” I really tried to be casual about this, like I wasn’t bothered, but… _damn it_! I was frustrated. It was awesome that the boys got their memories back, or at least a majority of it, really, I was happy for them - no sarcasm, promise! However, the ghost wolf wanted _me_ to wake up, didn’t it?! Or was this my wakeup call? ‘ _Don’t get any ideas about belonging somewhere because it’s not true. You’re not a guardian like they are. You’re not part of their pack. Wake up and get the hint. I just reached out to you because you had the boys’ attention anyways_ ’ - Was that what the ghost wolf was thinking? Was I dispensable? 

 All this time, Suho looked at the dagger in my hand but he made no move to take it from me. The others were silent as well, as though they could hear what I was thinking- _oops_ , they couldn’t though, right? Not unless I gave permission. 

Sehun suddenly clacked his tongue in derision, grabbing the dagger from my hand and handling it roughly. 

“I think this thing is broken,” he announced. “How come would it show us our memories, but only give noona the one memory? Makes no sense. And why did it erase her from our memories to begin with? She wasn’t there, only at the end!” he said indignantly.

“There’s still a lot of things that don’t make sense, Sehun,” D.O. remarked, taking the dagger from his hand. “For instance, how we got here on earth if we came from Exo, for starters. And why the dagger was unable to explain Jae’s role in all of this. I, for one, refuse to believe that she was only a peasant girl who happened to be there at the right place at the right time to prevent the black Imoogi from getting this thing,” he lifted the dagger briefly before handing it back to me with a reassuring wink. I smiled a tiny smile, the dagger feeling cool in my hands.

“Exactly. Still a lot of questions left unanswered,” Luhan agreed. “Though I’ve thinking about how we ended up here, if we remember falling from the sky and Jae actually witnessing us fall,” he mused pensively. “The Tree died moments before that, didn’t it? What if it sacrificed itself to take us, and whatever or whomever was left of Exo to safety, to earth?” he proffered. 

“If that’s the case, then that dagger is more important than we know,” Suho said, his hands suddenly holding mine while I was still staring at the weapon. “We weren’t the only ones to have survived. The black snake had this in its possession, which probably means that it wants to use the dagger for harm.” 

_Wow…dramatic, much?_ With that one sentence, the elated atmosphere from before turned thick with tension and foreboding. I had so many questions. Where would I even start? 

“The black snake, the _emo-_ eh, thing-,” I stammered.

“ _Imoogi_ ,” D.O. corrected for me.

“Right. _Imoogi_ , what exactly is it? Or, _who_ is it? Is _that woman_ the black snake?” I asked. 

“I doubt it. If she truly had so much power then none of us would have been alive right now, I think,” Kris replied in such a neutral tone I wondered whether he realized how scary that was. 

“Don’t remind us, please,” Suho answered a bit nervously. 

“Mr. Yok,” Xiumin suddenly spoke, meeting our gazes as we looked up at him. “Didn’t she mention that name? We heard it again at E.T. Corp, in the room with the fake forest and hologram projections,” he touched his chin as a thoughtful expression graced his face. “It’s odd. All our personal memories have come back, but not all of it. There’s still gaps here and there. I can’t remember Miss Kumiho or Mr. Yok at all, but I get a bad feeling when I mention Mr. Yok’s name. You think he’s the one that’s behind all of this? Could he be the black snake?” 

I got goosebumps as the boys started their speculations. My father worked at E.T. Corp, he worked for Mr. Yok. I remembered the name as well since Dad told me that he was the founder of E.T. Corp. Why would a successful entrepreneur like him wish for the destruction of the world by means of a dagger? 

“What would he want with this?” I cut in abruptly as they were discussing things. 

“We don’t know, Jae,” Luhan shook his head. “But it can’t be good.” 

“You think he’s the black Imoogi? I don’t know what that is,” I asked, trying to make sense of it all. 

“Do you remember telling us that the ghost wolf showed you the history of our world? Of Exo?” Luhan asked and continued when I nodded. “There were two enormous snakes encircling the world, do you remember? One was white and the other black. These creatures are very rare and responsible for the world they inhabit. They’re called Imoogi, which are serpentine creatures that one day wish to become full-fledged dragons. From what I recall, they need a _yeouiju_ , a dragon orb, that fell from heaven to be able to become dragons and gain immense power,” he explained. 

“And you think that the dagger can give him that power?” I wondered breathlessly, seeing the world going to crap if an actual real-life dragon started roaming the skies. 

“It’s very possible,” he said quietly. 

“Then the ghost wolf really wanted us to help. It wanted us to prevent the black snake from getting the dagger and using it for bad things,” Tao piped up. 

“But how? What are we supposed to do now?” Sehun asked. 

“And I still don’t understand what I have to do with any of this,” I breathed, feeling a little more than dejected. “Also, if all of us are from Exo planet, then what’s up with us losing all our memories in the first place? And what about our families and everyone else on the island? They’re from earth, aren’t they?” 

I wasn’t going to lie. It sounded hella crazy to even utter those questions, but there was a lump in my throat this entire time and the longer I thought about things, the harder it became for me to ignore the uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. 

“Wow. Never thought that finding the answers to our questions would raise more questions,” Suho muttered, heaving a sigh. “We’ll figure this out, Jae,” he then said in a stronger voice, though his face was telling me that he was as lost as I was. “One way or another. Though, something tells me that keeping this world safe has priority, right now. But, as long as we stick together and have each other’s back, everything will be fine,” he stated confidently, smiling. 

“Alright then, leader-hyung, what’s the next step?” Chen immediately provoked to tease Suho, and laughed when the leader was caught off guard. It helped to lighten the mood a bit and it helped me to get rid of all the negative thoughts and feelings. The boys had been given their answers, after all, so maybe mine would be next. 

“I’d like to try something,” Luhan said, looking at me. “The dagger was responsible for giving us most of our memories back, and I’m wondering whether it may hold the answer to how we can use it to stop the black snake from messing up this world as well,” he reasoned. 

“You wanna try and read its mind, Lu?” Kris asked a little skeptically. 

“It may work,” Luhan shrugged. “The Tree left it for a reason, maybe this is why,” he tried. 

“You’re welcome to give it a shot, no harm done, right?” Xiumin said. 

“Right. Thank you, Baozi-ge,” Luhan extended his hand towards me. “Jae, if I may?” 

“Oh, sure.” 

Luhan was far more cautious whilst handling the dagger this time, carefully studying it and letting his fingers run over the weapon with controlled gentility. Something about it made me shiver and I blushed inexplicably since I suddenly imagined what it would be like if he trailed his fingers like that over my skin. I thought for a moment that I could nearly feel his fingers ghosting over me when he wrapped his hand carefully around the hilt and I quickly looked away before my idiotic thoughts would lead me to forbidden places and I’d never be able to look Luhan in the face again. 

_Sheesh, I’m an idiot._ Shit just got real and _that’s_ what I think about?! I nearly groaned out loud as I felt a wave of embarrassment wash over me. The idea of me being a lowly peasant girl in my former life on Exo planet seemed very likely now. No way that I had the grace, strength, sophistication and nobility of these guardians. Come to think of it, if they were guardians who looked after everyone in Exo, wouldn’t that have made them famous? Popular, no doubt. 

I briefly thought I lost my mind officially when I imagined that maybe I was their fangirl… _Might be a legit reason why I’m so involved with everything right now- sort of_ … _Ugh, stop thinking, Jae. Focus!_

Obviously I was battling with myself to maintain the last scraps of sanity I had left and I wasn’t about to lose this fight. Not yet, anyway. 

“Anything, hyung?” asked Baekhyun, watching Luhan with much interest. 

“It’s too quiet. I think it’s resting? Seems like its energy is waning somewhat,” Luhan replied. 

“That doesn’t sound like good news,” I prompted. 

“It’s not. The dagger is weak, but maybe…” Luhan mused and suddenly turned to grab my hand. “We could try to do this together, Jae,” he said, hands warm as they wrapped themselves around mine. “Just you and me,” he winked cheekily, the blushes reappearing on my face again. I trusted him enough to know that he couldn’t have heard my thoughts from a few moments before, but still, there was always that little chance… 

“Yah, hyung, you shouldn’t pressure Jae-noona like that, she’s still recovering,” Chen complained. 

“Indeed, tell him, Lay-hyung! Jae-noona should relax with me,” Sehun replied boldly. 

Lay was actually nodding when he turned towards Luhan. “Lu-ge, Jae-yah does need her rest, so it’s better if she sits here with me, right?” he said innocently, though the playful glint in his eyes was evident when he looked at a startled Sehun. 

“Hyung! With _me,_ not you!” the maknae immediately whined. 

“Exactly, Sehunnie, with _me,_ not _you_. That’s what I said,” Lay teased. 

“Yah! What’s with this hyung?!” Sehun sulked, crossing his arms across his chest when Lay stood up to wrap an arm over his shoulder as comfort. 

“Jae,” Luhan’s voice called to me and he waited for me to connect to him. 

I nodded. “Let’s see how we can save the world,” _before I go completely crazy…_


	83. ~ Well...Whoops... ~

***

Okay. Strange memories and vague past lives turned aside, having the power of so-called reflection was still pretty damn awesome. 

I still had to adjust when my power was active, since I realized that connecting with each person brought different feelings and effects, catered to whomever I was connected to at the time. But _wow_ , now that I was consciously learning how to use it, it felt amazing. 

Connecting with Luhan is like wandering into a peaceful garden. A quiet, serene paradise that was made just for me. It was a strange sensation to try to explain, but it felt so invigorating. Even though the air was still, I could hear a million and one voices that were so soft, it sounded like all of them were singing a lullaby. It was pretty amazing, how beautiful a human mind is, how it could be powerful and fragile at the same time. 

_Can you hear me, Jae?_

Luhan’s voice seemed celestial, but I knew that he was close by. 

_I can. What am I supposed to be looking for?_

Luhan laughed and I felt warm and pleasant inside. I had to remind myself that we were in each other’s heads now. I’ve given him full access in order for him to be able to try to see if he can read or hear what else the dagger had in store for us. 

_Right out of the gate, huh, Jae? Don’t worry, I just need you here with me, that’s enough._

_So, I’m here for moral support, huh?_

_Amongst other things,_ he said, but didn’t clarify. 

_Should I worry?_ I prompted and heard him laugh again. 

_I wanted privacy,_ he stated a bit too boldly and it nearly made me want to break the connection with him. 

_Privacy? What do you mean, privacy?_ I demanded. 

_Not like that!_ came Luhan’s immediate reply. _I meant to say that it didn’t seem fair that we were the only ones to gain back our personal memories while you still don’t know who you are, not really, at least. I thought that maybe by connecting simultaneously with you and the dagger, I might be able to unlock more memories,_ he explained. _Though, if you want to have some privacy for other reasons, I won’t complain either,_ he added teasingly after a brief pause. 

I wish I was physically able to pinch him, but here, in the void, the closest thing to reprimanding him was simply imagining my hand slapping his face. 

_Ouch, that hurt,_ I could actually imagine him pouting at me. 

_Served you right!_

He chuckled. _Fair enough. Can you feel that, Jae? The energy of the dagger?_ he then asked as I forced myself to get serious again. 

_It’s very faint,_ I said, trying to grasp onto it. 

_Don’t link with it,_ Luhan warned. _Just listen to it._

_But it’s not saying anything,_ I told him. 

_That’s ‘cause you’re not trying hard enough to listen,_ he retorted. _Concentrate a little harder for me, okay? I’ll do the rest of the work. Let me try to turn on a light here,_ he then mused as I did my best to do as he told me. 

I gasped softly when a brightness appeared and I was squinting, trying to see where I was. I felt around the odd, bright room until I bumped up against someone and a pair of arms wrapped themselves around my waist. 

_Ah, that’s better. Found you,_ Luhan whispered, his smiling face appearing before me. I blinked in surprise since he looked so- for lack of a better word - angelic. There was a light that shone behind him, giving him a glowing aura and putting more shine in his sparkling eyes. 

He chuckled as his finger moved to my chin and pushed it up, having caught me shamelessly gaping at him. I cleared my throat and looked away, but he had already seen the red flushes on my cheeks. 

_This is comfy,_ he continued his teasing and I shivered when I felt his warm breath against my skin. I shook my head and started hitting his shoulder. 

_Hey, who’s the one that can’t focus now? We have a job to do, babo!_ I scolded half-heartedly and Luhan was aware of that. He laughed again, but quieted down when he gently tucked a stray lock of hair behind my ear. 

_No matter what, Jae, you need to know that you’re important to us- to- t-to me,_ he suddenly stated out of the blue, leaving me confused and gaping like a fish again. 

_I- y-yeah, I mean- what?_

Luhan blinked a few times, as if some spell had been broken and he chuckled again. _Sorry. Never mind,_ he apologized with a sheepish grin and slowly let me go. 

_The dagger’s voice is close by. I couldn’t find it before,_ he said, after scraping his throat. _It’s very frail, softer than a whisper. It keeps repeating that-_

_It’s running out of time,_ I finished his sentence after hearing what he heard. Luhan wasn’t kidding when he said that the voice was ridiculously quiet. It sounded like a little bell, unable to toll louder. 

_We should ask it how we can help before that time is up then,_ I suggested and Luhan nodded seriously. He grabbed my hand with ease and lead the way. I didn’t know how he knew which way to go, since the place we were at was without walls, without paths, it was like walking through space. 

_Luhan,_ I called out when I heard that little bell ring again. _It’s saying something._ We stood still and I held Luhan’s hand with both of my own as he listened. I remained as quiet as I could, watching Luhan’s expressions as he listened to the little bell. I strained to listen as well, but I saved my energy for him to use instead. 

_I see,_ Luhan suddenly nodded. _Please, show us._

I squeezed into his hand when the environment changed, but Luhan stood straight, strong, unafraid. 

_How are you doing, Jae?_

_I’m fine,_ I said softly, though it was more of an automatic response by now. _What’s going on? What did it tell you?_

_We’ll see soon enough. It’s a new memory, but I’m afraid it’s the only memory it’ll be able to show us._

I swallowed when we were in an unknown office, not a bit of light in sight. The silhouette of a man sat in a chair, but the sight of him brought unpleasant shivers up and down my spine. He scared me, and I didn’t even know why. Luhan sensed my anxiety and pulled me closer to him. 

_It’s only a memory, Jae, don’t be afraid,_ he told me and I nodded, pulling myself together. 

“ _What must I do for you to unlock your secrets?”_ the man’s voice sounded deep and slick, but I could hear the hissing of snakes in the air as well. When he turned around, I had hoped to see his face, but it was hidden by the shadows in the room. 

The man’s hand suddenly reached towards us and I realized that we were seeing this memory through the perspective of the dagger. _Holy crap, the thing really is alive…_

_Of course,_ Luhan chuckled, having heard my thoughts, _what did you think?_

I smiled sheepishly before I focused on the memory again. The man’s hand was still hovering over us and a loud, piercing screech sounded when he came too near, followed by a rumbling of the earth below us. Luhan and I clung to each other for balance, seeing the man hiss at the dagger, touching his injured hand. 

The dagger had glowed red then, the crimson light shining at the man in the shadows. His face was scrunched in a frown of anger and there was a distinct serpentine characteristic to his eyes. 

_Mr. Yok?_ I questioned, feeling a tinge of fear despite the fact that this was only an image of him. 

_The black Imoogi,_ Luhan confirmed. 

_You remember, or observed?_ I asked, just to be sure. 

_Observed,_ Luhan replied, _though I can’t shake the feeling that he seems familiar. I don’t believe any of us have ever seen the black snake before, but still…_ he trailed off when the man sighed loudly. 

_“What must I do, hm? I only think of your wellbeing. It’s obvious that you won’t be able to keep going on like this. You need something to live- I can give it to you, but you must let me know. What is the secret to your strength? Share it with me, and I can save the both of us!”_

I narrowed my eyes at him, looking at Luhan. _Is this guy trying to bargain with a dagger?_

_Yeah, and failing too, by the looks of things,_ he replied. 

_“Just tell me what you need!”_ the man’s angry voice suddenly bouldered, another quake rippling underneath our feet. “ _You realize that without you, whatever world we travel to won’t survive long,”_ he continued, voice soft and menacing. “ _There is no balance, no noble brother, no heir, to protect the world and the pathetic creatures living in it. There is only you and me. We are what’s left. You would rather forsake the world than divulge your secrets with me to save it?”_

The man sounded more and more like a snake as he glared at the dagger. He clacked his tongue and scoffed. 

“ _I’ll find a way,”_ he said, the red light glowing warningly in the dark. “ _There won’t be anything you can do to stop it. This world shall be mine. A new Tree of Life will be born, a Tree of Power and Fire, a Tree so great it shall cast a wonderful darkness over the lands. The roots shall drink from rivers of blood, its black branches shall carry the delectable fruits of poison and all shall bow down to me! It is our destiny, you see,”_ the man’s eyes flashed. _“It was always meant to be. I’m patient. I’ll wait a thousand years if I have to. Do you have that time?”_

The ground below us trembled once more, but this time, it seemed more intense as the vision of the memory shook and rippled before it faded away. The trembling didn’t stop, and it felt as though the world was going to crash down on us. 

_Luhan?_

He held me close in response, making sure to protect me while I was worried about him. 

_Stay close, Jae._

_Well, duh!_ I retaliated, leaning into his chest when the walls of the strange room started to collapse. _What’s happening?! Is it the dagger?_

_I don’t know,_ Luhan’s eyes gleamed as he held all the falling objects at bay with his mind. _There’s something wrong,_ he stated. 

_What should we do?_ I looked around for an exit or something, but technically speaking we weren’t even physically here- wherever _here_ is. When Luhan hadn’t answered me, I pushed against his chest to get his attention. _Hey! Put your head in the game! What should we do?_

_It’s outside,_ he answered sharply, concern in his eyes. _There’s something going on outside!_

He had barely uttered the words or the space we were in was ripped brutally in half. I was torn away from Luhan’s safe embrace and thrown back into the unknown. I opened my eyes with a start, the world around me slowly coming into focus. That dreadful feeling of being hungover took me by surprise again, everything spinning about before I could settle my sight on Luhan lying on the ground opposite of me. 

I crawled towards him and shook his shoulders. “Luhan, wake up,” my voice was hoarse, but he stirred and opened his eyes. I could read the symptoms of a bad hangover on his face the moment he woke up and he held onto his head when he attempted to sit up. 

“Gah, talk about a rude awakening. That did _not_ go as planned,” he groaned, blinking his eyes to get them to focus. “What the hell happened?” 

“I was going to ask you the same thing,” I replied. “Where is everyone?” I helped Luhan get up as we looked around the plateau where it was eerily still. 

Luhan seemed to have woken up fully this time, stepping before me to look around. My own senses were heightened, a sense of danger in the air. 

“Jae, where’s the dagger?” Luhan suddenly asked and I panicked, feeling around my pockets, searching the ground. _Oh no… You’re kidding me!_

“Jae?” Luhan called out, his eyes widening when he saw the look of alarm on my face. “Shit,” he cursed, the both of us looking at the same direction when we thought we heard the sound of growling coming from the trees below the stone plateau. 

My nose itched as I sniffed the air, a sense of fear settling itself in my heart. “Do you smell burning wood?”

Luhan’s silence was answer enough. He haunched down, a guttural sound coming from his throat. “Stay here!” he commanded, leaping off the stone plateau after closing his eyes so he wouldn’t have to look at the height. 

“As if! Luhan! Wait!” I saw him land on the ground below, running off with high speed. “Unbelievable,” I muttered, looking at the abandoned plateau, the empty cave and the silence. 

“Ugh, as if I would stay here!” I growled myself, jumping off the plateau and changing into a wolf in the process. I followed my nose, and even though the scent of burning wood was nauseating, I quickened my pace to follow the guys. 

_That woman_ must’ve found us, tracked us down somehow. She was quick, though, to run all the way back to hunt us down. I guess Kai hadn’t taken her away far enough. Then again, she had been pretty adamant and desperate to get the dagger back. People in that state of mind would stop at nothing to get what they wanted. She must be working for that Mr. Yok. If I understood this right, that dagger was his _yeouiju_ , so he’d want it back at all costs. 

_God, who knew that a megalomaniac like that was the founder of a ecologically responsible company, aimed to cater to humans whilst preserving nature? Everything is so twisted…_

I skidded to a halt when I saw something flying towards me. I ducked to the ground when I realized it was Kris being slung in the air. He landed on the ground behind me and I ran towards him. 

“Okay! That is it! That woman is _not_ my style!” he groaned, sitting up while grasping his waist. He blinked in confusion when he saw me. “Jae? What are you doing here? I thought Luhan told you to stay at the cave,” he said as I changed back. 

“Right, and I always do as you guys tell me,” I retaliated, helping him get to his feet. “Guardians or not, you don’t have the right to start bossing me around,” I told him. 

“Jae, this is serious business. You could get hurt all over again. Get back to safety, please. We got this handled,” Kris implored, pulling me towards him when someone else came sailing through the air towards us. 

“Whoa! That woman is on steroids!” Chen shouted, getting to his feet and shaking his head. 

“What’s the status?” asked Kris, still holding onto me. 

“She got the dagger, hyung,” Chen said soberly, his eyes then flashing towards me. “Noona, you shouldn’t be here,” he started. 

“No use, Chen, she won’t listen,” Kris interjected before I had a chance to open my mouth. “Jae, listen to me. That woman doesn’t play around. It’s dangerous.” 

“Kris, it’s been dangerous since the beginning,” I told him. “How can I help?” 

He gave a wan smile, cupping my cheek. “Getting to safety won’t be an option, I suppose?” he tried. 

“You honestly think you can defeat me?!” a crazed Miss Kumiho shrieked from a little further away. The others did their best to overpower her, but she was on a rampage.  

“You know, I distinctly remember being a bit more powerful than we are now,” Chen noted, his hands buzzing with lightning bolts. 

“More proof that some things are still missing,” Kris said. “We have to get the dagger back. Jae, maybe you can help,” he stated. 

The plan was simple. Chen would distract _that woman_ by shooting lightning bolts at her face while Kris and I would try to dive in and knock her off balance just enough for her to either drop the dagger or be distracted enough for one of us to take it from her. 

I swallowed when Chen lead the charge and I steadied my breathing just long enough to connect to Kris. I was swimming through an ocean of clouds when we connected and even though I was nervous, I trusted him and my body to know what to do. 

“Just follow my lead,” he assured me and I nodded. Chen started the attack, aiming for her face and eyes only, as Kris and I floated in the air and I was starting to feel helpless. All I needed to do was soar towards her to startle her, but that was easier said than done. Still, I was determined to help them, so when Kris gave the signal, I put my best foot forward - so to speak - and soared in after him. 

Chen’s attacks had thrown her off balance and when she saw Kris and I approaching, she actually successfully fell back. I saw a glimmer of silver fly through the air before hitting the ground. 

“It worked!” I called out towards Kris, too late to hear his warning as I looked where I was flying towards and slammed against a tree. I landed on the ground with an equally loud thud, pangs of pain shooting through my body as the connection between me and Kris was broken. 

“Ow…” I panted, trying to get to my feet as quickly as I could. I guess I still had some luck left on my side since I opened my eyes and saw the dagger an arm’s reach away from me. 

As I was recovering from the fall, _that woman_ was doing the same thing. Our gazes met when we looked for the dagger and she glared fire at me, running to get the weapon. On instinct, I grabbed the thing and stood up. 

“Jae-noona! Run!” Sehun yelled at me as a gust of wind picked up, pushing me hastily forward and blowing hard against her to hold her back. 

As I ran away from her _again_ , I started to feel the fear and panic really settle in. I was reminded how she had the ability to poison me and to torture me for her entertainment. I remembered her cold hands wrapped around my neck and how little my life meant to her.

_What was I doing again to help the guys out? Why do I always insist on getting into trouble?_

In that moment the black snake appeared in my mind’s eye. My only memory replaying itself in my head as I raced through the familiar woodland paths. 

Hadn’t I died while trying to save the dagger? The Imoogi’s body was coiled around me until I heard the bones snapping. I gave up my life for that freaking trinket- _I guess some things really don’t change,_ provided that memory was true. 

“Get back here, you little worm!” it sounded from far behind me and frantically picked up the pace. 

_What was up with this woman?! Seriously!_

“You need therapy!” I screamed behind me as branches whipped against my body. I didn’t really know where I was going, but being far away from _that woman_ was already good enough. My feet would know where to run to. 

“Not as much as your loved ones will need it, darling. Even dental records won’t be able to identify you once I get my hands on you,” she yelled back in a surprisingly, albeit horribly creepy, sweet voice.

“Scratch that! You don’t need therapy, woman- you need Jesus or Buddha or a simple one way ticket to the loony bin!” I screeched, finally making it out of the forest onto solid asphalt, continuing my run with the blasted dagger still in my hand. I would have loved to blame all of this misery on the weapon, but I couldn’t. This wasn’t its doing. That Mr. Yok, he was to blame, I think. 

I must’ve run faster than I thought when I reached the end of the road and it transitioned into the main road that lead towards civilization. In my hurry and panic, I ran to the only place I thought would provide me with safety and shelter, even though it was most likely the worst place to go to at a time like this. 

But me being me, I panicked and didn’t know where else to go to. By the time I opened the front door of my house and hopped inside, I knew that I screwed up. 

“Crap!” I breathed. “Oh, shit!” I paced around the messy living room a moment, trying to pull myself together. “Okay, okay, Jae, breathe. Calm down, what can you do?” I tried soothe, but I knew I messed up. “I should hide you,” I then said, looking at the dagger, only to cringe and moan because _what the ef, Jae, what are you thinking?!_ If I hid the dagger here, _that woman_ was bound to find it! 

“What do I do? What do I do?” I hated this. I hated being driven into a corner like this and feel so helpless! 

My heart stopped when I heard the front door open slowly. My veins froze as I felt the blood drain out of me at seeing a seething Miss Kumiho stand in the doorway. Her eyes were fixed on me, radiating a menacing aura that haunted her no matter which way she moved. 

“Well then,” she purred, cracking her neck as she approached me. “Here we are again,” she smiled widely, but it never reached her eyes. 

I didn’t waste time and immediately started to run off, but she pounced on me then, knocking over a lamp in the process. I heard it shatter when it hit the floor. 

“So, are you going to cooperate and hand me the dagger, or should I show you the alternative choice instead?” she asked, pinning me to the ground, her hands already making their way towards my throat again. When I was too late to reply, she smirked, hands at the ready to strangle me. 

“More fun for me then,” she whispered. 

“Not if I can help it!” Kai appeared like a knight in shining armor, riddled in black smoke as he grabbed hold of a startled Miss Kumiho and they fought in the living room. 

“Kai!” I cried out, standing up. 

“What are you waiting around for, noona?! Get out of here! Kitchen, backdoor!” he instructed, growling as he fought her again. 

I felt horrible having to leave Kai to do the fighting once more, but I did as he said, making a run towards the kitchen so I could escape through the backdoor. I was nearly there when I heard a loud crash and a distinct whimpering of a young wolf. 

The breath from my lungs was squeezed out of me when only silence followed, and I knew I couldn’t leave Kai behind. Holding the dagger in a death-grip, I ran back to the living room, gasping loudly to see him wounded on the floor. He looked beaten and was bleeding. 

“N-noona,” he said weakly. “W-watch-,” 

“Ack!” my head was pulled back harshly as _that woman_ appeared behind me, yanking at my hair so I had no other choice but follow her movements. I nearly dropped the dagger to be able to hold onto my scalp, but I didn’t. _That woman_ dragged me towards the kitchen and threw me down on the floor. I slid against the cabinet and winced in pain. I wasn’t given a moment of reprieve when she instantly straddled me, making sure I wasn’t able to escape. 

I struggled underneath her, but she had me helplessly pinned. Not wasting any breath, her hands were wrapped around my throat again, panic kicking in full force when she squeezed. 

“I’m disappointed in you, Jae,” she purred, while I kicked and sputtered underneath her. “I thought I told you that I always win the games I play,” she mused, leaning forward. “I need you to know this. I will get the dagger back from you. I’ll walk away with it in the end. The decision you’re left to make is whether or not you’ll be able to see me leave with the dagger, or won’t be consciously aware that I have because you’d be dead,” she tightened the grip around my neck, reacting amused when I made a poor attempt to hurt her hands so she had to let go - which she didn’t.

“I’m out of patience and kindness for you, darling,” she continued. “Last chance. Either you give me the dagger like a good little girl you are, or I’ll pry it off your dead, cold carcass. Your choice,” she said. 

I didn’t want to grace her with a reply. She wasn’t worth anything in my book. I wheezed for air and managed to turn aside, where I saw Kai lying on the living room floor. His eyes were on me as well, and I saw him attempting to make contact with me. 

_Of course!_

If I could connect with Kai, then maybe he’ll be strong enough to teleport the both of us to safety! However, there was one problem. 

I was being strangled at the moment. I couldn’t focus, other than on the idea that death soon would come for me and I couldn’t try to connect to him, even if I wanted to. Spots appeared in my vision and I was starting to blackout. I attempted to reach out to Kai anyway, but _that woman_ caught on and smacked my hand down. 

She laughed. “Magic won’t help you now, darling,” she stated. “You’re mine,” she hissed. 

My vision was darkening, but I still refused to loosen the grip on the weapon entrusted into my hands. Just when I thought that I was done for, another silhouette appeared behind _that woman_. 

I squinted my eyes when I heard a loud clunk and before I knew what had happened, _that woman’s_ grip around my neck loosened up and shock was painted on her face before she fell over- unconscious. 

Still in a state of alarm, I quickly wriggled out from under her heavy body, staring in awe at the mysterious silhouette that saved the day. However, as I directed myself towards this hero, my mouth ran dry and I actually wished that _that woman_ had strangled me a little harder so I wouldn’t have to witness this. 

Mom was still holding onto the frying pan as if it were a long sword, panting slightly and pointing it threateningly at Miss Kumiho’s unmoving body. 

“I don’t know what happened, but, lady, your eggs are beyond scrambled!” she shrieked nearly hysterically before she turned sharply towards me. The movement was so sudden, I instinctively lifted my hands in the air in defense, dropping the dagger with a clatter in the process. 

Mom’s eyes flashed towards the weapon, brow furrowed before she gazed at an unconscious Miss Kumiho, a barely conscious Kai and a messy living room. I saw her freaking out on the inside, but she held it together as best as she could when she pointed the frying pan towards me. 

“Young lady,” she started strictly, Mom-voice style. “I think you have some major explaining to do!” she panted. 

_That woman_ may have nearly killed me, but right now, nothing was more terrifying than Mom threatening me with a frying pan. I was in more trouble now than I was ten seconds ago. 

_Whoops…_  


	84. ~ My Turn To–Waeee?! ~

***

“I can’t believe this, I _cannot_ believe this! You just hit someone with a frying pan, Yoona- a _frying pan_! Who does that?!” 

I sat uneasily on the couch, watching Mom pace back forth in front of me as she mumbled to herself in what I presumed was an inner freakout. No one dared to utter a word or make a single sound. The thirteen of us sat on the couches in the living room in a neat row, following my mother with our eyes. I was much too late to communicate to them that they should stay away. They all burst through the door, screaming my name and that of Kai, when my mother turned around, still armed with the frying pan that she had not let go of since she got home, commanding everyone to sit down and to shut up. 

Mothers had amazing powers of persuasion, so we’ve been sitting in awkward, tense silence watching a hobbit-sized woman talking to herself while swinging a frying pan around from time to time. We were superhuman beings, able to transform into vicious wolves, but we were too chicken to evoke the wrath of mother. Nobody messes with momma, and we all seemed to know that. 

_That woman_ probably knew that too, once she woke up. I still nervously gazed at her unmoving form in the kitchen from time to time, afraid that she’d suddenly bounce back up with a vengeance. It’s only been a few minutes since Mom epically smashed the frying pan against _that woman’s_ noggin, and it was obvious that she wouldn’t wake up for a while, but that didn’t necessarily relax me. 

“Um, Mom?” I ever so cautiously called out. I sensed the boys becoming tense when I did so, and given any other circumstance I would’ve laughed at them, but not this time. Mom didn’t seem to hear me. 

“Well, it wasn’t like you had much of a choice, did you, Yoona? That crazy lady pounced on your daughter, she’s lucky that she wasn’t impaled by the frying pan instead!” Mom continued her monologue. “A _frying pan_ , Yoona! You cook for your family with this thing! Then again, how _dare_ she break into my house and attack my baby?! Attacked someone else’s baby! Attacked my _living room_!” 

I cringed when her voice became gradually louder. “Mom,” I tried again, hoping I could get her attention, but she was too much in her own world. Not that I could blame her. 

“Jae, I don’t think you should interrupt her,” Kris whispered ever so softly, hardly moving his lips. 

“Yeah, what if she finds out that the mess in the living room was our fault, noona?” Chen added through stiff lips, having to lean over D.O. who was sitting beside me, and sitting up straight when Mom turned around towards our direction as she kept on pacing about. 

“Shh,” Xiumin warned, never once letting his eyes off my mom. 

“What even happened? What made this woman go crazy like that? Attacking a bunch of kids?” Mom still muttered to herself. “I mean I know teenagers can get on your nerves, but these aren’t even _her_ teenagers!” 

“Well, at least you know where you get your monologuing from,” D.O. remarked dryly, wincing shortly when I nudged him with my elbow. 

“Noona, how high are our chances of escaping?” Baekhyun asked softly, sitting next to Kris. 

“I think we’d only get out of here if Kai can teleport us,” I answered, cringing at watching Mom swing her frying pan around. 

“That might take some time,” Baekhyun whispered in regret, looking over to Kai who sat between Chanyeol and Lay. During this time, Lay had ever so subtly started healing his injuries without Mom noticing, but I could tell that Kai was still in pain. _What had she done to him?_

Luhan caught my look and lifted an eyebrow in question, as though asking for permission. I nodded. 

_Don’t worry, it’s nothing Lay can’t heal, Jae,_ he assured me. 

_Yah, be quiet everyone,_ Suho suddenly sounded, widening his eyes at us in warning, sitting perfectly straight. Why did I get the feeling that Suho never got into trouble before?

“Why would she even go off like that?” Mom still babbled. “What could these kids have done that was so bad? They’re decent kids, aren’t they? Suho is well-mannered and kind,” she muttered, heaving deep breaths as to contain her freakout as best as she could. “Given, I’m not sure about the kid with the catlike grin on his face. Poor child looks a bit like a dinosaur - but that’s no reason to attack them,” she suddenly commented, causing Chen to blink in shock. 

“Yah,” he protested softly, the rest of us trying to bite back our laughter. I decided that this had gone on long enough and took a deep breath. I saw the dagger gleam on the table before us. Mom hadn’t realized yet what it was and that’s how I wanted to keep it - for now. 

“Mom,” I said again, my voice louder and stronger, startling at first when she looked at me as though she saw me for the first time. The shock was still evident in her eyes and I swallowed. _Where do I start?_

“Mom, look, I understand that this is definitely a weird scene to come home to, but- and I know it’s hard -, I need you to calm down,” I regretted saying it the moment I caught a glint of something switching in Mom’s eyes and her body tensed. 

“I can explain everything,” was my go-to response, a lump forming in my throat. “I hope you’re willing to listen, and leave these guys out of it,” I gestured at the nervous boys behind me. “We’ve all had a long day and the boys really don’t have anything to do with all of this. They were just trying to help me, so don’t be mad at them,” I tried to salvage whatever I could and luckily - _though annoyingly typically_ \- the boys made no attempt to protest against my words. Probably figured that since she’s my Mom it was best that I should deal with her. 

“You can explain everything,” Mom repeated, stating it, rather than asking. I noticed her hand readjusting her grip on the frying pan. I licked my dry lips and nodded. 

“Hmhm,” Mom mused and the tone in which she said it, signaled trouble. _Oh crap._ “You’ve had a long day,” she repeated again as I slowly shrank down. “And I should _calmly_ listen and leave these boys out of this, right?” he added, breathing through her nose. 

“Ah, so you understand, _ajummeoni,_ then we’ll be off,” Baekhyun commented as he stood up from the couch. I sincerely hoped that it was because he was nervous, otherwise he really sucked at reading the atmosphere. Of course Mom’s eyes darted towards him, sharp and punishing like that of a hawk eyeing its prey. 

“Young man, sit down!” General Mom scolded, causing Baekhyun to immediately plop back down in his seat. “No one is going anywhere until all of this madness is explained,” she said firmly, pointing at Baekhyun with the frying pan. He jumped a little. “What’s your name?” she asked him. 

Nervous, Baekhyun swallowed, fidgeting with his shirt. “Chen, ma’am,” he answered, prompting the actual Chen to protest. 

“Yah! Don’t lie!” he piped up in mild panic, immediately quieting down when Mom glanced at him. 

“Chen, huh?” she directed her attention towards him. “Tell me, what’s his name?” she gestured. 

“Byun Baekhyun, _ajummeoni_ ,” Chen replied without skipping a beat.  

Mom nodded slowly, turning back towards Baekhyun who seemed to shrank by the second. “Byun Baekhyun,” she mused in that frightening way that only mothers could get away with. “I’ll remember you,” she gave him one more look and only after she saw that she successfully intimidated him did she wink. 

“Okay, down, mother,” I interjected, her head turning sharply to look at me. 

“Don’t you start, young lady, I’m not nearly through with you,” she pointed out. “Jae-,” she started, making wild, twitchy gestures as she tried to find the proper words. When she couldn’t, she huffed in frustration and simply gestured all around her. “Look!” she raised her voice. “I don’t even know where I should start my questions, so you better just start talking, young lady! Tell me why the house is a mess and I was forced to knock out your father’s colleague with my favorite frying pan?!”

Mom stared at me, waiting for an explanation and I was completely stunned. I didn’t know what to say or how to start. I couldn’t make up excuses anymore. The lie was over. We’re busted. What do I say to my mother? She was gonna freak out no matter what I told her, so I wouldn’t even know how to minimize the damage. 

I took a deep breath and started to speak when all of a sudden, 

_I can erase her recent memories if you want, Jae. You know that you can’t explain this to her. She won’t understand,_ said Luhan in a grave voice. 

_She might,_ I replied, instantly knowing that my answer was a weak attempt to sound convincing enough that I could actually believe it myself. What could I do, though? I didn’t particularly liked the idea of Luhan messing with my mother’s mind. 

_She won’t. How can she understand this when she’s already reacting like that?_ he added, but this rubbed me the wrong way. Having seen Luhan’s memories, I knew that he had a difficult relationship with his parents back in Exo planet, but that didn’t mean that my mother was the same. 

_I have to give her a chance. She deserves that much, Luhan,_ I told him, and I could hear him sigh softly behind me. 

“Jae?” Mom called, still waiting for an answer. 

“I’m thinking,” I said and she rolled her eyes, crossing her arms across her chest. 

_Jae, it’s no disrespect to your mother, but the truth will freak her out and she’ll say and do things that will hurt you and even drive you away from her. You don’t want that- trust me. Let me erase her mind,_ he sounded less crude this time, the warmth and concern evident in his manner of speaking. 

The corner of my lips twitched into a smile. _My mother armed herself with a frying pan to protect me, Luhan. Let me try and tell her. If you’re right, then you have my permission to erase her memories,_ I compromised with a heavy heart. 

_And what if I’m wrong? You’re willing to expose her to our secrets, increasing the risk that Mr. Yok and Miss Kumiho will come after her if they deem it necessary?_

_Shit._ He had a point there. I was vaguely aware that Suho was trying to talk my mother off a ledge when I took too long to answer her, and it was a distraction that was greatly appreciated. 

_If they are as evil as I think they are, then they’ll come after my family regardless._ A knot twisted itself in my stomach at this detestable shot of reality. _If my mother knows about it, she has a chance to defend herself. That seems preferable than have her get hurt without her knowing or understanding why._

_I understand that, Jae, but think this through. It’s dangerous to tell her everything. Whether she wants to or not, there are ways to make people talk. On the other hand, if there is nothing your mother knows- well, you can’t squeeze blood from a stone,_ he reasoned. 

_Except you can from humans. Should they come after my mother for information or whatever, and find out that she truly knows nothing, she would be considered obsolete and that would put her into more danger,_ I retorted, knowing all too well how _that woman_ had no problem trying to squeeze the life out of me. 

Luhan sighed again. _It’s your call then._

“Okay, you know what, you go and have a think how you’re going to explain everything to me- and baby girl, this better be good or so help you God - and I’ll go and call the police. They have trash to take out of my house,” she pointed at Miss Kumiho. However, her announcement of calling the authorities nearly had all of us getting up to stop her. 

“What in heavens name?!” Mom exclaimed, a frown gracing her face as she saw my hand around her wrist, preventing her to take another step. “Jae, what has gotten into you?”

_See? I told you she won’t understand,_ Luhan remarked snippily and I turned around to shoot him a glare. My mother, being ever so observant followed the gaze, but noticed Kai instead. 

“Oh. Oh, goodness,” she muttered. “Yes, you- cutie pie number five, what’s your name?” 

I frowned at my mother, pulling a questioning face at her when she shrugged. “What? I don’t know all their names yet, I have to find a way to distinguish them,” she dismissed quickly. “Don’t worry, Suho, you’re number one,” she added to my embarrassment, directing herself to the young man in question. Despite the situation, Suho tentatively and shyly smirked. 

“Oh my God,” I muttered in disbelief. 

“Your name, sweetie,” Mom urged a confused Kai, who was still holding onto his side. Lay may be healing his injuries, but the blood on his shirt wouldn’t be washed away. 

“K-Kai, ma’am,” he muttered. 

“Kai. Alright, Kai, we should get you an ambulance,” she stated, starting to make her way to get the phone. 

“Wait, that’s not necessary, _ajummeoni_ ,” Kai immediately prompted, the others having already twitched to stop my mom. “I’m fine, really. I don’t need an ambulance,” he insisted, eyes darting over towards me. 

“Don’t need an ambulance? You’re bleeding, young man!” 

“Actually, he’s not, _ajummeoni_ , really no need to worry,” Lay added, in hopes to calm her down. 

“Oh, I see, you’re a doctor, are you, Mr. Dimple?” she snapped. I cringed.

“He’s fine, Mom,” I interrupted, swallowing again when she widened her eyes at me. “Kai only fell. He spilled ketchup on his shirt and barbecue sauce…it was a whole mix, wasn’t it?” I feigned, seeing Kai catching on and nodding to confirm my words. I figured it would be the last lie I’d tell my mom. Luhan did have a point after all, but I we had to explain this to her somehow. She could know the global bits of information. I’ll keep magic and shapeshifting out of the equation- for now. 

“Ketchup and barbecue sauce?” Mom asked in disbelief. 

“Yes, _ajummeoni,_ Kai and I were eating at my parents’ restaurant before coming here. It’s a special, thick sauce,” Chanyeol added, his grin wide to hide his nervousness. 

Mom shook her head. “Regardless, I’m a responsible mother! It’s my duty to call- _someone_!” she started, a freakout pending to explode at any moment. 

“Mom, you can’t- I mean, you don’t have to,” I stammered, feeling the panic and helplessness kick in again. Maybe Luhan was right. Maybe I shouldn’t tell her- how would I explain? I looked at the others briefly. 

_Just say the word and I’ll erase her recent memories, Jae,_ Luhan offered again. 

_And if I still don’t want you to?_ I asked. 

_We trust you, Jae,_ D.O. suddenly sounded, the others nodding subtly. 

_Okay, so no pressure, right?_ I attempted to joke, taking a deep breath before looking at my mother. 

“Mom, you once told me that you were here, too, remember? If I was ready then I could come and talk to you,” I reminded her. I hoped it would have calmed her down somewhat, but instead, she became more tense and worried. 

“Yes?” she urged, and it was some consolation to see that she set the frying pan down. 

“Well, I’m not ready to tell you, to be honest, but there’s no better time than the present, right?” I continued as calmly and gently as possible. She had slowly sank down and Sehun quickly got up to get her a chair to sit on. 

“It’s a long story,” I started, though I could sense Luhan’s disapproval in my mind. Bad idea or not, Mom deserved to know the truth for once. She’d understand, or at least try to… _I hope_. 

“And it’s definitely not an easy one to explain or comprehend,” I made sure to carefully pick my words. 

“Jae, just tell me what happened here,” she interjected, a hand placed above her heart as if she couldn’t stand the suspense any longer. 

“We- well, Miss Kumiho, she- um,” this was not going well. I fumbled and stumbled over my own words, until my mother had had enough and grabbed my hand, forcing me to look at her. 

“Just tell me the truth,” she stated. 

“The truth. Right,” I nodded. The others looked like they wanted to hide as I sat down on the coffee table so I was at eye-level with her. “Here it is. I know that it’s going to sound ridiculous, but I swear that it’s the truth. The reason that Miss Kumiho went after us, and tried to choke me to death, was because of this,” I grabbed the dagger from the table and showed it to her. Mom frowned at the weapon, a puzzled look on her face. 

“This dagger is a pretty big deal, in ways that I can’t even begin to explain- it’s not from this world, exactly,” I cringed as I realized how I sounded, but the thing about the truth was that sometimes it sounded ridiculous. “But it has the ability to change this world. Miss Kumiho- she’s working for someone bad, who wants to have this dagger for himself, but he’s going to do bad things with it. Dangerous things. We didn’t know this of course, before we went to get the dagger from E.T. Corp, but now that we do know, we can’t let Mr. Yok get the dagger back.” Alright, so that was the extremely short version of the whole story, but it was what it was. 

I glanced at my mother who let the words sink in. She looked down at the dagger and reached for it. 

“Whoa, I don’t think that’s such a good-,” I started, but fell still when she grabbed it and held it in her hand to look at it. “- Idea…” I finished. 

Mom blinked her eyes rapidly before focusing back on me. “Mr. Yok wants this dagger that you all got from E.T. Corp?” she asked. 

I nodded whilst biting my bottom lip. “I know it doesn’t look like much, but that dagger is important, Mom. Important enough for someone like Miss Kumiho to want to kill me for it,” I emphasized, carefully waiting for the bomb to explode. 

Mom turned to the boys on the couch when she saw some of them nodding in all seriousness. She studied their expressions before turning towards me again. “Mr. Yok, as in, the founder of E.T. Corp, the company your father works for?” 

“Yes, Mom. The guy is insane. We’re not sure what he means to do with the dagger, exactly, but it’s going to be bad. I mean, it explains all the freaky storms we’ve been having lately. Maybe he’s somehow responsible for that, and he even sent _that_ _woman_ after us!” I told her. 

“Alright,” Mom suddenly said, surprising me. 

“Alright?” I repeated a bit hesitatingly. 

Mom nodded seriously and a silence fell. She didn’t take her eyes off me once, until she suddenly started laughing-, but not in a good way. I questioningly looked at the others, but they lifted their shoulders as well. 

“Let me get this straight, to see if I understand,” Mom started, but my chest tightened when I heard the skepticism in her tone of voice. 

“Mr. Yok is in secret an evil mastermind that means to do bad things with this dagger and sent one of his henchmen after you because you thwarted his plan by taking this dagger from E.T. Corp. Is that a good summation?” she asked. 

“Well, yes, but if you put it like that-,” 

“Do you think I’m an idiot, Jae?!” Mom interrupted, startling me. _She…she doesn’t believe me?_ I felt Luhan’s presence in the back of my mind. 

_Jae,-_

_Don’t you dare say it!_

He became still as I looked at my mother in disbelief myself. 

“Did you hear yourself, just now?” she asked, standing up, the dagger in her hand. “Bad guy wanting to use some dagger to mess up the world? What is this? A fantasy novel?! I asked you to tell me the truth, Jae! And what do you do? Make up some fanfiction plot story?!” she yelled at me. 

“But, she _is_ telling you the truth, _ajummeoni-,_ ” Tao carefully tried to back me up. 

“No, don’t any of you start as well!” she directed towards the boys. “I should call all of your parents!” she stated, trembling with anger and disappointment when she faced me again. “And this- _thing_?!” she held the dagger loosely in her hand. “Is this what I think it is, Jae?! Were all of you in E.T. Corp last night?” Shock was plastered on her face as realization sunk in. “Did you _steal_ this dagger from your father’s company?!” she nearly shrieked, appalled. 

“We didn’t do it for the heck of it,” I started, feeling tears coming up since the shock of my own mother not even trying to understand this was a bit too much to bear. “I told you, it was something we needed to do. I’m- I’m not lying to you!” 

“You dare look me in my face and say that?” she retaliated, shaking her head. “I’m starting to understand why that woman had her hands around your neck- what, in heaven’s name, were you thinking, Jae?” she asked, disappointment and hurt clear in her voice. “All of you, decent young men risking your entire lives for a brief moment of adrenaline!”

“It’s not like that, _ajummeoni_ , there’s more to the story than Jae told you,” Kris attempted.

“Yeah! It’s a lot more complicated than that! Mr. Yok and Miss Kumiho- they’re old enemies,” Sehun suddenly started wanting to defend me. 

“Sehun, don’t,” Suho tried to warn, but the maknae wouldn’t listen. 

“We’re guardians from another planet and that dagger was our responsibility, but we lost it. And now we found it again, so technically it never belonged to Mr. Yok to begin with, _ajummeoni_ ,” he pleaded, but we cringed. 

Mom looked like she was ready to explode. “Guardians from another-? Okay. That is it,” she exclaimed. “I gave you the opportunity to explain, Jae,” she said to me. “To tell me the truth, and _this_ is what you come up with? Even drag your friends into this- I never expected this from my daughter.”

_Bam._ One of the worst sentences a child could hear from their parents, and it was directed right at me. I don’t believe I’ve ever felt so upset before. Mom was supposed to have my back, try to understand things, she was supposed to be different- but maybe she was like Luhan’s parents after all. _I thought for sure that I could trust her, that she would at least try…_

_I’m sorry, Jae,_ Luhan said quietly. _Offer still stands. It’s not too late,_ he added, but I shook my head subtly. 

_Then you’d have to erase my memories as well, because I won’t be able to forget that this happened, that my Mom would-_ I sighed quietly, biting back the tears. _No. I’ll deal with this,_ I stated stubbornly, angrily. Was it stupid to feel betrayed? Maybe I should’ve seen this coming. 

“So that’s why you didn’t want me to call the police. Because then they would find out that this dagger is missing and that you were the ones that stole it,” she shook her head. “Alright. Here’s what I’m going to do. I am going to call the police to tell them that Miss Kumiho trespassed on private property and attacked Jae,” she started, a grave look on her face. “After I’ve called them, I want all twelve of you out of my house, and don’t think that you’re off the hook so easily. You better learn from your mistakes, or so help me God, I will call your parents and the authorities should something like this occur again! As for this dagger and the mess you’ve all made- we’ll deal with that privately,” she instructed, looking lastly at me. 

“I’m going to the kitchen to make that call. By the time I come back, I want you boys gone, is that understood?” she said derisively. 

“But, but- w-we’re wolves! We all are! We can do magic- _that woman_ can do magic too, she nearly killed Jae-noona!” Sehun gestured at Miss Kumiho in a last attempt to convince my mother. 

“Sehun, stop,” Suho warned. 

“No, hyung, this isn’t fair! Do you know under how much stress your daughter has been living, _ajummeoni_?” Sehun suddenly directed towards my stunned mother, approaching her. “You’re her mother, so you must’ve sensed it! Every time you might’ve thought that there’s something troubling her, but she never told you- only said to you that everything was alright and that you shouldn’t have to worry, that you can trust her- That was Jae-noona protecting you from all the burden she was carrying herself! You claimed that you wanted her to tell you the truth, and now she has and we even back her up on it, you don’t believe her! How is that right, _ajummeoni_? Think about it! Jae-noona is your daughter, isn’t she? Have you known her to lie about something like this?” Sehun scolded passionately, until he realized what he had done and turned a deeper shade of red. He gulped and quickly bowed to apologize. 

“I mean, I say so with all due respect, of course, _ajummeoni_ ,” he mumbled quietly. 

The tension in the air was so thick I’m pretty sure it was bordering to obesity. Mom eyed him relentlessly, but there was also a hint of softness in her glare, though it faded when she spoke to him again. 

“I have not known Jae to lie to me,” she confirmed. “Then again, I never thought that she would commit a felony either,” she added harshly. “But here we are, with this dagger, this object that doesn’t belong to you- alien or not,” she nearly spat out of anger. “Please, leave.” 

“Ma’am, we know how this sounds and the situation looks even worse,” Suho dared to speak up. “Yes, we may have stolen that dagger, and if there was another, more legal, way to have obtained it, then we would have done that. Whether you believe us or not, we didn’t lie. So, please, whatever you do, don’t give the dagger back to Mr. Yok or Miss Kumiho.”

Mom blinked, taken aback by Suho’s words. It almost seemed as though she was considering what he was saying, but then shook her head again. “I’m very disappointed in all of you,” she only said. “Don’t make me change my mind. I can still call your parents. Go before I do,” she instructed, leaving towards the kitchen. I knew that it wasn’t going to be over for me though. 

There was a very slight dispersion of tension in the air when Mom left the room, but I still felt like I was in some kind of shock. 

“I’m sorry,” I apologized to the boys, feeling a heavy burden on my shoulders. “I made the wrong call. Should’ve listened to you, Luhan,” I mumbled, trying to keep my emotions in check. 

“Don’t be. You had to try, we get it,” Kris said. 

“Maybe it’s better that she doesn’t believe us, noona,” Chen soothed. “Sometimes it’s easier for adults to do so.”

“It’s still not fair,” Sehun interjected, sulking. 

“Yeah, fair or not, what the heck were you thinking, huh?” Suho scolded. “I know you were trying to help, but you just made things worse for Jae!” 

“No, _I_ made things worse for me,” I breathed. “It’s okay,” I lied. “I’ll deal with this. You guys should go before all hell breaks loose.”

“What about the dagger, noona?” Baekhyun asked. 

“Don’t worry. I’ll think of something. I’ll keep you guys posted,” I promised. “Just go.” 

“Jae,” Luhan called out, looking regretful. “I can still…” he trailed off, but I shook my head. 

“No, it’s fine. Having to pretend that nothing happened and that she didn’t react the way she did would just make it worse for me. Don’t worry about it. I’ve been making up excuses and hiding things from my parents for this long, I’ll cover it up,” I stated, trying to smile. 

“You sure?” D.O. looked like he could see right through me and that worried him. 

“Yeah,” I nodded. “It’ll be fi-,” my breath caught in my throat. I’ve said the words _I’m fine_ and _it’ll be fine_ so many times that I didn’t really believe it anymore. 

“I got this,” I eventually said. Of course the boys didn’t believe me, and of course they were inclined to stay. I finally managed to smile when I heard Mom coming back. I quickly ushered them away. “Go. It’s okay.” They left reluctantly, and even though they weren’t in the house anymore, I could tell they were still close by, keeping watch over things. 

“Police should be here in a few minutes,” Mom declared, coming back into the living room. I wisely decided to shut my mouth. 

“You know, I’ve been wondering what’s been eating you these past days, but I never would’ve thought that you would-,” she shook her head in disappointment. 

“Are you going to tell the police that we broke into E.T. Corp?” I asked, trying to keep my voice even and distant, because damn it, I was angry too. 

“No. And it’s not to do you or your friends any favors. I’m thinking about your father, thinking about his future and ours if this were ever to be known,” she stated, putting the dagger on top of the mantelpiece of the fireplace, starting to clean up the living room. 

“What are you going to tell Dad?” I then asked, shoving my hands into my pocket, carefully walking towards the fireplace. 

“I don’t know, Jae,” Mom breathed in frustration. “Tell him that we’ve been raising a thief all this time, maybe?” she lashed out, abruptly shutting her mouth and pinching the bridge of her nose. “I just can’t believe that you did this, Jae. Lying, stealing- evil masterminds, alien guardians, wolves- magic?! Unbelievable! If you would’ve just told me the truth that you made a terrible mistake than at least that would have been respectable! I thought that your father and I taught you better than that!” she said derisively. “Honestly. I don’t know what’s going on in your head anymore, Jae.” 

Blinking the tears away, I let her have her tirade. She wasn’t the only one that was upset. 

“You don’t know what’s going on in my head, huh?” I repeated and Mom scoffed because I dared to talk back. 

“Yes, I don’t know. Because whatever is going on with you right now, this isn’t the daughter I raised!” she exclaimed. 

“Wow,” I nodded, feeling one tear escape and roll down my cheek. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Mom. Really, your trust means the world to me,” I spewed sarcastically. She threw a fallen pillow haplessly on the couch. 

“Don’t you dare smart-mouth me, young lady! You do not get to have that kind of attitude against me!” 

“And why not?! I tried to tell you the truth! I gathered the courage to tell you- do you have any idea how hard that was for me? My friends even told you that I wasn’t lying, but no- instead you say how you can understand how _that woman_ wanted to kill me, but you don’t bother trying to understand what I’m trying to tell you!” I never yelled to my mother before. I never had the reason to. Never had that need, no matter how angry I was. But things were different now. 

“Of course you wouldn’t believe me,” I continued, crying, feeling breathless when I angrily grabbed the dagger from the mantelpiece, remembering exactly what it had shown me before, and it hurt so much. “Why would you believe someone who’s not your real daughter to begin with, right?!” I yelled. 

Mom gasped audibly, her eyes wide with utter shock. “Jae!” she exclaimed, appalled as I turned around to run to my room. I didn’t care if she came after me or not. I was sick of everything! I was confused and angry! There was already so much going on, so not getting the expected understanding of my mother was simply too much to bear. I locked my door and sank to the floor, grasping the dagger. 

I wished it would have never shown me that memory. I wished I never knew I came from Exo planet. Because if that was the case, then didn’t that automatically mean that my parents weren’t my real parents? 

I hugged my knees and leaned my head forward. 

_I’m not fine…_


	85. ~ ...What Now? ~

***

“Wait. What? Run that by me again,” Ryo looked at his upset wife in disbelief. Still wet and tired, he sat beside her on the couch, still having to process what he found when he got back home. 

At first he had raced towards the river, looking around anxiously to see injured people there, but found nothing. Starting to feel desperate, he ran back to his car, wondering where he could start looking when he got a frantic call from Yoona, telling him to come home. 

A lump had formed in his throat when he saw that the door was open and upon walking in and seeing the mess in the living room, he started to panic. Yoona was quietly cleaning things up, but he could tell that she had been crying. She stayed strong for a few minutes until she picked up a frying pan from the floor and fell apart. 

Ryo couldn’t make out a lot of it, so he had to continuously calm her down, holding her tightly in his arms. Yoona sniffed back a sob and pointed at the kitchen. “I said, I had to whack her over the head with _this_!” she exclaimed, prompting Ryo to blink at the frying pan. 

“You…whacked someone?” he startled. “Wait. Who are we talking about? Oh my God, Yoona, you didn’t- Jae?” he asked in a panic receiving a glare and a painful pinch against the arm. 

“Of course not! Haven’t you been listening?!” she exclaimed angrily. “Your pretty little colleague, that’s who!” she yelled. “She broke into _our_ house and attacked _our_ daughter!” her voice was stronger and more steady when she was angry and Ryo made no attempt to calm her down, since it was easier for him to understand her now.

“Miss Kumiho?! She-,” he let go of Yoona for a moment to check in the kitchen, exclaiming in surprise when he saw the woman lying unconscious on their kitchen floor. He rubbed his head in confusion when anger overwhelmed him. 

“Have you called the police?” he asked Yoona as he moved towards her, carefully kneeling down beside her unmoving form just to make sure she was only knocked out cold. For some reason, he remained careful, having seen the strange shimmer in her painted fingernails, suddenly remembering how he saw her having a conversation with the restaurant owner. 

“I have,” Yoona muttered quietly. 

“And Jae?” Ryo stood up, the mere thought that someone would dare lay a finger on his baby girl making him furious. 

“She-,” Yoona sniffed and hugged her arms. Ryo frowned at this; she wasn’t looking at him. 

“Babe?” he called out gently. Yoona looked up, shaking her head as though waking up from a daze. 

“She’s in her room. We had a little disagreement,” she stated. 

Ryo calmed down somewhat at hearing this, knowing that it wasn’t going to do anyone any good if he let his anger get the upper hand. 

“About what?” he asked, but when Yoona lowered her head and took too long to answer him, he sighed. Running his fingers through his hair, he eventually tilted his head back, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Okay, fine. Let’s take this one step at a time,” he breathed. “We’ll wait until the police arrive and take it from there,” he decided, Yoona nodding absently at his words, though she looked up towards the stairs that lead to the bedrooms. 

“Should I go up to check on her?” Ryo suggested, startling her. Yoona turned to face him, but gave a wan smile and shook her head. 

“No, let her be a moment. There’s probably something I should tell you first,” she then said, biting her lip as she continued cleaning up the living room to keep her hands busy. She looked towards the stairs from time to time, as though she was still debating to herself about something. 

“What is it that you have tell me?” Ryo asked, watching his wife clean up, though the absent look in her eyes made him worry. 

“It’s about Jae, and her friends,” Yoona breathed, turning around to look at him, a pillow still in her hands. 

“What about them?” Ryo asked, waiting patiently. 

Yoona sniffed and took a deep breath. “They…She-,” she suddenly scoffed and turned her head again so she could look at the stairs. “They played a game, last night,” she said after a moment of silence, shaking her head and regaining herself. “They thought it would be funny to see if they could trespass into E.T. Corp-, which they couldn’t, of course. So I scolded her in front of her friends, told her that it was stupid to do so, especially after what happened last night. All of them could’ve been in great danger,” Yoona explained. There was a strange sort of calm about her when she told the story, but Ryo was too busy freaking out himself to notice it. 

“They _WHAT_?!” he yelled. “Jae would never- what is she thinking?!” he exclaimed, heading towards the stairs. “Jae-In Miyano!” he yelled, ready to scold her, were it not for Yoona to come by his side to stop him. 

“Don’t, Ryo,” she warned. “Please. We’ve been past the yelling and fighting,” she said, a light tremble in her voice. “She was really upset with me. I was very upset with her. Things were said, but it’s in the past. Let her cool off,” Yoona patted his arm, but Ryo was still angry. What would possess Jae to do something so stupid and careless? What if she had encountered the thieves by accident? The mere thought alone gave him goosebumps. 

“It’s fine, really,” Yoona whispered to him, but her smile radiated sadness. 

“She said something hurtful,” he concluded, knowing his wife well. 

Yoona looked up and pursed her lips together. “It’s fine,” she assured, but he didn’t believe her. 

“What did she say?” he pressed, holding her hands. Yoona didn’t want to give in, he could tell, so he waited until she heaved a deep sigh to spill her guts. 

“I didn’t believe her when she tried to explain what she was doing there, and she rightfully got angry and yelled that she didn’t think it a surprise I wouldn’t believe her because she wasn’t my real daughter.” Through her smile, the tears broke through again and Ryo quickly hugged her. 

“Oh sweetheart, she didn’t mean that,” he immediately sushed, feeling a pang of pain in his own heart as well. “She doesn’t know how difficult it was for us to get her, but if she did, she would never say something like that,” he tried to soothe, though Yoona pulled away, still crying. 

“I just don’t understand it anymore, Ryo,” she sniffed, her voice breaking. “I don’t understand _her_ anymore. My own daughter, and I can’t read her anymore, I don’t know what’s going on with her, what she’s keeping from me- she has secrets, Ryo, and she doesn’t trust me to- I mean, why would she when I reacted like that, I just-,” she heaved a deep sigh. 

“Okay, calm down,” he said gently. “Jae is a teenager now. She’s bound to be a mystery from time to time, that has nothing to do with you. Come on, you’ve been through puberty too.”

“But I’ve always been able to read her, Ryo. She’s my baby girl,” Yoona argued. 

“I know, I know. She’s mine, too. This will blow over, don’t worry about it. Fighting with your teenage daughter is healthy. And once she’s ready, Jae will come to you to talk about whatever is bothering her or whatever she’s been hiding, you know that.” 

“Once she’s ready,” Yoona repeated absently, hugging her own arms again. Ryo smiled at his wife and gave her a kiss on the forehead. He opened his mouth to speak when police sirens sounded outside. 

“I’ll deal with this,” he told her. “You sit down and take it easy, okay? I’ll be right with you.”

Yoona nodded and sank down on the couch, processing everything that happened so far. Jae’s harsh words still echoed in her mind and she cringed, rubbing her temple. After a quick deliberation, she got off the couch and walked towards her daughter’s room. 

***

So then. Mom didn’t tell Dad anything about me and the guys having stolen the dagger. Did that mean that she believed me? Why did she defend me the last minute? 

After the boys left and I stayed up in my room, Luhan insisted I go out to listen in on my mother and father’s conversation. Said that I wanted to hear it. I guess he wasn’t wrong about that. The boys had left to their own homes after that, and it was quiet in my head. It was better this way. Gave me room to think. 

I still felt like crap, and hearing Mom defending me didn’t make me feel relieved that much, since I also heard Dad saying how difficult it was to get me. Now that I think about it, it must mean that I’m adopted, or something, right? They never really told me anything about my birth- then again, I never asked. Right now, I wasn’t sure I wanted to know. 

When the police came, I hurried back to my room and locked the door. What was I going to do now? What was the next step? Something had to be done against Mr. Yok, but what? And how do I deal with parents? Why weren’t teenagers given a manual for that? _Eh, parents are probably thinking the same thing…_

“Okay, Jae. Breathe. Keep it together. No more crying, remember? Fix this thing with the dagger-thing and then everything will be okay again… Really…” I muttered to myself seeing flashes of my memory in my mind. Were things going to be okay? They sure as heck weren’t going to be the same again…

“Jae? Are you there?” 

I startled when there was a knock on my door and I grabbed the dagger on instinct. I hurried over to my desk and put it in the drawer- a sucky hiding place, I know, but it was the best one available for now. 

“Jae, can we talk a moment, please?” Mom called from the other side of the door, and the heavy stone in my stomach made me feel like running away. I did not want to open that door. 

“I know you’re in there,” she coaxed from the other side. “Will you please let me in?” she asked, a light quiver in her voice. 

I swallowed. “I’m not in the mood to talk,” I replied, hoping that would scare her off. Then again, this was Mom we’re talking about. She doesn’t back down easily. Guess I got my stubbornness from her- _wait…_ I shook my head. “Shouldn’t you help Dad?” 

“Jae, please,” Mom begged. “Open this door.” 

I was quiet for a moment, thinking about what I should do. I was still angry, to be honest. It really hurt to hear from her that she didn’t believe me. On the other hand… I hated fighting with my mother. Wasn’t it time for me to face facts anyway? If this dagger was right about who I was in the past, or whatever, then it meant that my parents weren’t my real parents. I was from Exo planet, apparently, and as far as I know, my parents weren’t. 

“Okay. Fine. Then I’ll stay outside and talk loudly from the other side of the door, but don’t blame me if things are heard by people who shouldn’t hear about them,” Mom exclaimed. Was she threatening me? 

“Damn it,” I huffed, unlocking the door and opening it, though I walked away towards my bed before she got into the room properly. I also made sure not to look at her when she came in and closed the door behind her. 

“Hi,” she started carefully. 

“Hello,” I replied, still pretending that I didn’t care even though I did. I truly did. I didn’t like seeing my mother like this. Made me feel guilty and I didn’t like that. I shouldn’t have to be guilty for anything. Why couldn’t I just be mad?

“The police arrived. They’re going to make sure that that Kumiho woman won’t get near you or any of us in the future,” she started, trying to sound optimistic, but the news just unsettled me. Knowing a bit about _that woman_ I doubted whether what Mom said would be true. 

Mom shuffled her feet, looking horrible out of place in my room. I grabbed my pillow and hugged it, purposely looking out the window so I wouldn’t have to look at her. 

“Jae,” she started and halted again, as if she was wondering how to continue. I didn’t bother trying to start a conversation. I let the silence come. 

“Your father is pretty shaken up,” she then said, still standing in the middle of the room. “He’s furious at Miss Kumiho, though he’s a bit confused about everything that’s been going on.” She waited. Was this my cue to speak? Why should I? I told her what happened and she didn’t believe me. I was not in the mood to go through that again. 

Mom sighed to herself. “I found it rather difficult to give him an explanation myself,” she then said, carefully stepping closer towards me. She stopped when I moved, pulling up my knees. 

“I realized how difficult it must’ve been for you to have to try and explain everything to me, when I tried to explain to your father,” Mom suddenly stated and this caught my attention. I looked at her and she calmly looked back, moving to sit at the edge of the bed. 

“I honestly don’t know why, but I didn’t tell him what you told me. I didn’t tell him that I knew that it was you and your friends who broke into E.T. Corp last night. I guess I just want this behind us, Jae. Can we put this behind us, please?” she asked, trying to make amends. I wanted to say yes. I really did. But I couldn’t. 

“Why didn’t you tell Dad anything?” I asked instead, my voice flat. 

“A mother has to protect her daughter,” she replied softly, shrugging a little. Her face stood worried though. She was preoccupied with something. 

“So you believe me?” I asked tentatively, but sighed when she shook her head. 

“I don’t know what to believe where you’re concerned anymore, Jae,” she said in exasperation, but at least she was being honest. “And that’s okay, but I don’t want it to change anything between us. I want to start over, have this idiocy with the dagger over and done with,” she admitted, but I scoffed softly. 

“Idiocy with the dagger,” I repeated sarcastically. “Right. Okay, fine,” I replied skeptically. “It’s behind us. Can you leave me alone now?” 

I was harsh and that sucked. I know. But she wasn’t the only one that was fed up with everything, and she only scratched the surface of the whole mess. 

“Jae, stop that!” she said sternly. “I’m trying to fix this, but you’re not making it easy for me, you know? Can you put yourself in my shoes and see how difficult it is to accept or believe what you’ve told me? Why would you think that I would simply understand, baby?!” she uttered in frustration and I nearly threw the pillow at her. 

“Because you’re my mother! I relied on you, you said that you would be here to catch me if I needed you but instead you let me fall! You take _that woman’s_ side, saying that you can understand why she wanted to kill me. That’s a real confidence boost, Mom,” I scolded, looking away. “Or should I even call you that,” I mumbled to the pillow, but it was loud enough for her to hear. 

Mom got to her feet, moved closer to me and grabbed my wrist so I had to look up at her. 

“You listen to me and you listen well, young lady,” she fumed. “I was wrong to have said those things to you, and you can rely on me- but I expect honesty in return, Jae. Do you even remotely realize how fantastically foolish your story sounded? You’re telling me that you wouldn’t have reacted the same way? How dare you!” she replied fiercely. “Of course I have your back, you silly child! Don’t you dare assume otherwise- I am _your_ mother, Jae-In! I gave you your name, I cradled you in my arms when you cried, fed you, clothed you, have always taken care of you- I knocked someone’s head in with my frying pan for you! You are my child and I’ll do anything to protect you. You drive me insane at times, but you make me laugh too, and when you’re sad, I am too. I am your mother,” she stated, her eyes gleaming with unshed tears. 

Mom’s grip on my wrist weakened and she let it drop. We only looked at each other in silence, unmoving, until I felt a tremble from my bottom lip and reached out to embrace her waist. She didn’t miss a beat and wrapped her arms tightly around me, hushing me down as she stroked my hair. 

“Oh, my little girl,” she mused, carefully sitting down beside me without breaking contact. “You crazy kid. Why would you ever think that I’m not your mother, huh?” she whispered as I sobbed softly into her clothing. 

“You never talk about my birth or anything,” I said, sounding muffled. I pulled away so I could look at her. “Am I adopted?” The question earned me a playful flick on the nose.   

“ _Babo_ ,” Mom said. “Of course not, baby. I carried you for nine whole months, you know? Got the stretch marks to prove it,” she rubbed her stomach. “Come on, Jae, you’re so much like your father and me, how could you be adopted?” 

I sniffed. Was Mom speaking the truth? How could it be possible? I wasn’t from this world, if I had to believe the dagger, so how could any of this make any sense? I was afraid to feel any form of relief in case I’d be disappointed again, and Mom seemed to see the hesitation in my eyes. 

“Your father and I never told you about your birth because-,” she chuckled softly. “Actually, I don’t know why we never told you. I guess we just thought that all of that didn’t matter anymore, since we already got you.” 

I blinked at her. “What do you mean?”

“You’re gonna think that I’m corny and made everything up,” she dismissed. 

I lifted my eyebrow skeptically at her. “Try me,” I provoked and she chuckled. 

“Fair enough,” she took a deep breath, caressed my cheek and started telling the story. 

“Once upon a time,” she joked. “There was a young couple, who were madly in love with each other. They married not too long after they had met and were looking forward to living their lives together. Now, they were extremely happy and couldn’t complain about anything since they were resilient and adapted to life’s struggles, and felt that they had everything they wanted. Except, there was one thing they thought lacked in their lives and could make them happier than they already were. They wanted a family. Lots of children,” Mom explained, a slight tremble in her voice when she spoke. She looked lovingly at me. 

“I’ll spare you the details on how enthusiastic they were to make that dream come true-,”

“ _Ew,_ Mom!” I protested, making her laugh. 

“So I’ll skip ahead a bit,” she continued, swallowing. “They tried very hard to have children, but found that each attempt was futile. So they went to see a doctor, who told them the most devastating news any young married couple could possibly hear,” she sighed softly. “‘I’m sorry,’ the doctor said, ‘after extensive research we’ve come to the conclusion that it is impossible for either of you to conceive children.’,” Mom swallowed, stroking my hair again. “The couple wouldn’t give up, though. So they tried everything to conceive their biological child, even exhausting their financial sources, causing the young husband to work extremely hard to cover expenses. It was a trying, difficult time, and eventually, they decided to give up.” 

I listened carefully to my mother’s story, feeling a sadness creep over me as I could literally read her expressions and how tiring it must’ve been for them. She even looked older for just a moment. 

“But then,” she continued, a smile on her face, “just when the couple thought that all was lost, a miracle occurred. One night, the young wife looked out the window, praying, looking for guidance, and wishing so very hard in hopes to have her dream come true somehow- she saw something amazing,” she whispered for dramatic emphasis. 

“As she looked out the window, she saw the full moon smiling at her on the one side, and on the other, a single star shone and trembled. The longer she looked, the bigger the star seemed to become, when _whoosh!”_ she gestured with her arms. “The star fell, casting a warm, beautiful light over the darkness of the earth as it passed over. The wife took that as a sign from the heavens and prayed and wished to get a child. That night, when she slept, she dreamt of a beautiful sky and voice in the wind whispering to her that she would one day become a wonderful mother.” 

Mom smiled brightly at me. “A few weeks later, I visited the doctor again because I was complaining of morning sickness, and sure enough, they found out that I was pregnant. A miracle, they said, but I knew it was a gift from the moon and stars. You’re my gift, Jae, my little fallen star,” she hugged me. 

I felt breathless after hearing her story, and confused, but reassured at the same time. _Fallen star?_

Mom pulled away and brushed the hair from my face, admiring me for a bit until she sighed almost wantonly. “Who would’ve known that my gift from the heavens would end up causing me grief over a stolen dagger?” she added, spoiling the mood. 

“Mom, I told you-,”

“I know, I know, I- know…” she breathed. “I’m still not sure what to do with that, Jae. Your father’s company, baby!” she said. 

“But I explained to you why it was necessary,” I stubbornly tried. 

“You’re really sticking to your story, huh?” she asked, though seemed less harsh than she was before. 

“Mom, think about it, why would I lie about something like that?” I retorted. 

“Why? I could come up with a bunch of reasons why you would do that,” she replied. 

“But are any of those reasons fitting to my character?” I argued, and this actually shut her up for a moment. _Speaking of miracles…_

“Still,” she spoke after a quiet moment of deliberation. “That dagger doesn’t belong to you, whatever your reason was of having taken it without asking,” she said calmly. “I’m sure we can fix this, Jae. Where is the dagger? I’ll tell your father that I found it while cleaning his office. He’s such a scatterbrain, I’m sure he’ll believe it. No one has to know,” she winked, and I appreciated what she was trying to do for me, but it still frustrated me that she didn’t understand. 

“No, Mom, thank you-, but that’s not the point. I’m sorry, for everything, really, but I _cannot_ give you the dagger back,” I insisted. If she wouldn’t listen or understand, then I’ll just have to find a way to make her understand. _And what if that won’t work either, Jae?_ I took a deep breath. I didn’t want to think about that.

“Jae, don’t be ridiculous, we’ve nearly solved this, baby. Just hand me the dagger and I’ll give it back to your father,” she urged. 

“Mom, I can’t do that. I’m sorry. Dad will just bring it back to Mr. Yok-,”

“And rightly so. That dagger belongs to him,” she spoke as though she was trying to get through to me, but the problem with that, was that I was trying just as hard to get through to her. _Guess I am my mother’s daughter after all…_

“But it doesn’t! He stole this dagger in the first place!” 

“Oh right, it actually belongs to your friends, the power rangers from space, right?” she mused skeptically, chuckling as she shook her head. “Just hand it over, baby. We’ll forget the whole thing.”

I firmly shook my head. “I’m sorry, Mom, I really am. But, no,” I stated resolutely, risking another fight with her, but Mom only looked at me, wide-eyed and confused. I realized then that she wouldn’t understand. Not really, at least. Maybe some things did stick with her, but it didn’t get through to her. _What are you going to do now, Jae? You can’t give the dagger back. You know what might happen…_

_Shit._

“Jae,” Mom said warningly. 

I made a decision with heavy heart. It was going to be a huge risk, but I was cornered. This was me punching the ‘eject’-button. 

“I’d feel too guilty towards Dad, Mom,” I said and it wasn’t entirely a lie. “I think I need a moment to figure stuff out before we do anything. I mean, you know, kind of do a little soul searching.” 

_Crap. Soul searching? Really, Jae?_

Mom glanced at me shrewdly, squinting her eyes a moment. Then, she nodded. “Okay, but one way or another, you are giving that dagger back, Jae. No excuses,” she warned once more and I agreed. 

“Got it,” I said, a lump in my throat. 

“Good. I’m going back downstairs. You think things over and I’ll give you till dinner, alright?” 

I checked the clock. Dinner. That would be about four hours from now. Ample time…

I nodded and Mom headed towards the door, looking pleased that things were resolved, but I just felt terrible all over again. Then again, what else was there for me to do? 

“Mom,” I called out before realizing I’d opened my mouth. 

“Yes, baby?” 

“Thank you,” I said, though I wasn’t sure why it sounded so final. “Do you still trust me?” I added quietly. 

“Of course, baby,” she said unwavering. 

I smiled a small smile. “I love you, Mom. Dad, too,” I told her. She needed to know this. It was important somehow for me to tell her that. She just had to _know_. 

“I love you too, baby,” she came back to hug me again and I put my all in that hug. When we parted, I felt a little empty inside. This was stupid. Everything was stupid! But I had made my decision. I had to stand by it. 

As soon as Mom left me alone, closing the door behind her, I moved. I grabbed my backpack, grabbed the dagger and stuffed it inside. I made sure I grabbed my wallet, too and some extra money, just in case. My desk was a mess as usual, but I managed to find a clean sheet of paper and quickly jotted something down. It was best if I didn’t think too much about this. Just do. Think later. 

I waited until the police cars and ambulance left, and things had quieted down in the house. My parents were probably still talking and my heart beat so fast. 

I opened the window, my senses sharpened. I didn’t know where I was going to go once I took that leap, but anywhere was fine than staying here. I promised myself that everything will be better again once we solve what we have to with the dagger, but until then, it’d be better if I wasn’t here. I couldn’t let them get the dagger back. 

This was dangerous, I didn’t even want to think about all the consequences, but the sooner I solved this with the boys, the better. I could explain everything then and hopefully, my parents will understand. 

When I knew no one was looking, I jumped out the window. I landed neatly on the grass below, letting my wolf instincts kick in. I ducked down as I passed the window, unable to resist one more glance at my parents. 

_I’m sorry,_ I told them in my heart. _I love you. I’ll be back when we’re done saving the world._

I turned around. 

And ran. 


	86. ~ Krisis ~

***

Something felt wrong. 

He didn’t know what it was, he couldn’t place it, but he could feel it. _Something was wrong._ He looked out the window again, not liking how soon night had fallen. He could barely see the waning moon, but felt that there was something wrong with that too. The whole lunar cycle seemed off to begin with, and he was sure it had something to do with the dagger and the black _Imoogi_.

_And me and my brothers, Jae, too, probably…But what role does she play? She saved us, that’s for sure, in our former life. Was it a former life? An old one, for sure. But we’re the same. We weren’t reincarnated. We were just- saved?_

Kris heaved a deep sigh as he played with the food on his plate, his eyes darting towards the window again. It was strange remembering his old life, having his memories back. It felt comforting on the one hand, as if everything so far fell into place, but at the same time he still had questions. Why had they awakened, but Jae hadn’t? How did they manage to get to earth from Exo planet? 

And, perhaps one of the most terrifying things he didn’t like to ponder about, what about their families? He remembered his family back in Exo, and his mother from earth looked exactly like her, it was eerie, but soothing as well. Kris remembered having a father in Exo, grandparents, too. But here, on earth, his mother was all he had. He probably couldn’t survive it, if it turns out that the sweet, hardworking woman he has known for years, wasn’t really his mother. 

It was a bitter pill to swallow, so he didn’t think about it. It didn’t matter anyway. He loved his mother. He was her son. Nothing about that would change. Kris sighed again since those thoughts made him genuinely sad. How was he supposed to mix two different lives together now? He was sure his brothers were facing the same problem. 

His memories in Exo told him that he had a complete, loving family. On earth, he knew only the love of his mother. She never spoke about his father, and Kris realized that he never bothered to ask why. As for his grandparents- his mother told him that they had died before he was born. 

This wasn’t going to be easy, but they would learn to adapt- hopefully on time. There was still the tiny matter of saving the whole world to consider after all. The dagger held the answers, so they should get together soon to figure out how to stop the black snake from taking over the world. 

Kris rubbed his eyes, feeling slightly dejected. Part of him hadn’t completely processed it, so it felt as though he had fallen into some kind of Sci-Fi drama. For the first time he could relate how Suho felt most of the time. Stress wasn’t his style, though. 

“You don’t like the food, son?” a gentle voice woke him from his thoughts and Kris blinked at his mother, who watched him in anticipation. “You’ve been playing with your food instead of putting it in your mouth. Is something wrong?” his mother asked. 

“A-ah, no, everything is fine, _mama,_ sorry,” he apologized, quickly taking a bite from his meal. 

“You don’t have to pretend for your mother, Yifan. You can order some pizza if you don’t like the cooking,” she said gently, though the hurt in her eyes was evident. It made his throat tighten with guilt. 

“What are you talking about? I love your cooking!” he stated more confidently, giving her a smirk before eating more vigorously. His mother smiled as she watched him. 

“Is it your style, son?” she asked. 

“Totally my style, you know that,” he said, chewing through his food, nearly choking as he was quick to answer her. 

“Careful, I want my food to make you strong and healthy. I don’t want you choking on it, son,” she chuckled, still watching him. “You’ve been rather distant lately, Yifan. Absent. Are you sure there’s nothing bothering you?” she asked in concern. 

Kris carefully chewed his food before swallowing it down. He suddenly thought about Jae and her mother. He bit his lip ruefully. 

“Don’t worry, _ma,_ your son is doing fine,” he assured, smiling brightly to make it convincing. His mother seemed to believe him, smiling back just as happily. 

“Good. I don’t like seeing you worried, makes me think what I can do to make it better,” she said, sounding relieved, and Kris could do nothing more but keep the smile on his face. 

“Well then. Tell me, how are things going with that new girl you mentioned? She sounds very nice. You should invite her over for dinner someday, Yifan,” she chatted brightly. 

“Maybe one day I will,” he answered, making sure to take a bite from his dinner now and again. 

“I hope someday soon. My son is so handsome, I’m sure she can’t refuse,” she cooed, winking proudly at him. 

“Ah, _ma_!” he whined. “She’s not someone who focuses on looks alone,” he replied, playing with his food again. “She’s different that way,” he mumbled, purposely not looking at his gleaming mother. 

“ _Different,_ huh? I see,” she mused. “I was wondering when you were going to find the _different_ girl,” she laughed when she saw how her son groaned out of embarrassment. She reached out to his hand, her hand so small in comparison. “I’m only teasing you, son. But you can understand that a mother only wants the best for her child. I want you to be happy, Yifan,” she suddenly said and this made him look up. 

“What makes you think I’m not, _mama_?” he asked, lifting his eyebrow in surprise at her. 

His mother smiled shyly, almost as if she was holding back the sadness she truly felt. “I know it’s been hard for you, growing up without a father-,” 

“Hey, what are you saying? You’re more than I need, _ma_ ,” he quickly reassured as she patted his hand softly. 

“I’m happy I raised a good son,” she replied softly. “But sometimes I wished you could’ve known your father. Have a strong, good man to look up to,” she mused before smiling up at him. “I had a dream, about you and me. We were flying through the sky and you carried me. I was scared to fall but you told me, ‘ _mama,_ don’t worry. Your son is always here for you,’” she chuckled tenderly. “You flew so handsomely and brought me to a beautiful home, an old Chinese house. My parents were waiting by the door for us, your _wai po_ and _wai gong_ , grandma and grandpa,” she explained with a bright twinkle in her eyes. “And in the house, your _baba_ waited for me. He cooked for us. Noodles,” she laughed. “It was a very happy dream. I’ve never dreamt about them before,” she mused before laughing and patting him on the hand again. 

“Ah, enough of this. A mother dreaming that her son can fly, silly, isn’t it? Do you want more food, son?” his mother changed the subject, but Kris felt a stone sink into his stomach. 

“How did you feel in the dream, _ma_?” he asked quietly. 

“Happy, of course,” she replied. 

“You didn’t feel strange? As if the dream, perhaps, could have been a memory?” he asked carefully, secretly feeling his hope rising. 

“A memory? Perhaps it was a memory from long ago,” she shrugged, chuckling. “But a dream is just a dream, Yifan. Besides, you were flying!” she laughed. “I think that was a sign that I have a good son who makes me very happy and takes good care of me,” she got up to take the dishes to the kitchen and gave him a kiss on the cheek for good measure. “You finish up on your dinner, son.” 

Kris nodded obediently, watching her walk away towards the kitchen. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. How weird was it that his mother dreamt something that felt like a memory to him? The way she described it, it tugged on his heartstrings, since he vaguely remembered actually doing something like that in a past life. 

All of this was racking his brain. He could hardly think straight anymore. Maybe he should call Suho, see if there’s anything they could try and figure out together. 

Kris grabbed his phone while his mother was still in the kitchen and started typing a text to the leader, when another text had suddenly came in. Frowning, he stopped his message to Suho and tapped the message he had just received. 

He automatically sat up straight when he saw who had sent him the text. 

_I’m sorry, I’m not so sure what I’m doing right now- Can you meet me at the plateau? Don’t tell anyone yet. Thank you. I’m sorry. Jae._

Kris lifted an eyebrow at the message and felt his heart jump to his throat. This didn’t sound like a particularly good message. Did something happen? Was she okay? Kris felt like typing all those questions in the chat, but then decided against it. 

_I’ll be right there,_ was all he typed. He got up from the dining table, quickly grabbing his jacket and walked to the kitchen. 

“Yifan?” his mother asked, lightly startled. 

“ _Ma_ , sorry, something came up. I have to go out for a while, but I promise to be home soon,” he told her. 

“You’re going out at this time? Yifan, the weather,” she started in concern. 

“I know, I know, don’t worry, it’ll be fine. Don’t wait up,” he assured her, giving her a warm hug. 

“Well, at least bring an umbrella, son. You never know,” she told him, already pushing the biggest on they had in into his hands. 

“ _Ma,_ ” he started to protest, but she shut him up. 

“For me, son. Then I’ll know you’ll be dry,” she answered. “Don’t stay out too late. I know that you don’t have school at the moment, but that’s no excuse to stay out into the late hours of the night, do you hear me?” 

“Yes, ma’am,” Kris said meekly, giving her another hug for good measure. “You rest, okay? See you later.” 

“Bye, son,” his mother greeted sweetly, but Kris felt inexplicably sad to hear her say that. It wasn’t until he was out of the house that he turned around to look at it, seeing his mother busy in the kitchen that he mumbled, 

“Bye, _mama._ ” 

The sky darkened as he started to run, the scent of rain thick in the air. Kris made sure to focus on the road ahead- and forbade himself to look behind. 

This made it easier for prying eyes, hidden in the darkness, to follow him… 


	87. ~ Baby, Don't Cry ~

***

_What am I doing? What am I doing? What the heck am I doing?!_

I walked through the forest on my own, the sky darkening over me. The air seemed moist somehow, which released the scent of the forest and wet earth. Usually, the scent would calm me down, but not this time. I trotted down the unkempt path, making my way to the stone plateau. 

It felt so lonely walking here in the silence, under cover of the gray skies. It made the leaves and trees look more green, but menacingly so. They loomed over me like monstrous spies and I hurried my pace. 

I sniffed and angrily wiped a tear away when I felt it roll down my cheek. 

_Don’t you dare cry, Jae! You’re not a baby for goodness’ sake! Get yourself together!_ It’s not like I made the decision to leave forever, I just needed to get things sorted and then everything should go back to normal. 

I wasn’t stupid. I got help this time. I don’t know for the life of me why the first person that came to mind to text was Kris, but at least I’d meet up with someone soon. I just needed one person to talk to for now, at least until I calmed down to be able to think clearly when I’d tell the others what happened. 

God, all of this seemed so dramatic, but what else was there for me to do? I couldn’t give the dagger back to Dad like Mom had proposed. All the events so far lead up to this stupid piece of metal. And what I had seen with Luhan, Mr. Yok was the one behind all of this. He was the founder of E.T. Corp! How do we even begin fighting that dude- if that’s what the ghost wolf wanted us to do. 

_Ugh, the ghost wolf_ …Don’t even get me started on the freaking ghost wolf! It hadn’t shown itself at all, right at the moment when we could use a little guidance here. Then again, it did say that it wasn’t going to be able to help us all the time. 

I don’t know. Everything seemed horribly wrong. Well, maybe that wasn’t so surprising, given that everything really _is_ wrong in my life at this point, but still! The dagger was supposed to provide the answers, and in a way, it had, but that couldn’t have been it, right? We were supposed to _do_ something with it, right? And what about me? 

I paused as that question rudely entered my mind. 

_What about me?_

As I looked around, I noticed that I had climbed my way up to the stone plateau and I walked towards the edge, dropped my backpack and sat down. I carefully swung my legs over the side as I waited for Kris to arrive. The plateau overlooked the large part of the forest of Ookami Shinro, with the wild oceans meeting the dark skies in the horizon far in the distance. It might rain soon, and I regretted not taking a little more time to bring some essentials with me. 

Was it so bad that I wanted everything to just happen? To have whatever that needed to be done, over with? I wanted to go home and continued living my life normally. But I knew that it wasn’t that easy. I realized that as well. 

_So then, what about me?_

I took a deep breath as I let my eyes glide over the view, the impact of how secluded the area was, hit me hard. I wasn’t alone, I knew that just thinking about the boys- _but why did it feel that way?_

Was it because I hadn’t woken up yet, like the ghost wolf wanted me to? 

I reached out to my backpack and grabbed the dagger. The green heart was still pulsating faintly, but as I inspected it, the shine of the blade and hilt seemed off. Parts of the hilt even seemed corroded. That wasn’t there before… Didn’t Luhan mention something about the dagger losing energy? Was this its way of saying that time was running out? 

“Then what am I supposed to do, huh?” I breathed. “Why won’t you just tell me?” 

The green heart shone, the silver gleamed, but there was no answer for me. I sighed deeply and lowered the weapon. I had to stay strong. At least, for now. 

I jumped a little when I heard the sound of rustling leaves behind me, and I turned around, expecting Kris to appear, but instead, my heart nearly dropped into my stomach. 

“Hm. This is not the main road, how did this happen?” someone mumbled, looking at a map as I stared with pounding heart. I quickly grabbed my backpack and put the dagger back where it was safe. I made sure to look representable, wiping my eyes and straightening myself out. 

“Mr. Tabi?” I asked, still a bit surprised to see the biology teacher at this hour in this isolated part of the forest. 

The young teacher didn’t hear me immediately, as he was still scanning the environment and twisting and turning the map in his hands as he tried to navigate himself. 

“I followed the crossing back at the river, and then I took a right- no, left…didn’t I?” he muttered to himself, his voice so low it sounded like a pleasant hum. 

I cleared my throat, feeling a little nervous. He must’ve been really lost to have ended up here. No one ever came here, save for the pack… 

“Mr. Tabi, are you okay?” I asked and finally, he was startled. Jumping lightly at hearing my voice and quickly pushing his thick-framed glasses back on his nose, he blinked at me in utter bewilderment. He was quiet for a while as he appraised me, almost as if he was wondering whether I was a ghost or whether I was real. 

“Jae? Is that you?” he asked, walking cautiously towards me. 

“Hi, Mr. Tabi,” I waved awkwardly, meeting him halfway, trying my best to pretend that there’s absolutely nothing suspicious about a girl being in the forest by herself. 

“Well, I’ll be damned! Fancy seeing you here,” he greeted, still surprised. “What are you doing here, kid? Are you alone?” he immediately asked and I chuckled nervously. 

“N-no, I’m waiting for someone, we were gonna meet here,” I answered as steadily as possible. “We- eh, wanted to go hike,” I cringed when I heard how that sounded and Mr. Tabi eyed me skeptically. 

“Hiking, huh? Odd time of day to hike, especially since authorities alerted us to stay at home,” he reprimanded slightly, his deep voice booming in the quiet air. 

“Well, that’s true, but what are you doing here then?” I retaliated, quickly turning the tables. This had him flustered. 

“Well, I- I was out to get some samples and there was a specific place on the island that I could get them, but well, I’m a biology teacher and a scientist, we’re not made to read off maps accurately,” he cleared his throat, looking embarrassed. 

I watched him carefully, unable to deny that I thought he looked pretty endearing- which might be a strange thing to think about one’s biology teacher, but come on! Mr. Tabi was still a very attractive young man, I wasn’t blind. 

“Are you lost, Mr. Tabi?” I asked him plainly and this had the tips of his ears burning. 

“I may have overlooked a turn or five,” he shrugged before relaxing and chuckling. “Guess it was fate that we should meet here, huh, Jae?” he winked, though I felt uneasy under his gaze, the way he observed how I looked, how he gazed at my backpack briefly. 

“I know it’s none of my business, but I must admit that I’m a little surprised your father would let you go out to hike at this hour, especially after everything that had happened today,” he suddenly said, making my stress levels rise. 

“T-today?” I stammered. _So smooth as usual, Jae…_

“He didn’t tell you?” he asked, surprised yet again. “There was a break in last night at the company. They haven’t apprehended the culprits yet. This island is small, so they couldn’t have gone very far. You shouldn’t be out here by yourself,” he said in concern. “Must’ve really been fate for us to meet then. Come on, I’ll try to navigate our way back into town and then I’ll take you home,” he stated resolutely, but this was exactly what I didn’t want him to do. 

“Mr. Tabi, it’s okay, really. Thank you for your concern, but I’m meeting up with a friend soon and then I won’t be alone, I promise,” I stated a bit too desperately, which had him eyeing me in suspicion once more. 

It wasn’t the first time that I regretted it somewhat that Mr. Tabi was a good teacher. Observant and smart. Good instincts. Almost scarily so. 

“Jae,” he started stepping towards me carefully. “Is everything alright?” he asked, looking me straight in the eyes. 

I was afraid to speak at this moment, so I only nodded, hoping fiercely that Kris would arrive soon. 

“You sure? Because, from where I’m standing it doesn’t look like you’re okay,” he said, his eyebrows lifted as he patiently waited for me to cave- which I didn’t. Not yet, anyway. 

“Why would you say so, sir?” I still tried, though I shuffled my feet uncomfortably. 

“Well, I wouldn’t know much about hiking, but I know there’s a time and place to do so, which isn’t late in the evening, by the way. Then there’s the small matter of you seemingly having packed lightly. You don’t seem very well prepared for a late time hike. Also, I dare say, I know you, Jae,” Mr. Tabi approached, giving me a sympathetic smile. “Or at least, know the look on your face. I recall bearing a similar expression when I ran away from home once,” he stated gently. 

I couldn’t help it. This made me chuckle, but my mood became a bit bitter. “Ah, I see. So this is the part where you try to relate to me, right?” I spoke before I realized that I had just basically told Mr. Tabi that his hunch was right and that - yes - I was in fact running away from home. _Crap. I’m not really good at this, am I?_

“Guilty as charged,” he joked. “Look, I was your age once, okay? I know that the last thing you need right now is to get lectured by your teacher in the middle of a forest. So, I won’t do that,” he stated simply, looking so annoyingly confident. “What I will do is tell you that whatever issues you’re going through are going to pass, so why bother running away from them? You’re a good kid, Jae, and your parents are good people. I’m sure there’s no need for drastic measures like this,” he chuckled, briefly pointing at my backpack. 

“Who says I’m running away?” I persisted, even though I could fully tell that he could see right through me. 

“Aren’t you?” he coaxed, looking straight at me. 

“I’m not,” I shrugged, bluffing my way through this. 

“I see. Well, in that case it won’t be a problem if I notify your parents about your whereabouts, right? I’m sure I have your father’s number somewhere- he’s my superior after all. Have to look out for the boss’ daughter,” Mr. Tabi said lightly, but I knew that this was how he was going to play me and I cringed. 

“Wait!” I sighed after seeing him take out his phone. Mr. Tabi lifted an eyebrow at me, a smirk on his face. I looked away then, kicking a few pebbles away, but refused to say anything. 

“Hmhm,” he mused knowingly. “Talk to me, kid.” 

_Damn it…_ I was so tired of always having to make up excuses and I guess my brain agreed with me since I couldn’t think of anything at the moment. Should I throw caution to the wind and tell him what _really_ happened? Chances were that he wasn’t going to believe me anyway, same like my mother, so who knows he’ll react the same way and would just tell me to stop being ridiculous and go back home. I could pretend that I was going to and just run back to the plateau, but when my parents realize I’m not at home anymore and they’d call him to ask if he’s seen me, then he’d know where I was. Then again, Kris and I could have gone by then. 

_Hm, maybe that’s why I subconsciously texted Kris…He could fly me away from all of this mess._

“Jae?” Mr. Tabi called, watching me in anticipation. “Whatever it is, you can trust me,” he soothed, and even though I appreciated the sincere concern in his eyes, I still didn’t want to tell him anything- _until_ he placed his hand on my shoulder. There was something about feeling the warm touch of someone’s hand on your tense shoulders that just made you want to confess everything on the spot. I didn’t understand why I felt that way around Mr. Tabi, though. I looked up at him and felt the wind pick up. It was probably because it was going to rain soon, but the scent of the air was sweet. 

I noticed a bunch of lupine flowers waving and bending at the will of the wind. They were vibrant in their colors and it surprised me that I never noticed them before. 

“Jae, hey, what’s wrong? Come here,” Mr. Tabi suddenly said, reaching into his pocket to produce a tissue. He gently started dabbing at my cheeks and I realized too late that I had started crying. _What is this…? Way to go, Jae! Really! Such a good way to stay strong!_

“Now, now, don’t cry, please? I can’t stand it when girls cry- you want to see me cry, too?” Mr. Tabi murmured in his soothing deep voice as he lead me towards a few boulders to sit on. “There, there, come on. What’s all this, huh? Whatever it is, Jae, this is a no-judgment-zone right here,” he gestured to himself. “Talk to me, don’t keep whatever is eating away at you inside. It’ll spill from your eyes,” he mused, still gently dabbing away the tears that escaped. 

“I’m fine,” I sniffed angrily, pulling away as I wiped the rest of my tears away with my sleeve. 

“Jae,” Mr. Tabi called again, a bit more strictly this time, and I shook my head. Why was I such a mess?!

“God, you wouldn’t believe me even if I told you!” I eventually blurted out because I was so sick of everything! Full confusion and frustration just slapped me across the face and I just didn’t care anymore. Mr. Tabi was a good guy and the fact he took the time to care was a plus too. I knew he wouldn’t understand, but I figured that none of that mattered anyway. 

_Where are you, Kris?_

“Try me,” Mr. Tabi said. “What could you have possibly done to make you want to leave your home, kid?” 

“I can’t tell you that,” I spoke out of frustration. “Please, Mr. Tabi, just leave me be,” I still tried. 

“Not until you tell me what’s going on,” he persisted and fell silent to pressure me to talk. When I didn’t he sighed. “Does this have anything to do with that drawing of that dagger?”

_Okay. That was a strange question._ When I frowned at him, he shrugged. 

“I’m not supposed to talk about this, but your dad might tell you anyway- I can lose my job over this, you know,” he muttered before sighing deeply, taking off his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose. “You know that there was a break in at E.T. Corp, I take it?” he questioned in all seriousness, and I carefully nodded my head. 

“Police say that nothing’s missing, but that’s not entirely true…” Mr. Tabi ran his hand through his hair and sighed again, like what he was about to say weighed heavily on him. “There is something missing from the company’s private collection,” he then confessed. “A dagger,” he added more soberly now, glancing at me. His gaze wasn’t intense, but I still felt like it was. 

“I recall you having drawn a dagger once, or am I mixing things up?” he asked quietly and I felt the tears well up again. I lowered my head, anything to prevent from looking at him. “Jae,” he started again, repositioning himself so he could easily face me. “Do you know who took the dagger?” 

_Scary good instincts_ …

When I still hadn’t answered him, he carefully placed his hand on my shoulder again. “If you do, it’s okay. I can understand now why you seem so scared. You don’t have to be. We’ll go to your father and explain everything. Boss is a good man, he’ll understand,” he urged me with a gentle smile, but I shook my head. 

“He won’t understand this. Neither will you,” I muttered, watching how a bunch of lupine flowers swayed in the wind. 

“Then try to explain it to me,” Mr. Tabi still persisted patiently. 

“You won’t believe me!” I nearly shouted, and looked at him in surprise when he chuckled. 

“Then what would it matter if you told me or not? At least give me a chance to try to understand your story,” he urged and I swallowed, feeling a sigh of defeat escape my lips. _I’m so tired of fighting this…_

Rubbing my eyes, I caved. “I know what happened last night,” I spoke in a whisper, while Mr. Tabi was all ears. “I was responsible,” I swallowed. “ _Just me_. No one else,” I added for emphasis, just in case. “I also know that the dagger is missing, because-,” I heaved a sigh. “Because I’m the one that took it.” I didn’t wait to for Mr. Tabi’s reaction and just spilled the beans on the matter. “There’s something strange about the dagger that I can’t place, but I know that it’s valuable, important. For this world, that is. I don’t know exactly how, but you can tell that there’s something wrong with all the storms and strange weather conditions, living plants dying, animals being so quiet and antsy- it’s like nature’s a mess. This dagger- it plays a role in it, somehow. I know it belongs to Mr. Yok, but that man can’t be trusted. I think he’s responsible for the mess, that’s why I can’t return the dagger to my father because he’ll just give it back to him,” I inhaled for breath, waiting for Mr. Tabi to scold me, to laugh at me- but he didn’t. He just sat there, looking at me, wide-eyed, face, thoughtful. 

“Wait,” he breathed. “The dagger is evil?” he inquired, frowning at me. 

I felt like I had lost my mind. “I think Mr. Yok is evil,” I corrected him, which made the teacher nod his head slowly, processing the information. 

“Oh my,” he muttered, taking off his glasses again to rub his eyes before placing them back on his nose. 

“And you’re the only one who knows about this?” he asked in disbelief, though I was surprised he was still taking this seriously at all. 

I nodded, but he called my bluff. 

“Jae,” he warned, “who else knows?” 

“Your science club,” I felt like a traitor the moment the answer escaped my lips, but Mr. Tabi only nodded. He got up to his feet and started pacing around. 

“Mr. Yok,” I heard him mutter underneath his breath as I straightened myself. “The experiments- no wonder the results with the dagger…” he trailed off, mumbling to himself in alarm before shaking his head. “Could it- damn it…” 

I frowned at him as I watched him, my heart pounding a little hard, beating a little faster. Why was he reacting this way? 

I startled when Mr. Tabi turned around sharply, approaching me steadily. “Jae, this is important; where is the dagger now?” he asked, but I was still processing all the information myself. Here stood an adult who actually listened to what I said and seemed to believe me? _What?!_

“You…you believe me, sir?” I asked for good measure. 

“Hard to believe, huh?” he managed to quip, before regaining himself. “Look, I’m not gonna lie. I highly disapprove of your actions if this is what you have really done. However, I’ll be the first to admit that things seemed a bit iffy when I first joined the project your father set up. Not that I distrusted him, mind you, but this whole dagger thing-,” Mr. Tabi gestured with his hands. “Rubbed me the wrong way,” he said it as though he was relieved, but I was still stuck on the fact that he seemed to believe me. 

“You know where the dagger is, Jae?” Mr. Tabi asked me again, waking me from my daze. 

“I- uh,” I stopped myself. This was where I drew the line, though it worried me how easily I went over it to begin with. 

“If you do, you should tell me. This isn’t something a teenager has to deal with it-, no offense,” he spoke again, gently, soothing. “Do you have it?” he then asked and I startled before I could mask my reaction. 

“Wait,” I breathed. “Wait.” This was going too fast. _Too fast_. I blinked at Mr. Tabi and shook my head. “What kind of experimentations were you doing with the dagger?” I asked because I wanted to see if he was playing me or being sincere. 

“It’ll sound crazy, but we figured out that the dagger is comprised of living organisms, except its DNA is unstable. It’s losing energy,” he explained while I licked my dry lips as it dawned on me that he was speaking the truth. “Miss Kumiho then suggested that we drill into the earth for the natural energy of leylines…” Mr. Tabi trailed off as if his brain was one step ahead of his speech and his eyes went wide as though he was hit by an epiphany. “Miss Kumiho works directly underneath Mr. Yok,” he elaborated. “If what you’re saying is true, Jae, and that dagger belonged to him, he may have planned everything, but I fail to see the why of it all,” Mr. Tabi was in his ‘scientist’ mode. The mode that was often switched on during the classes he taught when he got excited about something. 

“Jae,” Mr. Tabi grabbed me by the shoulders. “This is important. Do you have the dagger?” he repeated once more, the graveness in his voice obvious. “Do one of the boys have it?” he then asked. “I want to help you, Jae. Your secrets are safe with me, but you need to trust me. If that dagger is somehow connected to all of nature going out of whack then I think I know how to fix it- Yes! That has to be it!” he ranted on while I stood there, stupefied, mute. 

_What’s happening here?_

Mr. Tabi turned around and pointed at me. “That has to be it!” he repeated. “Don’t you see? If that dagger is responsible for bringing the very balance of nature as we know it, out of order, the natural resources of energy will become unstable. What better for a company like E.T. Corp to step in at this time to provide stable, clean energy in a world of chaos? Ah, it’s disappointing,” he ranted. “It always ends up being about money.”

To be honest, I doubted that was what Mr. Yok’s true goal was, after having seen the memories of the dagger with Luhan, but it was rather amazing how Mr. Tabi was able to reason his way through all of this madness and chaos. I needed to get my head on straight as well. 

“You think you know how to fix this, sir?” I asked tentatively and Mr. Tabi focused his full attention on me, becoming serious again. 

“I think I have an idea, yes. But I’ll need the dagger, of course, and the rest of the things I need are back at the laboratory,” he said, but I wasn’t entirely convinced. 

“I don’t get it,” I said, looking at him. “Why are you so willing to believe and help me?” 

Mr. Tabi fell silent before he stood in front of me and shrugged. “Why would you lie about something like that?” he replied casually, his body signaling relaxation and trust. 

I bit my cheek to prevent from crying and knew I was losing my mind when I slowly opened my backpack. Mr. Tabi said nothing as he watched me grab the dagger and hold it in my hand. I wanted to see what he would do next. I flinched when he reached towards the weapon, but suddenly grabbed my other hand and folded it over the dagger. 

“You and the boys are in too deep, aren’t you?” he asked with a smirk, though there was concern in his eyes. “May I take a quick look?” he then asked, motioning at the dagger. I nodded, keeping a close eye on him. Mr. Tabi didn’t even touch the dagger. He inspected it while I was still holding onto it. 

“I think I know how to fix this,” he muttered when he saw the corrosion. “It’s losing energy fast, isn’t it?”

“You think it needs to be reloaded?” I questioned.

“Possibly. I’ll need to run some tests first to be sure…” Mr. Tabi scratched his head. “My responsible adult side is telling me to take you home and the dagger back with me to the facility,” he suddenly announced. “But given the current circumstances and my own gut shouting at me, I might have to reconsider,” he said with a small smile. 

“You’re…you’re really going to help me?” I asked, still in disbelief myself. 

“Well, technically, we’ll be helping each other. I think you just provided us the answer to the mystery of this dagger, and okay, I have to admit that Mr. Yok having an evil master-plan is a bit of a stretch, but still. I see no reason why you, or my boys would lie about this,” Mr. Tabi answered. “I like to think I know you all, and I know that stealing a dagger like this from a secure facility is not typical of you.” 

I squinted my eyes at him. “You’re going to rat me out, aren’t you?” 

Mr. Tabi laughed at this and shook his head. “Surprisingly I am not. I don’t see how doing so will benefit anyone,” he said honestly. “You have to promise me one thing, though, Jae. Keep that dagger safe and close to you at all times. Once I’ve done some recalculating I’ll give you a heads up. See if you can meet me at E.T. Corp, discretely, of course,” he winked. 

“You’re serious,” I stated, rather than asked this time. 

“Of course. Weren’t you?” he replied, gesturing at the dagger in my hand. “Who are you meeting?” he asked me then. “I still don’t feel comfortable leaving you alone here, and you should at least tell your parents that you’re alright.” 

“I left a note,” I mumbled. “And I’m meeting with Kris.” 

“I see. Well, that’s good, good…” Mr. Tabi nodded. “I’d like to get started on this, and if it’s Kris you’re waiting for, you should be good,” he pressed his lips together. “I don’t suppose you know which way I’m supposed to take to get back into town, do you?” he chuckled a little embarrassedly. 

I nodded and pointed which way he was supposed to go.

“Marvelous! Alright, I’ll trust in you to inform the boys, and I’ll let you know when I know more,” he said. “You sure Kris is coming?” 

“Yes, he should be here any minute,” I nodded, though I couldn’t help but still feel a bit uneasy. This seemed so easy, and yet, seeing that it was Mr. Tabi, there was no real reason for me to doubt him. 

“Mr. Tabi,” I called out as he prepared himself to leave. The sweet scent of lupines wafted towards me when the wind picked up again. 

“Thank you- I guess,” I shrugged, smiling a little when I looked at the teacher. 

“Don’t thank me just yet, Jae,” he replied. “I don’t know if I can actually help you, but I’ve high hopes. You just make sure not to lose that dagger, you hear me?” 

“I won’t. I’ll keep it on my person at all times,” I promised solemnly. 

Mr. Tabi nodded. “Good. Try and stay out of trouble for the time being. If your parents happen to ask me, I won’t lie about having seen you,” he warned me in all honesty. 

“I understand.” _Do you really, Jae? Don’t you think that Mr. Tabi is a bit too chilled out about this?_ Then again, he was a laid back person in general, and he did know more about the dagger than I did… 

“I’ll let you hear from me when I’ve more knowledge on the matter,” he said. “Don’t leave the island until then, huh?” Mr. Tabi joked. 

I allowed myself to relax just a bit and chuckled. “We’ll be around,” I confirmed. He patted me on the shoulder again before he turned around to walk away. 

“Oh, and Jae?” he asked. “One final thing,” he continued. “Don’t cry anymore, okay? You kids aren’t alone,” he assured in his soothing voice. 

Mr. Tabi smiled one more time before he disappeared into the woods. I felt empty when he left. Which was strange. Heck, everything about what just happened was strange. My mind was spinning, reeling, but I felt so calm at the same time. I took a deep, cleansing breath to process what just happened, and ended up shaking my head as if that would help get me out my daze. 

By the time Kris finally arrived, I felt clear of mind again. Like I could put things into perspective. 

“Have no fear! Galaxy is here!” Kris had bouldered the moment he arrived. 

“What took you so long to get here?” I scolded him in response, seeing him take a step back as I approached him. 

“Hey, I got here as quickly as I could, okay? Wasn’t sure what happened a long the way, but I kept tripping over roots and vines and stuff…slowed me down,” he pouted. 

“Then why didn’t you just fly, you dork?” I asked, making sure my tone was gentle, since, honestly, I was just happy he was here. 

“Oh yeah, and risk getting seen?” he retaliated and, of course, he had a point. Kris suddenly started sniffing the air and wiggled his nose before sneezing. “Was there someone here?” he asked. 

I rubbed the back of my neck and heaved a sigh. “Yeah…There’s something I should tell you…” I told the story from the beginning until the end as Kris listened to my every word. 

The winds picked up again, but I didn’t see that the lupines shriveled when it touched them this time and became dust in the air. 


	88. ~ Drop That ~

***

Shining black nails rapped on iron, the metal clank echoing in the confined, concrete room. A pair of green eyes kept watch over a tiny square window opposite of the room, but of course, she couldn’t reach it. 

Her nostrils flared as she thought back to the events that led up to this audacious imprisonment and the corners of her pretty plump lips lifted into a snarl. 

_That little bitch,_ she fumed, _wait till I get my hands on her! She’ll be begging for her life!_ Her eyes gleamed ever so briefly and her black nails left little dents in the iron as she tapped on it louder. 

_I’m going to make her mother watch as I strangle the life out of her, and when I’m done, she’ll be next! That’ll show her for meddling, how dare she lift a finger against me?!_

Unable to control her anger, she gripped the metal bars of her prison, the iron creaking in her grip. She had been so close to obtaining the dagger! She promised Mr. Yok that she wouldn’t fail - if he hears about this…

The woman felt a low guttural rumble vibrating in the back of her throat. It’s been a while since she felt this way, but she didn’t want to lose complete composure just yet. She wanted to save it when she came face to face with those brats. The thought of them spurred a loud growl that came from deep within her chest and the iron bent in her hands. 

Apparently the sound was disturbing enough as a door flung open and a police officer burst into the room. 

“Alright! What is all this fuss about? You think that making a ruckus is going to help anything? Well, let me tell you something, lady; it doesn’t! So you better keep it down or I’ll make you shut up, is that clear?” the burly officer warned. The stench of the filthy mortal made her nose itch. 

“Oh, really? And how were you thinking on shutting me up? Does it involve you handcuffing me to these bars and gagging my mouth?” she purred provocatively, startling the officer and making his face red. 

“Watch it, lady! You are on thin ice already, trespassing private property, vandalism, assault- you don’t want to add bribery on the list!” he scolded, but Miss Kumiho smirked at him. 

“Bribery? Is that what you deduced from my innocent question? My, my, I believe someone’s mind is in the gutter,” she mocked in her honey sweet voice and this only made the police break out into a sweat. 

“J-just keep it down, you hear? Or I’ll put you in solitary confinement!” he stammered, walking towards the door. 

“Wait!” she called out. “I’m sorry,” she apologized, pouting her lips and batting her eyes at him. “I know I’m a bad girl that got herself into trouble- but honestly, I didn’t mean it,” she started, as a green mist twirled from her fingertips. The officer lifted a skeptical eyebrow her way, though he gave her his full attention. _Perfect_. 

“I don’t know what got into me, I think it’s the headache. Of course I understand why she did it, but Mr.s Miyano hit me awfully hard. Aren’t I entitled to some medical assistance?” she feigned sweetness as the officer appraised her. 

“You were already given medical assistance, Mrs. Kumiho, and you look fine to me,” the burly officer replied coolly, turning away from her. 

She wouldn’t give up that easily though. “It’s _Miss_ Kumiho,” she corrected gently, her voice enticing the man once more to stay and look at her. “Then, aren’t I entitled to tell you my side of the story?” she asked ever so tenderly. 

“You’ve the right to remain silent, so I suggest you do so,” the man replied instead, and this made her scowl. 

_You obtuse walking flab of fat!_ she grumbled, but maintained her composure, her face a perfect mask once more. “Then, what about a phone call? I have the right to place one phone call,” she reminded him and to this, the officer clacked his tongue. 

“Fine, I’ll get it for you,” he answered, already walking out the door before she could work her magic on him to let her out of the prison cell instead. 

“Very well, I’ve played nice,” she said, grabbing hold of the bars once more. It was pathetic how these people thought that something as common as iron bars could keep her contained. She had a job to do. She had a task to fulfill. And she would rather break her cover completely than have her master find out that she failed him again. There was nothing more terrifying than the wrath of Mr. Yok. She didn’t have to remind herself how he was very capable to destroy worlds. She wanted to be by his side, not opposite of him. 

Miss Kumiho emitted her poison on the bars, the substance corroding the metal, working like acid underneath her hands. Then, with her strength fueled by her anger, she kicked against the metal and the prison bars broke, shattering on the floor. 

The noise wouldn’t go unnoticed and Miss Kumiho anticipated that. The burly officer from before had come rushing in, the wireless phone still in hand as his face was overcome by shock. 

“What in the-?!” 

“Be quiet, worm!” Miss Kumiho commanded, her green wisps of mist enveloping the officer. He struggled to catch his breath until he fell on the floor, unmoving. She grabbed the fallen phone and started dialing a number. By this time, more officers on duty had bravely come in to aid their colleague, but she didn’t even granted them so much as a glance. One wave of her hand and the green mist crawled into their skin, traveling through their veins. 

Miss Kumiho listened to the dial tone, scoffing and rolling her eyes at the small group of officers struggling for breath. 

“Excuse me, is it possible if you choke quietly? I’m on the phone,” she mocked, inspecting her nails. “Honestly, humans are so rude.” 

She put up a smile when her phone call was answered. 

“Hello, sir. It’s me,” she greeted, her voice perfectly calm and poised. “I apologize for not contacting you sooner. I’ve been- preoccupied,” she explained. “I’m very close in retrieving the dagger, sir. It shouldn’t be long now, I promise.”

Miss Kumiho stepped over the officers on the ground, pacing to and fro as she heard the voice of her master on the other end of the line. 

“Don’t worry, sir, I haven’t forgotten,” she assured him. “I’ve eyes and ears everywhere. I’ll be on time. This I swear on my heart,” she said solemnly as she grabbed a corroded bar from the ground and flung it hard against the square window she’d been eyeing all this time. The glass broke and rained down on the concrete floor. 

Miss Kumiho laughed. “Fair enough, sir, but you don’t have a heart either,” she grinned stepping on the glass as she felt the cool breeze of the wind sweep inside. 

“Yes, I know it’s almost time. Don’t worry,” she cooed, picking up the sweet scent of flowers. “I’ll get them where they need to be. The dagger will be yours soon.” 

Her green eyes shimmered as she gazed outside, tiny fangs protruding from between blood red lips. 

***

Meanwhile, as night had slowly started to settle over the island of Ookami Shinro, a tall, blonde young man stared in mild panic and disbelief at the young woman pacing in front of him as she gestured with her hands and spoke continuously to explain her story. 

Kris had his hand covered over his face as he listened to Jae, his eyes following her every move. Having lived with his mother, he knew that girls talked a lot and they talked fast, so he did his best to keep up with the waterfall of words that flowed from Jae’s mouth, but the stuff he managed to process were rather disconcerting.

_Hold on. She ran away from home?! The dagger isn’t speaking to her- what? Huh? What Mr. Tabi? When did he enter the story?! … She looks cute when she pouts like that, I wonder if she knows how much aegyo she has…- whoa! Focus, Kris!_

_Jae is usually quiet but she talks a lot when she’s stressed…Kinda like Suho. Maybe she should’ve called him instead for this?_ Kris peered at her mouth and hands as she continued talking, and he paid attention as best as he could- which, as it so unfortunately was the case - wasn’t very good to begin with. 

_I’m glad that she asked me, though. It’s better to be alone with her sometimes,_ he thought, biting his lip and flaring up his eyebrow in response when the tone she spoke in indicated that she was shocked about something, so he nodded along. 

_Aish, Kris, Kris, Kris, pay attention! Why is this so hard for you? She keeps talking and talking, I know she’s saying stuff, but why can’t I hear what she’s saying? Ugh, this is too hard… Should I say something? Tell her to slow down? What if she gets mad because then she’d know that I haven’t been listening all this time? God, look at all the pebbles and branches lying about…where do these keep coming from anyway? Oh no, if she grabs the fallen branch over by that boulder, I’m gonna get a headache for at least a week…_

Kris shook his head, clearing his throat softly without interrupting Jae. 

“-Shouldn’t have done it? I don’t know, but it’s crazy, right?” Jae suddenly asked, standing still in front of him, waiting for him to answer. 

_Crap! Abort! Abort! Think on your feet, Kris!_

“Eh…y-yeah?” Kris answered carefully, already wincing in case he had it wrong. Fortunately for him, Jae approved of the answer as she nodded her head and continued talking. 

Kris subtly heaved a sigh of relief and tried his best to focus this time. 

_This stuff is serious, Kris, you have to keep your head! Don’t look at her lips when she’s moving! Listen to what they’re saying instead!_ Kris put his game-face on and concentrated, nodding his head now and then. _Serious business, dagger-business, emotions, of course, gotta have emotions…Wait. Why is she staring at me? Oh crap! Did I miss something?_

“Ah- uh, y-yes?” Kris answered again, but this time Jae only squinted her eyes at him. When she folded her arms across her chest, Kris knew that he was in trouble. 

“I mean, I mean- no! N-no?”  he asked, gulping. Jae’s stare was relentless and nearly caused him to break out into a sweat. 

“Wait, it’s definitely yes! …No?” Kris tried to smile but Jae lifted an eyebrow and heaved a deep sigh. 

“Oh my God, you weren’t listening, were you? _Kris!_ ” she scolded, and Kris immediately ducked away. 

“Wait, wait, wait! I’m sorry, but that was a lot of information, okay?!” he quickly defended himself, turning away with a blush. 

Kris jumped lightly when he felt small fists hit his chest. “H-Hey!” he protested at seeing Jae pout at him while attempting to hit him. He knew she was holding back since none of the hits actually hurt him. At first he thought she was just trying to teach him a lesson, but once he took a closer look, his heart jumped to his throat. 

Kris blinked in bewilderment and felt at a loss for a moment when he saw the emotions on Jae’s face. Her frustration was real. Her confusion and sadness were real. Her worry and nervousness were very real. And he had treated it lightly, like a joke. 

Realizing this, Kris let her hit him, though he slowly wrapped his arms around her, forcing nothing until she calmed down herself and clutched his shirt before leaning against him. His senses were overwhelmed by the sweet scent of jasmine, but Kris wouldn’t be distracted by that. Not with Jae clinging to him in such a way that he could sense her desperation. 

Kris calmed down himself, clearing his mind and reprocessing what Jae told him. He stroked her hair to soothe her, even though she wasn’t crying, but he could feel it worked miracles on her. Jae relaxed and pulled away gently to look up at him. His heart broke a little to face her this way. He nearly felt guilty that she had the misfortune to move to this island and meet all of them. It was just part of the things that he still didn’t understand. Why was Jae put through all of this? Of all thirteen of them, it appeared as though she was the one that was made to suffer the most, only to help them. In what world was this possibly fair? Wasn’t it enough that she gave up her life the last time she helped him?

Kris frowned at the thought and without thinking, gently brushed the hair from her face, stroking her cheek in the process. Jae blinked at him when he leaned forward, closing the distance between them. In that moment, all he saw was a young woman he had grown to care about deeply, a young woman that didn’t run away from them and stayed to fight, even though she had to sacrifice so much in return. He saw someone special, a kindhearted and beautiful soul that deserved so much more than the mess they put her in. 

Kris saw her lips and moved further forward to claim them. He hoped that maybe he could take away her grief and pain away in this way- _except…_

“What are you doing?” Jae whispered, her voice small. 

Kris woke from his thoughts then, his cheeks feeling hot as he became aware what he was trying to do. Jae’s face was dusted by a blush as well and she swallowed hard. 

“A-ah, I-I-, eh,” Kris stammered, having forgotten how to act cool. He took a deep breath and gave her smile. “Sorry. Got distracted by your beauty,” he mused, grinning when Jae snorted and laughed at him. 

“Wow, I don’t think a cornfield is as corny as you,” Jae remarked, though she still giggled. 

Kris gave a lopsided grin. “There! That’s better. You should do that more often,” he pointed out. 

“Do what?” she asked, looking at him. 

“Smile. Laugh. It’s good when you do those things, makes me happy too,” he explained, feeling relieved that she seemed a bit more relaxed. 

“And I was paying attention, by the way,” he continued, poking her nose. “What were you thinking, running away from home? Your parents are going to explode! Besides, have you seen the size of this island? Where did you think you could run from them?” he regained himself, pretending to scold her, whilst Jae was still comfortably standing in his arms. 

“Also, Mr. Tabi? I have to admit that one kind of went past me,” he confessed, continuing the conversation in the hope that she’d forget about his embarrassing slip-up. 

Jae shook her head and flicked him on the nose in retaliation. “Pay attention this time,” she warned as he crossed his heart. 

“Mr. Tabi was here because he lost the way and after some to and fro, he got me to confess everything to him. I know that sounds crazy and it was probably crazily stupid of me to do, but I told him about the dagger and what was going on- _sans_ magic and supernatural stuff, of course,” she breathed. “You know, I still don’t really know what possessed me to spill the beans to him like that? Anyway,” she shook her head again. “The weirdest part was that he believed me. Believed _us_. That guy has such faith in his science club and me too that he couldn’t see why I would lie to him, so he just assumed I was speaking the truth- _that_ and the fact that he has been studying this thing, of course,” she gestured at the dagger she kept by her side. 

“Whoa, so wait- Mr. Tabi _knows?_ ” Kris repeated, his jaw nearly dropping. Jae nodded. 

“I know that seems careless from my side, but he believed it. He offered to help. I think he knows what’s going on with the dagger, and I think we should accept his help. Lord knows _we_ don’t know what to do with it,” she defended, and even though Kris’ first instinct was relief that his biology teacher, whom he and his brothers knew for years, was on their side- he couldn’t deny that there was a part of him that thought this a bit _too_ convenient. 

“What does your gut tell you?” Jae asked, and Kris liked how her voice sounded so gentle and soft since she was standing close by him. He still had his arms around her waist in a protective stance and neither of them had attempted to move away. 

“Honestly?” he asked, waiting for her to nod her head. “I think you shouldn’t have run away from home,” he started. “I mean I’m happy to hear that Miss Kumiho is in prison, but that won’t keep her there for too long. On the other hand, you’ve us, so I guess and _hope_ that’s something,” he told her honestly. 

“What’s done is done. It’s not like I’m running away forever, Kris, just until all of this blows over,” Jae told him, though he heard the hesitation and sadness in her voice as she spoke about her home. He wanted to hold her close again when he thought back at how absolutely gutted she was when her mother didn’t believe her. He pushed the thought of his own mother away immediately. He had to get it together. He had to be strong, for Jae. 

“What about Mr. Tabi, you think he’s telling the truth?” she asked and it concerned him that she had to ask him that, since she was the one that spilled the beans to him. 

“I’ve known Mr. Tabi for a long time,” Kris started, thinking about the patient, kind biology teacher, the one that always made an effort to know and care about his students. “I don’t see why he would lie,” he said honestly. “And he has been working on the project for a long time, hasn’t he? At least, he was there working on the dagger with your father. He might really know more on what’s going on and how to use it to stop Mr. Yok,” he added. 

Jae nodded slowly at his words and he wondered if it brought her some comfort. It nagged at him a little bit that it didn’t feel all too comforting for him. _Too many questions. This is what you get when things aren’t certain._

“But,” he started then, a lump in his throat when Jae looked up at him in anticipation. “It wouldn’t be a bad thing to inform the others about the situation right now. We need them to think along with us,” he then answered determinedly. “Despite the fact that it’s totally my style for the two of us being comfy together like this,” he added with a smooth voice that made her laugh and finally, with flushes on her cheeks, Jae slapped him weakly against the chest again and gently pulled away. 

Kris didn’t want to show her his disappointment at feeling the cold she left when she stepped away. _Unbelievable,_ he thought as he admired her for a fleeting moment, _when did you make the dragon lose its wings so all it could do was fall for you?_

“Jae?” Kris called, seeing the girl’s thoughtful look as she retreated into herself once more. “You did alright. You’re strong. We’ll fix this, I promise,” he stammered a little since he wasn’t sure how he could convey all of his thoughts and feelings towards her. It made him sound so cold while really, that was the last impression he wanted her to have of him. 

“What I mean is,” he continued, hoping the words would flow to him- but they didn’t. He muttered and searched for his words, feeling frustrated that he couldn’t find the right way to tell her. He was about to grunt out of frustration when he felt a warm hand touch his arm. 

Jae stroked the fabric of his jacket with her thumb and he wished he could feel the touch. She then proceeded to look up at him with a simple, gentle smile. 

“You probably tire of hearing me say this, but, thank you,” she told him with the sincerity of a child. 

Kris looked at her for a moment before tenderly ruffling her hair. 

“Let’s get the others up to date,” he told her. “Suho’s gonna flip- we wouldn’t want to miss that, do we?” 

Jae chuckled. “Guess not,” she replied. “Should I call them?”

Kris had a playful glint in his eyes when he grabbed her hands this time, to pull her towards her. “Nah,” he replied. “I’ve a faster way of getting to them,” he smirked as he lifted a squealing Jae into his arms. 

“No, no, no, _no!_ KRIS!” she shouted as she held on for dear life when he ran off the plateau with a laughter. They soared through the sky where human eyes couldn’t see them- but unfortunately, that did not mean that no one was watching…


	89. ~ Warm Ice ~

***

He lived in the mountains, this child of winter, who found solace in solitude before he knew of brotherhood. 

This child’s blood was noble, his spirit even more so. Eyes gleaming with dawn’s light, who wasn’t afraid to fight the good fight. 

His roots were more humble, this rebel with a cause, whose soul soared through the endless skies- until with brothers he unifies. 

The youngest in the family, he was often overlooked, this boy who knew only to follow without heed, but had always been born to lead. 

The most gentle of hearts, this child without a home, made to suffer for a while, but looks upon others with a healing smile. 

What is there to say about this child of light? Who endured through the darkness of the night, and still manages to shine so very bright. 

He carried a deep secret of fearing the thunder and frightening lightning because he had seen its destruction. But once he knew that he bore more power, it was the destructive storm he made cower. 

A bright grinning face on this innkeeper’s son, whose warmth spread like fire. To become the guardian of his home was his greatest desire. 

Never one to speak his mind, this child who wallowed in wrath, he never saw value in his life until he was chosen to overcome all strife. 

This child was pampered beyond compare, his mother’s treasure, his father’s pride, was taught to bend- not to break -, no matter how much his heart would ache. 

Now this young child was defiant to no end and had never wished for his position. Though his shell was hard, the inside was soft like no other, especially when he finally learned the true meaning of the word ‘brother’. 

The last of them, a carefree soul, was often thought to be out of control. His crude and cold behavior became a memory of the past, when he decided to believe in a good future that would forever last. 

And in the center of all of this, was one consistency without fail… The Tree of Life that chose twelve to become one, in hopes that good would always prevail. 

_The Tree of Life…_

 

Xiumin stared up at the cloudy sky when he opened his eyes. Suho had called everyone to gather at his place for another one of his ‘emergency meetings’, but he wasn’t in the mood to wait around with his noisy brothers. Instead, he wanted to think quietly to himself, ponder about everything that had happened and what it meant for him and his family, how he had to process all of this. He found a secluded part away from the main house on the Kims’ property where he could lie down and let his memories stream in. 

For whatever reason, he remembered the voice of someone narrating the origins of the twelve guardians of Exo, but he couldn’t recall _whom_ that person had been. Was it a teacher? Was it a relative he once knew and loved? 

He shook his head and licked his chapped lips. Of course he was thankful for the return of most of his memories, but there was a part of him that still felt that something was missing. There was still an important puzzle piece he had to look for, a puzzle piece they all had to look for. Not that it was such a mystery what that missing piece was, but it was tricky to see how it would fit.

_Jae_.

He sucked in a deep breath at the mere mention of the name, a strange warmth pressing against his chest and radiating throughout his body. Xiumin was still unsure how to handle the sensation of warmth, though he found it pleasant. _Speaking of which…_

The young man looked around and smiled upon seeing the silhouette of his wonderfully silent companion lying beside him. She, too, lifted her head when she caught him looking at her and casually crawled in closer towards him, putting her head on his chest. Xiumin smiled and scratched the Rottweiler behind the ear. 

“Cold doesn’t bother you either, hm?” he mused at the dog, who only licked her nose, watching him. “You know what I realized?” he then asked, giving his full attention to the animal. “I haven’t given you a name yet, have I?” 

The Rottweiler’s ears twitched upward as if she understood completely what he was saying and she continued watching him in anticipation. Even though she was only a dog, Xiumin could feel the sudden pressure of being put on the spot like that. 

“N-now, hold on, it doesn’t mean that I actually already picked out a name for you, you know,” he stammered, feeling a little embarrassed that he actually felt the need to explain himself towards a dog. He felt even worse when he noticed that she seemed disappointed. 

“A-ah, no worries! I promise I’ll do my best to pick out a really good name for you, okay?” he tried to bargain, but the dog only yawned and seemed to wait for him to pet her again. Xiumin sighed, feeling embarrassed for no apparent reason before chuckling to himself. “I suddenly remember why I prefer not to open my mouth to speak,” he scratched his head. “I can’t embarrass myself if I’m quiet,” he chuckled again, gently petting the dog as she gave out a soft whimper before licking his hand. 

“Yah, I don’t need sympathy from a dog,” he teased, poking her nose before caressing her again. 

A quick shadow suddenly passed by overhead and it drew Xiumin’s attention. His senses on alert, he sat up, scanning the skies. Had something blocked the light of the moon? No, that wasn’t possible. He could sense the moon glowing behind the shroud of gray clouds, so the shadow he saw couldn’t have been that. He felt his eyes gleaming and the cold breath of ice tickling his fingers when he heard a faint crash coming from the trees behind him. 

The Rottweiler had sensed his heightened state of alertness and had been growling softly beside him as well. She was one step ahead of Xiumin as she got to her feet and looked at the same direction the noises came from. Xiumin put a reassuring hand on the dog’s back as he quietly got up himself, straining his ears to listen, sniffing the air. Who else would know that the pack had gathered here? He heard voices, but they were still too far off for him to hear them properly. Considering that they were all in hot water now, they had to be extra careful. Xiumin didn’t like being in hot water. Give him ice. Give him cold. That was something he could work with, something he _would_ work with if the enemy was lurking somewhere from behind those trees. He could call out a snowstorm if he wanted to. The weather was chilly and unruly enough tonight that he could probably get away with it. 

Xiumin cracked his neck at the thought that whoever else was out there with him, could quite possibly be Miss Kumiho and that made his spine tingle in all the wrong ways. He hadn’t known a woman so vicious before, and he didn’t like it that he didn’t seem to have a lot of memories about her either. All he suspected was that she was working for the enemy, the black snake, known on Earth as Mr. Yok. How they got here and why they were here- was a different story altogether, one that Xiumin didn’t have a clue about. 

“You stay here,” he told the dog, who growled at him in protest, and Xiumin knew that the dog was stubborn when she simply followed him despite his command. 

Xiumin didn’t feel more at ease as he approached the sounds, though he did stop a moment when he thought he heard familiar voices. Deciding to investigate, he kept low and followed his ears. It didn’t take long until the voices become clearer, became easier for him to distinguish. The moment he smelled the scents in the air, he breathed out of relief. _No enemies here_ , he thought, though he couldn’t quite relax as much as he wanted to when it dawned to him whom he was staring at. 

He automatically reached towards the Rottweiler’s collar, since she had recognized the noisy people as well, and ensured that she wouldn’t run towards them, since they would catch him spying on them. Xiumin would be lying if he said that he wasn’t intrigued, and, just _maybe_ , a little too curious than was good for him. 

_How did they end up alone together?_ he thought a little resentfully towards himself. Xiumin kept low and squatted down, peering through trees and shrubbery whilst keeping his dog close to him. 

“…Oh, come on, Jae! That was fun! It’s not like you haven’t done this before,” Kris beamed, trying to keep from laughing at the girl in front of him. She had a wild look in her eyes and her hair was a tangled mess. 

“Fun?! _Fun?!_ I barely survived it the first time, how do you expect me to love it the second time?!” Jae protested, punching Kris’ arm with very little effect. Despite not knowing exactly what they were talking about, Xiumin couldn’t help but smirk at seeing the interaction. There was something very easy about the way Kris and Jae communicated and it occurred to him all of a sudden, that he had never seen Kris so relaxed before. That was Jae’s effect. Even though no one knew what it was about this particular girl that had this kind of effect on all of them, Xiumin believed that no one was complaining either. 

_What was she doing with Kris, though?_

Xiumin continued watching them, wondering why he felt a strong urge to throw a snowball at Kris’ head. Almost as though she knew what her master was thinking, the Rottweiler watched him, nearly side-eyed him, while tilting her head in question. Feeling embarrassed once more, Xiumin chuckled softly. 

“What? I wasn’t going to do it,” he murmured quietly, shaking his head again once he reminded himself that he was talking to a dog, and that she most likely had no idea what he was thinking. Xiumin scratched her ear as he watched Kris getting scolded by Jae in amusement and he knew that he should probably go back to his comfortable spot in the garden to wait for them to appear, but he couldn’t will himself to move. 

He tilted his head as he quietly gazed at their interaction, being able to see how close and comfortable they were talking to each other. Warmth. They emanated warmth between each other, friendly affection , without the pretense of cold formalities or awkwardness. They were both relaxed in each other’s presence and Xiumin couldn’t help but feel just a slight pang of envy. He was the child of winter, the cold guardian of frost that managed to bring warmth to others and to bring them closer together, but he never quite experienced that kind of warmth for himself. There were his brothers, of course, but they knew him, so that didn’t really count. 

Maybe his cold still pushed people away from him- but was that really the case where Jae was concerned? Xiumin thought back to the few times he had spoken to her and not once had she ever complained about the cold. Others would have made a remark about how chilly the wind suddenly felt, or they would retract their hands if he accidentally brushed up against them. He recalled a girl once telling him that his hands were colder than ice, that she could feel the frost sink deep into her bones. All he did was tap her on the shoulder. He had always been careful about touching people, but after hearing that, he became extra prudent, always apologizing in advance for the cold, which he did with Jae as well, but the girl would glance at him funny and smile. 

_What cold?_

She wasn’t making fun of him when she asked him that. Did it mean that she didn’t feel it? What did she feel when he touched her hand? 

Xiumin awoke from his thoughts when Kris and Jae had started moving towards Suho’s house, so he quickly got to his feet to beat them to it, so that he could greet them as casually as possible of course. If either of them knew that he had been creepily spying on them, he wouldn’t hear the end of it. He darted quickly across the yard to get to the stone stairs that led up to the heavy doors, sitting there as though he had been there for hours. The Rottweiler was a tad slower, casually bouncing her way towards Xiumin, tilting her head as though she was wondering what exactly the young man was doing. She sat beside his feet, watching him. 

“Don’t judge me,” Xiumin whispered to her, blowing a snowflake her way that landed on her nose, causing her to sneeze and nudge her snout against his leg in protest. He sat up straight when Kris and Jae came into sight, taking a few deep breaths before addressing them. 

“So, looked like you guys had a rough landing,” he commented with a smirk, startling them as they approached the house. 

“Wah! Xiumin, you scared me! Where did you come from?” Kris jumped, a hand on his chest. 

“Been here all this time,” the eldest of the pack replied, winking at Jae. 

“You saw us, Xiumin?” she asked, straightening her hair, light blushes appearing on her cheeks. 

“You’re lucky that it was just me and her,” he answered, pointing at the Rottweiler who happily walked towards Jae to greet her. “I hope for your sake that no one else saw you, Kris,” he scolded lightly, watching the taller teen nervously rub the back of his neck. 

“I flew through the clouds, and I’m fast, so I don’t think anyone saw me,” Kris replied, though he didn’t look all too sure. Xiumin merely stared at him, secretly enjoying seeing him grow nervous under his gaze until Kris cleared his throat. 

“So, is everyone here?” he asked, changing the subject. 

Xiumin nodded. “Yeah, everyone’s here. Isn’t that the reason you came as well?” he asked, seeing Kris and Jae exchange glances. He frowned. “You didn’t know about Suho calling us up for an emergency meeting?” Xiumin knew the answer when the both of them stared at him blankly and he shook his head. 

“Suho wanted to see us to discuss what our next step is going to be,” he explained briefly quickly looking over at Jae, who looked a little rough and he had a feeling that it wasn’t because Kris took her with him for a midnight flight. “Why are you two here? In fact, why are you two together to begin with?” he made sure to sound playful, but his curiosity was sincere. If neither of them knew about Suho asking everyone to meet here, then there was another reason why they were together, and based on the interaction he saw between them earlier, he inexplicably felt a knot forming in his stomach. 

“Oh, uh, n-nothing,” Jae replied, looking flustered, looking at Kris. 

“Y-yeah, nothing, I mean- you know, we just met while walking and, uh…” Kris stammered, helplessly looking at Jae again, and when Xiumin met her gaze she, surprisingly, gave him a smile. As if she realized that there was no use in trying to fool him. 

“Stuff happened after you guys left my house,” she elaborated. “Stuff that everyone should know,” she said and judging by the look in her eyes, the smile not quite reaching there, Xiumin didn’t need to hear more. He nodded, wondering why she was carrying her backpack around. 

“Well, the others are inside, we can go see them. I know Suho’s been waiting,” he replied quietly, as Kris nodded and walked up the stairs. Xiumin followed his example, but Jae hesitated. 

“Um, is it okay if I take a moment?” she asked apologetically. Xiumin glanced over at Kris before the taller teen nodded. 

“Of course. I’ll go ahead and brief the others. You take your time,” he told her as Jae went to sit on the stairs. Xiumin wanted to follow Kris, but the younger man placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him. 

“Hyung, stay with her,” Kris whispered as Xiumin’s eyes widened. 

“Wha- why?” he asked, flustered. 

“Jae’s had it rough. She shouldn’t wait outside alone, just keep her company. Keep her safe, just in case,” Kris explained softly, patting him reassuringly on the shoulder before disappearing through the doors without giving Xiumin a chance to argue. 

The door closed with a soft click and the young man turned around in hesitation, watching Jae’s back as she stared into the distance. 

_Cold. Awkward. What should I do?_

Xiumin still stood awkwardly behind her, thinking about how he could approach her, talk to her. Did she even know that he was still there? Xiumin calmed down as he noticed that there was something quite different about Jae that he couldn’t put his finger on. The girl was usually chipper and lively, but she seemed distracted this time. Xiumin looked at her, and maybe he was wrong, but her eyes looked weary. His eyes wandered back to the bag she was carrying and something felt off. 

Xiumin quietly approached her, wanting to place his hand on her shoulder when Jae shivered and he immediately retracted his hand. He let his arms fall next to his sides as he watched her, ruefully. Jae was cold and he probably had something to do with it. She didn’t seem to do much against the chill, however, as she just sat there, shivering like a straw in the wind, looking out to the distance. 

He nervously cleared his throat and caught her tilting her head to the side slightly as though she acknowledged his presence, but didn’t mind him being there. 

“Want me to get you a blanket, Jae?” Xiumin finally managed to ask. “You look cold,” he noted with a small smirk. “We could go inside the house, too, if you want. It’s warm there,” he added. 

Jae turned to look at him and gave him a wan smile that made his heart hurt. “It’s okay, Xiumin, I’m fine,” she replied, but she didn’t sound convincing. She didn’t look convincing either. 

“Then I’ll go get Chanyeol,” he decided firmly, turning around to head inside, except, he felt a warm hand grab the sleeve of his jacket, stopping him. 

“Actually,” she started, looking shy, “would it be okay if you just sit here with me for a while until I’m ready to go inside?” she asked, biting her lip. “We don’t have to talk or anything, but it helps if I know that you’re just here…Is that weird?” 

Xiumin shook his head without skipping a beat and quickly walked the few steps down to sit next to her. “Just so you know, it can get colder if I’m near you,” he warned, making sure there was a gap between the two of them. He wasn’t sure what to make of Jae frowning at him, and didn’t quite know how to react when she scooted closer beside him, closing the gap. 

“Don’t be silly, Xiumin. I’ve never felt cold when I’m with you,” she said it so casually he nearly believed it. But since she didn’t move away or looked to be uncomfortable at all, he relaxed, making sure to keep his hands on his knees as he continued to check for signs that she may be cold after all. He couldn’t find any. 

Trying to keep his cool - pun not intended -, he looked at the backpack again. “You needed a bag to carry the dagger around?” he inquired, but Jae blushed in shame when she shuffled the bag closer towards her. 

“Yeah, about that…” she breathed, trying to smile. “I’ve kind of made the rash decision to run away from home- temporarily, you know, until everything is sorted,” she shrugged, but she was unable to face him. If she had, she would’ve seen the look of utter shock on his face. 

“You ran away? Jae, why would you-,” Xiumin stopped himself from saying more as a profound sadness gleamed in her eyes when she faced him this time. He then remembered seeing that same look in her eyes when her mother didn’t believe what she was trying to tell her. He didn’t need to know more. He could fill in the blanks himself. 

“Sorry,” he said instead. “We’ve put you through a lot.” 

Jae looked at him and quickly shook her head. “This isn’t your fault. I’ve made my own choices, and it’s not like it’s permanent or anything, though I wish I could make better sense of it all,” she chuckled, but the laugh was empty and it hurt him. He wanted to comfort her, but he was unsure how. 

“I’ll be okay,” Jae said instead, as if it was she who tried to reassure him instead of the other way around. 

“It’s okay if you’re not for the moment, though,” he tried. “You don’t have to be strong all the time.”

“Thank you, but I’m afraid that might not be true,” Jae breathed, looking out towards the distance again. “I know I’m weak, but I can’t give in now. I don’t want to break, you know? I just want all of this over with as soon as possible, I want to make sense of my role in all of this, and why I can’t remember anything except for-,” 

Jae didn’t finish her sentence and Xiumin could tell that the girl just seemed to have realized what she had seen. It was the only memory any of them saw that included her and it was one that showed her death. It was the second time that day that Xiumin wanted to console her, wrap his arm around her or something, but seeing her shiver was stopping him. 

“We’ll…” he cleared his throat. “We’ll figure it out. What’s in the past is in the past. We have to look forward now, see how we can stop the darkness from destroying this world as well, right?” he said instead, smiling tentatively when Jae looked up at him. 

“You’re right,” she nodded, her voice sounding stronger now. “Save the world. How hard could that be?” she joked. “Thanks, Xiumin,” she patted his hand, giving him a real smile this time. Her warmth lingered on his skin without her showing a hint of being cold after having touched him.  

They shared a relaxed silence for a moment with the two of them just looking at the horizon without really seeing anything. Xiumin’s fingers ghosted over his hand where Jae had touched him mere moments before and he swallowed. 

“Do you mean it?” he asked, fully aware at how strange his question sounded. He chuckled at seeing Jae’s puzzled expression and he shuffled his feet. “Sorry. I mean, do you mean it when you tell me that you don’t feel cold when you’re near me?” For some reason he felt like a stupid little boy having to ask that, so he couldn’t face her after actually asking the question. 

“Oh. Well, yeah, why would I lie about that?” Jae replied sincerely. “I’m not shivering because of you,” she quickly added, afraid that that may have been the reason for him asking such a thing. “The sky isn’t necessarily warm when you soar through it a hundred miles per hour with Kris, no less,” she shivered again. “Guess the current weather isn’t helping either.” 

Xiumin chuckled with Jae when the girl giggled, warming herself up by rubbing her arms and hugging herself. Since he liked the cold, he wasn’t wearing a jacket or a scarf that he could give her, and after a minute of pondering, he took a deep breath, plucked up his courage and set aside his shyness to carefully place his arm over her shoulder. He pretended not to see his own hand trembling out of nervousness when he did so, and lightly rested his arm around her. He resisted the immediate urge to retract it again when Jae looked up in surprise at him. 

“It’s colder now, isn’t it?” he asked out of concern, already starting to move away. 

Jae grinned at him. “No, it’s fine. This helps actually,” she assured him, though Xiumin was frowning. 

“I don’t get it,” he mused out loud, meeting her gaze when she looked at him again. “You really don’t feel the cold?” 

“Not from you, no,” she confirmed and Xiumin was inclined to believe her now, which he thought was strange. 

“But, how? Everyone I touch always ends up complaining how cold I feel to them,” he explained. “Even back in Exo, my mother would worry for me because my touch was like ice. She’d wrap me in blankets and sweaters, hoping I’d get warmer. I did, of course, but all she ended up feeling was the cold. So, how come you don’t feel it?” 

Jae chuckled and shrugged her shoulders, Xiumin’s arm still resting there. “Sorry, I don’t know either. Maybe it’s because I’m your powerbank, or something? All I know is that you feel normal to me, so my guess is as good as yours.” She regarded him, noticed the confused and fallen expression on his face, his hand still lightly trembling, afraid to put on too much pressure on her shoulders as though his icy touch could burn. 

“Tell you what,” Jae started, waking Xiumin from his thoughts when she reached out to his other hand to hold it in her own. She did so without hesitation, without flinching or retracting her hands. “Maybe when I finally wake up, I’ll give you the answer, provided that my memories and such are intact and accurate,” she promised while Xiumin had started to wonder how Jae managed to end up comforting him when it had been his job, initially, to try and comfort her. He chuckled at this thought and finally relaxed, holding on to Jae’s hands as well, his arm securely wrapped around her to shelter her from the cold wind. 

“It’s a deal,” he then conceded, smiling at her when she did. 

“Deal,” she nodded. 

They sat quietly beside each other, holding hands to keep warm, while Xiumin rubbed her back and shoulder in hopes that it would help to keep her warm. He liked talking to her, but he couldn’t help but appreciate and enjoy the silence of her company more. Perhaps his interaction with her wasn’t as warm and lively as that between her and any of his other brothers, but they felt warm enough for him. Comforting. Pleasant. He glanced at her from the corner of his eyes, noticing how calm and relaxed she was around him as well. Xiumin couldn’t help but wonder then, who Jae had been in their former lives, in their past. Was she really only a brave peasant girl? It seemed so unlikely. She had to be someone of importance, someone relevant. She was special, not just to him, but to all of them, even though she didn’t seem to realize that fact. 

Xiumin looked down at his lap, watched their intertwining fingers and finding it a bit difficult to distinguish which fingers belonged to which hand. Was it greedy of him to think that he never wanted her to let go? After thinking things through, he opened his mouth to ask something he’d been meaning to ask for a while, but was rudely interrupted by the doors behind them opening with a loud bang. 

Jae jumped up and Xiumin was startled himself, quickly getting to his feet to stand in front of her out of instinct. He let out a sigh of relief when Suho came stomping into sight. Before he could stop the younger man, Suho had already walked past him so that he could stand in front of Jae. 

“Mr. Tabi?! Really?!” he exclaimed, as Xiumin frowned. He turned to see Kris standing behind him, pulling a face of concern as he looked on. 

“Let me guess, he didn’t take it well?” Jae remarked scathingly as she looked to Kris, who only smiled a sheepish grin, radiating with nervousness. 

“Get inside, Jae. Don’t make me tell you again,” Suho pointed, turning on his heels and stomping back into the house. 

Jae turned to Kris, lifting her arms up in derision, waiting for an explanation. All the teen could do however, was vaguely gesture to where Suho had disappeared to, accompanied by a string of mumbling words and deep sighs. 

“Very smooth, Kris,” Xiumin patted his shoulder. “I think this is our cue to go inside the house, Jae,” he said gently, turning towards the girl. 

“I’m afraid you’re right,” she sighed, grabbing her backpack and entering the house. “You’re an expert on ice, right, Xiumin?” she asked as he closed the door behind them, and nodded in response. 

“What does one do when one finds themselves on thin ice?” she asked in exasperation. 

“Strengthen the ice,” he replied casually with a shrug, smirking when he saw the defeated look on her face. 

“Not funny,” Jae groaned, making him chuckle. 

“Don’t worry,” he whispered to her before they entered the parlor. “I won’t let you fall into the boiling water,” he promised, referring to a steaming Suho, smiling when she showed her appreciation by grabbing his hand and giving it a squeeze. 

He would feel that warmth glow through his body for a long time…


	90. ~ Calm Before The Storm ~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! How are you liking the story thus far? 'Bout to wrap it up.... I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel! xD

***

“Mr. Tabi?! Running away?! What were you thinking, Jae?!”

I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when Kris and I decided to tell the others about what happened after they left my house, but I suppose I should have expected Suho to go lose his marbles over this. I sat close to the fireplace as he scolded me, feeling very much as though I was being reprimanded by my father, which wasn’t necessarily a pleasant feeling. 

My real dad would probably be wondering where I was right now. Would they be looking for me? To be honest, I turned off my cellphone because I was sure I wouldn’t be able to deal if I saw that they tried to call me. I’d probably cave and pick up the phone, asking me to come get me - which is really _not_ what I want them to do at the moment. I could only imagine how furious they were and concerned. I left a note, but that was the only comforting thought I had. If they called the police and they’d look for me, I’d be found before we could solve this ‘saving-the-world’ thing and then, technically, I’d be further away from home. 

Of course, the brilliant mastermind leader of the pack had this figured out way before I even stopped to think about the consequences. Guess that’s why Suho worried so much, and I guess that’s why he’s the leader. 

_Doesn’t make him less annoying though…_

“Why didn’t you contact us? “ Suho continued looking for answers. 

“I did,” I argued, pointing at Kris just to irk him, and Suho shook his head profusely.  “You know that’s not what I mean! We’re a pack, Jae, and you went and made important decisions behind our backs!” 

“Behind your backs?” I repeated, my fatigue not helping in improving my current mood - _which was bad, in case no one noticed yet_. “What I decide to do to keep _my_ family safe is my business. I don’t need your permission to run away if that’s the only option I had left, Suho.” My tone was scathing, I know, but hearing him talk like this while I was fully aware how desperate and reckless my actions were, made me feel even more like crap. 

“Suho-hyung just meant that we didn’t want you to feel like running away was the only option for you. We could’ve tried to see if there was another solution that didn’t revolve around you suffering more,” D.O. explained, but I only sighed. 

“If I stayed, my mother would have made me give the dagger back to my father. He would give it back to Mr. Yok. Are you telling me that I should’ve let that happen? You were there when I tried telling my mother the truth. She didn’t believe me. She tried to understand, but she still doesn’t believe me,” I said. 

“But where are you going to stay now, noona?” Tao asked in concern. “And your parents? They’re probably already looking for you as we speak,” he added. 

“I left them a note,” I replied flatly. “It’ll be alright once we solve this, so let’s focus on that, okay?” I then stated, looking at Suho, who still looked like he was fuming. 

“I admit that it was reckless to tell Mr. Tabi about everything, okay? I’m sorry,” I added softly, since I still didn’t know how it was possible that I managed to tell him about the dagger so openly. “He doesn’t know about the wolf-thing or magic-thing, but he does know about the dagger. He says that he’s going to help us, so that has to count for something, right?” I tried as Suho took a deep breath to recollect himself. 

“Does it, though? What if he told you he was going to help but is calling the authorities right now?” he shot back, sighing deeply while running his hand through his hair. “I mean, at the end of the day, we did _steal_ the dagger.” 

“If that was the case, wouldn’t the police be swarming the town now? I mean, everyone knows everyone in this place. If Mr. Tabi ratted on us, then we’d be in jail right now,” Kris reminded him, but Suho wasn’t convinced. I guess I couldn’t blame him for that. To be honest, I replayed the conversation I had with the teacher over and over in my mind, and I still didn’t really know how he got me so far to spill the beans. Was it because I was being emotional? Then again, it was Mr. Tabi we were talking about. 

“Besides, we’ve known Mr. Tabi for years. He’s the last person that would betray us like that,” D.O. added for good measure. “And he works at E.T. Corp, so maybe he really does know how to help- by all means, we don’t know what the next step is, right?” 

I gave D.O. a small smile when I saw that he had my back, but the tension was still obvious in the room. 

Suho sighed and looked displeased. “I need to think,” he suddenly announced. 

“I think the time for thinking is over, Suho,” Luhan spoke up. “We can continue scolding Jae for making rash decisions, but in the end, all of us would probably have done the same thing if we were continuously driven into a corner. What’s important now is figuring out what we’re going to do. What we _need_ to do to fix this mess we’re in,” he stated gently, though firmly as Suho rubbed the side of his temple. He gave me another long look which I didn’t shy away from and I saw him soften up right before my eyes. 

His tense shoulders relaxed somewhat and he pursed his lips. “I’m sorry,” he murmured. “You’re right. We need to focus,” he nodded, heaving another sigh. “Let’s recap. The dagger unlocked most of our memories, but not all of it has returned,” he started to sum up. 

“The black Imoogi is responsible for all the weird things that are happening on the island,” Baekhyun added, drinking from his tea. “Even though we thought we took care of it before,” he muttered in exhaustion. 

“Miss Kumiho works for Mr. Yok but was epically knocked out cold by Mrs. Miyano,” Chen added and I couldn’t help but chuckle when I saw the grin on his face. Where was the lie in that statement, really? My mom _did_ know her way around a frying pan.

“But we shouldn’t count her out yet. We’ve witnessed how tenacious she can be,” Kai warned with a snarl as I automatically glanced to his side to see that the wound had healed, but the wound to his ego was still open. 

“The dagger was what the Tree wanted us to save, meaning that it’s important. You think it has something to do with what we saw in the research facility?” Kris then suggested. “Something with leylines?”

I replayed the conversation I had with Mr. Tabi so often now that the mention of the word immediately clicked in my head. “Yeah, Mr. Tabi mentioned the use of leylines,” I said, grabbing the dagger from my backpack. “He said that they were doing experiments at the lab. He told me that the dagger is comprised of living organisms, but its DNA is unstable. Here, look,” I pointed out the corrosions on the hilt and the blade had lost its former shine. 

“Whoa, okay, that does not look good,” Chanyeol’s fingers hovered over the weapon before he rubbed his own fingers. “The energy is very faint. It’s not nearly as strong as it was before,” he noted. 

“Mr. Tabi mentioned something about replenishing the dagger’s energy by using leylines. He thinks the dagger is responsible for disrupting nature’s balance, or something, I don’t know, he seemed very excited, either way,” I tried to explain. 

“And he think he knows how to solve the problem?” Sehun wondered, a trickle of hope weaved in his tone of voice. 

“He told me that he had an idea, yeah,” I nodded. “He said that he’d be in touch once he’s figured out what to do, and to be honest, without the ghost wolf showing up and me not waking up anytime soon, I appreciate his help. It’s better than nothing,” I shrugged, feeling only a little hopeless. 

“Hm, perhaps,” Suho said thoughtfully. “Mr. Tabi is a good guy, but all of this doesn’t feel right. We’re supposed to be guardians. It’s our task to guard, to save this world. It feels wrong to have someone else solve our problem- it just doesn’t add up,” he elaborated, starting to pace around the parlor. As much as I despised having to admit it, I could fully understand what Suho meant. If Mr. Tabi held the answers to saving the world all this time and was in possession of the dagger, then why didn’t the dagger just reach out to him? 

Xiumin quietly stood up from his seat near the window to approach me and gently grabbed the dagger from my hands without saying a word. Our fingers touched, his warmth still lingering on my skin after he moved away to inspect the dagger. Luhan watched his best friend intently while Xiumin twisted and turned the weapon. 

“What are you thinking about, Baozi-ge?” Luhan asked. 

“Just trying to make sense of everything,” the older teen mused. “This world did relatively fine on its own before the dagger came to play, so what’s changed? How is it possible that it suddenly became the key to maintain nature’s balance?” Xiumin clacked his tongue out of frustration. “Ah, I don’t understand this!” he exclaimed. 

“Balance…” Lay mused this time, a spaced out look on his face that signaled that he was in deep thought. He squeezed his bottom lip with his thumb and index finger, and I startled when he suddenly stirred. 

“Back in the day, didn’t our teachers mention how Exo planet was created?” he suddenly piped up, waiting for his other brothers to react. 

“Uh, hyung, I know we’ve gotten most of our memories back, but I don’t think mine go that far back,” Baekhyun commented as he scratched his head. 

“What are you saying, Lay?” Luhan asked, while I curiously waited for him to answer. 

“Don’t you remember?” Lay asked, looking sincerely astonished. “Before Exo planet was born, the world was filled with chaos and darkness. No life could be sustained there because of it. Because the universe revolves around harmony, light was created, order came, to even things out. In other words, black Imoogi-nim needed to be counterbalanced by a white Imoogi-nim to save the world from its chaos,” he diligently explained, while I was amused at hearing him use honorifics whilst describing the black and white snakes. Leave it to Lay to stay polite, no matter the circumstances. However, his story did ring a bell. The ghost wolf showed me the story about the black snake and the white snake. One was good, the other evil. One destroyed, while the other protected, and, by reasoning, I guess that meant that the one wouldn’t be able to exist without the other without severe consequences. 

My eyes widened as I caught on to what Lay was trying to say. “You think that Mr. Yok’s presence in this world disrupted its natural order,” I stated, rather than asked and Lay nodded at me. 

“It could explain why dagger-nim suddenly became so important. There’s no white Imoogi-nim to balance his darkness out in this world. I think that he did that on purpose to obtain the _yeouiju,_ which is what it was after for so long,” Lay said, looking at his brothers in mild confusion when they were gawking at him. He scratched his neck out of mild embarrassment. “What is it? Did I say something wrong?” he asked worriedly. 

Chen chuckled and patted the older teen on the back. “Not at all, Lay-hyungie. We just forget sometimes how awesome you are,” he replied on behalf of everyone else as Lay smiled happily in response but it was evident on the familiar blank look in his eyes that he was still a bit confused. 

“ _Yeouiju_ …” Luhan mused, taking hold of the dagger from Xiumin’s hands, when his eyes suddenly darted straight towards me. “A Tree of Power and Fire… Do you remember, Jae?” he then asked and I blinked at him before letting out a deep breath. 

“Let’s assume that I had a really, _really_ , long day, Lu, and that I’m about to pass out due to exhaustion any minute now. You’re gonna need to remind me,” I replied, fighting the cozy warmth of the fireplace that could lull me to sleep if I lost focus for a moment. 

Luhan cracked a sympathetic smile before directing his attention to everyone else in the room. “I think Lay may have a point. When Jae and I connected to see what else the dagger had to tell us, it showed us Mr. Yok, talking to it,” he gestured with the weapon in his hand. “He spoke of wanting to rule the world, to grow a new Tree of Life that would bring about darkness to this world, so that he may finally obtain the power he’s lusted after all these years,” he explained. “But he can’t do it if this dagger has no energy left. This,” he held up the weapon and I watched the green heart on the hilt glow weakly, “is the source of power. That has to be the reason why the former Tree of Life wanted us to protect it at all costs.” 

“But if that’s the case wouldn’t connecting it with the leylines at E.T. Corp help the black snake instead of stopping him?” Suho inquired. 

“Not necessarily. If the black snake is able to make a new Tree of Life using the energy of the leylines, who’s to say that we can’t do the exact same thing, using only good energy so that he can’t touch it? Recreate the Tree of Life as we knew it back in Exo,” Luhan replied. 

“But how, hyung?” asked Chanyeol, nervously playing with his snapback. 

Luhan, who had looked determined and fiery, ready to go, suddenly drooped his shoulders and crunched his face out of frustration. “I don’t know,” he breathed with a huff. “Maybe Mr. Tabi really knows the answer to that…”

The silence swelled in the room, the crackling of fire being the only thing that dared disrupt the silence.

 “Hold on,” I blatantly broke through the silence, “Isn’t the dagger missing something?” I recalled vaguely. “Even Mr. Yok didn’t know what it was, so how could we? Mr. Tabi said that the dagger was unstable, hence it was losing energy. I don’t know much about science or anything, but if it’s unstable, wouldn’t that mean that it can suck in all the energy from leylines if it wants, but still lose the energy afterwards if it’s not stable enough to sustain it? Does that even make sense what I just said?” I remarked, shaking my head a bit. _Wow. I must be more tired than I thought_. 

“No, you’re right,” said Luhan, nodding his head in assent. “More is needed to recreate a Tree of Life,” he confirmed as another silence threatened to fall. 

“What if it’s us?” Kai suddenly interjected, his face absolutely serious when he said it. 

“That is disturbing, dude,” Sehun complained, smacking his friend on the arm, but Kai didn’t even flinch. 

“I’m not kidding. Didn’t _that woman_ ,” - he growled when he mentioned her - “- say something about Mr. Yok having an interest in us? That he’s kept close tabs on us all these years? Why would he do so?” Kai’s reasoning seemed sound, but it gave me the creeps. 

“Maybe he did so to keep us in check? We’re guardians, after all, that must’ve made him a little nervous considering our history with him,” Suho answered. 

“If he was so worried about that, then why not just kill us when we still didn’t have our memories?” Kai retorted. 

“Because he needs us alive,” D.O. muttered as his eyes widened at the realization. “Maybe he doesn’t know exactly how, but he needs us.” 

“I’m I the only one who finds that thought really creepy?” Tao asked in a small voice, hugging a pillow tightly to his chest. 

“How would it even work?” Sehun piped up with a frown. “He’s gonna make the dagger suck in all of our energy and discard us like empty juice-boxes, or dried up mummies?”

“Yah, Hun-ah, don’t say stuff like that! That’s creepy!” Tao protested. 

“I don’t know how he plans on doing this, but all I’m concerned about is that we won’t let it happen,” Suho then interrupted. “Whatever the dagger needs, as guardians, we should try and provide. We can’t let Mr. Yok create a Tree of Death. Whatever the cost, it is our duty to regrow a Tree of Life to cancel out the darkness and destruction he plans to send out over this earth,” he said calmly, proving once again that he was a true leader. “If Mr. Tabi can somehow help us figure out the specifics on how to grow such a Tree, then I suppose having him on our side is for the better,” he smiled at me and I weakly returned the favor, feeling the fatigue truly kick in. It was like my body was holding on all this time, but now that we had a plan, now that we knew what we had to do, my relief was translated into utter exhaustion. _You know what to do now. This mess can be fixed. So, go to sleep already!,_ was what my body was screaming at me. 

“So, basically, we got promoted to guardians of the world and then got demoted to gardeners all in one day?” Baekhyun quipped, ducking when Suho threw a pillow at his head. 

“This is good, though,” D.O. looked around the room. “Now we know what to do, we can give it our all to prevent the black snake from winning. We can’t let it destroy this world like Exo planet. I refuse to lose another home because of him,” he stated resolutely, his brothers agreeing. 

“We won’t let that happen. Not this time,” Suho vowed. 

“Hear, hear! Besides, things are gonna be different this time. We’ve got a wildcard in our midst now!” Chen grinned at me and I chuckled. 

“Well, I don’t know how useful I’ll be, but I’ll definitely help you as best as I can to avoid this asshat from destroying the world,” I promised, feeling a great sense of admiration for this group of young men, who so willingly and without a hint of hesitation, were ready to face grave danger all for the sake of protecting this earth. I doubted I had their courage and confidence, but damn it, I was gonna try to play my part- come what may. 

Laughter rang through the air when they caught me yawning, even though I thought I was being subtle about it. 

“Wow, noona is hardcore! The prospect of great peril to save the entire world is too boring for you, huh?” Chanyeol teased as I managed to chuckle. 

“Sorry. I’m absolutely thrilled at risking my life to stop a megalomaniac serpent from destroying the world, really, I’m titillated,” I said with mild sarcasm, “But do you think we can save the world after some sleep? I’m sure heroic guardians need rest too, right?” I asked, suppressing another yawn. 

The boys chuckled, and hearing their laughter vaguely made me feel happy and reassured for some reason, though maybe the sleep was already clouding my mind. 

“Yeah, it’s getting late. We should all head home- oh,” Kris abruptly stopped talking as he looked at me putting the dagger back into my bag after I got to my feet, fighting off sleep. 

“What is it?” I asked, seeing him stare at me. 

“Uh, well… Where are you going to stay for the night?” he asked and I nearly jumped at seeing eleven other pairs of eyes shoot towards me. 

“Oh, uh, it’s no big deal, I’ll think of something,” I quickly answered, feeling my cheeks heat up all of a sudden. 

“Why? I thought it was silently agreed that you can stay here, Jae,” Suho piped up. “We’ve plenty of guest rooms that you can stay in, it’s really no trouble at all!” he chuckled and away went charismatic leader Suho to make way for dorky Joonmyeon who beamed gummy smiles and looked like a shy schoolboy each time we made eye contact. 

“What?! No way, that’s not fair! Jae-noona is coming with me,” Sehun argued, discretely trying to approach me as though he wanted to snatch me away before anyone else had a chance to do so. I appreciated what the boys were trying to do, really, but why did they make it so awkward?

“Ha! And where was she going to sleep? On that itty bitty couch in your living room?” Chanyeol mocked. 

“Of course not. Jae-noona can sleep in my room. I’ve a big bed,” Sehun retaliated under protest of his brothers, starting an argument between them. 

“Guys? Uh, guys- ugh…” I couldn’t get a word in even if I shouted out loud. I sighed as I watched them argue, slightly amused at the sight. Important, hoighty toighty guardians or not, deep down inside…they were still dorks. 

“Rock, paper, scissors!” Chen then piped up and I rolled my eyes, deciding that this was where I drew the line. It was flattering that they were all willing to take me in for the night, but I wasn’t some prize that they could win over a game of rock, paper, scissors. 

“Guys, enough, really. It’s no trouble. I’m sure I can stay over at Lili’s place or something, don’t worry about it,” I assured them, though I wasn’t at all sure whether that was the case. 

“No way, noona. Lili-noona is probably already sleeping and you don’t want to bother her, do you? Besides, what if her parents decided to call your parents?” Chen argued and I had to admit that I hadn’t thought about that before. 

“Then I’ll ask Minho,” I piped up. “His parents were staying with his grandfather for a few days because his house got hit by the recent storms, so Minho is housesitting by himself. I’m sure he’s got plenty of room to spare,” I smiled, hoping that they wouldn’t have to worry about me now. 

_I was wrong_. 

“Minho?!” Luhan nearly yelled in disbelief. 

“Peasant-hyung?!” Sehun called out in shock, shaking his head. “No, no, no, no! Forget it, noona, I won’t give you permission!” he stated defiantly. 

“Neither will I! Minho’s shady, you know, beady eyes,” Suho added as I suddenly found myself listening to twelve guys disapproving Minho in the most ridiculous ways. 

“I heard he sleeps in his underwear and sleepwalks in them,” Chen stated.

“Yeah, and he not only snores, he sings in his sleep too- off key, might I add,” Chanyeol said. 

“He’s too tall,” said D.O. out of the blue without further explanation. 

“He doesn’t like panda bears! Can’t trust anyone who doesn’t like panda bears!” Tao added fiercely, Sehun nodding along as though his brother made the most valid argument of the year. 

“Minho-ssi said that unicorns don’t exist,” Lay elaborated with a pout of the lips. 

“They don’t though, hyung,” Baekhyun answered, to which Lay gasped in shock. 

“You too, Baekhyun-ah? Don’t go to Baekhyun-ah either, Jae-yah,” he stated. 

“Yah! What’s that about, hyung?” Baekhyun protested. 

A chuckle escaped my lips, but I quickly regained myself by shaking my head at them. “Do you guys realize how stupid you sound?” I asked them. 

“We’re just looking out for you, Jae,” Kris explained. “You can’t trust a guy like Minho- I mean, he’s a cool guy, really, but he’s a _guy_ ,” he stressed, to which I amusedly crossed my arms over my chest. 

“So are all of you,” I retaliated, trying not to burst out in laughter at seeing their stupefied faces. 

“Well, that’s different,” Luhan immediately answered, though the nervousness was audible. “We’re good, trustworthy guys that want you to be safe and protected, that’s all. Besides, you’re one of the pack, and we always look out for those who are part of the pack, because it’s the pack- y-you know, one for all, all for one…eh…” he stammered, looking to his brothers to save him out of a tight spot. To my surprise, and the others’ as well so it seemed, it was Kai that came to Luhan’s rescue.

“Minho-hyung is a good choice, but he can’t protect you like we can,” he said gravely. “You’re safer with us,” he concluded, allowing me to see the warmth in his eyes for just a second before he put up his stoic mask once more. “So, just hurry up and pick a place where you want to stay for the night. You’re not the only one who’s had a long day, noona.” 

I looked at Kai in surprise for putting me on the spot like that, but then I softened up, since he made a point in his own way. I looked at the expecting faces around me and let out a soft sigh. 

“Well, I guess, out of practical purposes…if you don’t mind me staying for the night, Suho, I’d like to take you up on that offer,” I answered, cringing a little when I saw the great leader do a little victory dance while the others groaned in protest. 

Only Kai was smirking. “Good. Now that’s settled, I’ll call my mom,” he said, confusing all of us. 

“Why?” asked a sulky Sehun. 

Kai bore a playful grin on his face, one that I hardly had the privilege to see often. 

“What, didn’t you hear what I said?” he asked his fellow maknae. “Jae-noona is safer with _us_. She chose the location, and now we’re having a sleepover,” he smirked. “Thanks for opening your home to us, Suho-hyung,” he added as a jab to the leader, who lost his previous excitement upon learning that Kai set him up.

“You’re all going to stay over?” he asked, still in disbelief as his brothers made phone calls to their homes. 

“Absolutely! As if we’re going to let Jae-noona stay here by herself! You’re even worse than Minho-hyung!” Baekhyun answered jokingly as Suho’s face signaled defeat. 

“Fine,” the gracious leader eventually conceded. “I’ll have the big guest room prepared,” he breathed, lighting up only briefly when I gave him a thankful smile. 

“Awesome! Slumber party!” Chen exclaimed happily, high-fiving Chanyeol. 

“Hey, you’re not gonna be loud, are you? I’m actually planning to sleep,” I warned them all for good measure. 

“Of course! No worries, noona, you can sleep peacefully. I’ll be watching over you,” Sehun vowed. 

“Oh boy, I bet that’s comforting for her to know,” Baekhyun commented sarcastically, making fun of Sehun when the maknae started blushing heavily. 

“It’s too late to call Minho instead, huh?” I asked Xiumin who was standing close by, quietly watching his brothers make fools of themselves. He laughed briefly. 

“‘Fraid so. Hope you’re not a light sleeper,” he joked. 

I was thankful that I was exhausted. Once Suho told us that the room was ready, my feet automatically guided me towards the bed and I fell down. I can’t remember much, but I distinctly remembered quickly falling asleep listening to the lighthearted ruckus the boys were making. It was the most pleasant way of drifting off into comforting unconsciousness that I had experienced so far. I secretly hoped that this sense of security would never wane away.


	91. ~ Light Shines Brightest In The Dark ~

***

No amount of exhaustion could prevent the dreams from bothering my rest. I didn’t know why I would even thought I could be given a break, even if it was for a short time. I was plagued by terrifying images of black snakes and horrid women with misshapen fox-like faces. Green eyes followed me wherever I ran, followed by the screeching sound of a metal blade being dragged over the concrete floor. A white snake was coiled around a gigantic tree, its flesh melting off the bone by scorching black fire before turning to dust like the tree it tried to protect. 

Evil, golden eyes peered from the darkness before it targeted me and swallowed me whole before I could even scream. 

I woke up with a jolt, my heart pounding in my ears as the fear from my dream still lingered and settled in my chest. I gasped softly for breath, trying to calm down, telling myself that I was safe, that I was still in Suho’s house, that the boys were here too. 

_The boys…_

Something felt off as I stirred in the bed, and even though it was dark, the curtains weren’t thick enough to stop the light of the moon from coming inside the room. It was warm in the soft, big bed. A bit _too_ warm. When I turned to my side to adjust my position, I nearly yelped at seeing Sehun sleeping there, his mouth slightly ajar, his face mere inches away from me. I shook my head and scoffed, but I didn’t want to wake him. I turned to the other side, hoping to create more space between us. However, I nearly shrieked again at the sight of a softly snoring Chen, sprawled out on the other side of the bed. 

As I carefully sat up, I noticed that my feet were particularly warm as well, and sure enough, there lay Chanyeol, sleeping comfortably across the double king size bed near our feet, hugging his pillow tightly, his hair a mess. 

_Unbelievable_. I prevented from laughing when I saw how the boys were sprawled around the room like a bunch of puppy dogs. Kai and D.O. had put a couple of sofas together and slept soundly near the bed. Lay, Luhan, and Xiumin slept on the floor, covered in blankets, with Luhan’s arms and legs draped over his hyung and dongsaeng since he was sleeping in the middle. Suho was sleeping on a classic loveseat by the window, and looked to be dreaming too. I hope his dreams were better than mine, though. I smiled upon seeing that he had curled himself up like a shrimp to make himself comfortable. It was kind of endearing to see. 

Another adorable sight I never thought I’d see was a too-tall-for-furniture Kris, lying on a couch with his feet over the armrest, exposed by the blankets that he had pulled up to his chin, with Tao curled up beside him. I startled when I thought I heard him talking, until I realized what he was saying. 

“ _Oongya, oongya…black soda drink, style aniya…erm…give me chicken…_ ”

I bit my lip as I shook my head. _Another dreamer in the room…_ I rubbed the sleep from my eyes as I continued to look around the room. Even though I felt rather awkward about sleeping in a room filled with dudes, I couldn’t help but smile. The way they huddled around me, as though I was the focal point- I don’t know…was it stupidly girly of me to think it flattering? Gah, I’m glad it’s dark though. This way no one would ever have to see how red my face probably is. 

These guys though, these band of brothers… it was nice to be part of this pack. No matter what the past used to be like, this is the _here and now_. I have to remember that. These group of guys were willing to do whatever it took to save the world and to protect me, and I’ll be damned if I didn’t feel the same way about them. 

“Hrm, _no-noona, no…_ ” I looked to my side to hear Sehun mumbling in his sleep, his face nearly buried within the blankets. 

“ _No, noona, don’t…no…_ ” he stirred and I went to check on him. It didn’t look like he was dreaming about ordering food like Kris. Carefully, without waking him, I stroked his forehead, running my fingers ever so gently through his hair. He looked particularly young sleeping like that. Then again, all of them looked like regular teens, instead of magical wolf guardians. 

“Shh, it’s okay, Sehunnie. Just relax,” I murmured quietly towards him, retracting my hand when he stirred again. 

“ _Noona, no, no!_ ” he mumbled, a deep frown on his face. Should I wake him? What if he was having a nightmare, too?

“ _Noona, no- no…not the green tea flavor! Cho-choco bubble…_ ” he muttered before falling deeply asleep again. 

“Oh my gosh, seriously?” I giggled softly to myself. _This kid’s life revolves around bubble tea_ , I shook my head. I leaned forward to push his hair from his face. “Never change, Sehunnie,” I whispered, pulling away again. Still sitting up, the sight of seeing the others sleep so peacefully nearly tempted me to try to sleep again as well, but after the dream I had, I doubted that it would work out. I let my eyes wander over their sleeping forms - _trust me it’s not as creepy as that sounded -_ and suddenly felt like something was missing. Or, rather, _someone_. 

My first instinct, after everything that’s been going on, was to panic. I made a quick headcount. Three were in the bed with me, two on the shared sofa, two more on the couch. One on the loveseat, three on the ground. I know math wasn’t my strong suit, but I’m pretty sure the total makes eleven. I used my fingers to count again, just to be sure, but still ended up with eleven.

_Oh no…_ _I shouldn’t panic immediately, right?_ I should stop and think a moment, or should I wake the others? Who was even missing? 

My eyes widened. “Baekhyun,” I whispered in alarm, feeling the need to wake up the boys and disrupt their slumber, until a strange flash caught my eye. I looked towards the door and saw another pulse of light appear, casting long shadows through the crevices of the closed door before disappearing again. 

Taking a few deep breaths, I wriggled my way out of the blankets, moving slowly and as quietly as possible to not wake anyone. I managed to make use of my heightened agility to jump over Chanyeol, landing my bare feet on the cold floor with a soft thud. Making sure I hadn’t awakened anyone, I made for the door and opened it. 

A group of white flecks of light hovered in the hallway, giving light to the cold darkness. When I hovered my hand near the light, I could sense Baekhyun’s energy, memories of linking with him before floating into my mind. I followed the light as it glittered in the darkness, seeing the source standing on the balcony. The sliding door was opened, a gentle breeze rippling the soft fabric of the curtains, as more light flew into the house. 

I stopped in front of the threshold, watching Baekhyun lazily playing with the sparkling orbs he produced from his hands, sending them into the night sky. His eyes shimmered as he followed the light ascend the heavens and only now did I notice that there were hardly any stars in the sky. The moon glowed behind shreds of clouds, but it was Baekhyun’s light that shone brighter. 

What was he doing out here by himself? I wanted to go and ask him, but I nearly felt like I was intruding on his privacy just by standing here, looking at him. I shouldn’t bother him. Turning softly on my heels I moved away from the opened door, wanting to leave him be. 

“You don’t have to leave, noona.” 

My ears twitched and my heart thumped, startled. Feeling embarrassed, I cringed and slowly turned back around. Baekhyun wasn’t facing me, but I could see him smiling. 

“I didn’t mean to disturb you,” I started, when he finally turned his head to look at me. 

“I know, you can’t help how you smell,” he chuckled and I blinked, quickly checking my breath. Did I smell so bad? 

Baekhyun laughed a little louder at seeing my concern. “Jasmine, noona. You smell like jasmine, you knew that, right?” he asked as I hummed in realization. 

“Right. Of course. I forgot,” I smiled sheepishly, then trying to sniff out Baekhyun’s scent. I frowned when I couldn’t smell a thing. The air filled itself with Baekhyun’s laugh once more, the lights flickering a little more brightly as he did so. 

“ _Kkaebsong_ , Jae-noona, you can’t smell a thing, can you?” he teased, gesturing for me to join him on the balcony. 

“I can’t,” I confirmed, taking another whiff standing close to him. “How is that possible? Did something happen?” I asked. 

Baekhyun grinned, blowing another cloud of sparkling lights into the sky. “It’s a little trick I picked up on when I was a kid- in Exo, that is. I just remembered how to do it. Helped me get out of a lot of trouble back then,” he smiled to himself as though he was reliving fond memories before looking up playfully at me. “If you’re good, noona, I might teach you how to do it.”

I scoffed in jest. “Please, I’m _always_ good,” I replied, scooting over to him. “So, tell me.” 

Baekhyun laughed again as we were surrounded in his light and I only now noticed how boyish he looked. As ridiculous as it sounded, I thought he looked rather pure- lame, I know, but Baekhyun wore a simple white shirt with long sleeves that were perhaps a size too big for him. His hair was unkempt, his face clean, and emitting all that light…He looked like a different Baekhyun, and yet he was so very familiar to me. 

“I don’t know if I should,” he continued teasing. “I like your scent, noona. I think I’ll keep my trick a secret. It’s nice being able to tell where you are.” 

“Yeah, wow, that wasn’t creepy at all,” I remarked and he awkwardly bit his lip, chuckling. 

“Sorry,” he apologized, rubbing the back of his head. “It’s just that your scent is soothing, noona,” he then said, though that didn’t sound like much of an improvement where the creepy-scale was concerned. Baekhyun seemed to realize that when I purposely gazed at him, arching an eyebrow just to mess with him. 

“Ah! No, that’s not what I mean- you know, it’s just smelling the scent of jasmine heightens my senses, gets me going- n-not in _that_ way! I don’t- ,” he sighed deeply, lowering his head and covering his face with his hand. 

I nudged him with my elbow. “ _Kkaebsong_ ,” I taunted good-naturedly, making him look at me with another deep sigh. 

“Yah, noona! You wanna fight, huh?” he pointed in accusation at me, though his joking tone of voice was evident. I raised my fists at him. 

“Come at me, bro! I’ll attack you with my special jasmine attack; the Jas-Mine! A bomb that goes poof and entraps you in a cloud of jasmine to incapacitate you,” I replied, realizing a little too late how utterly lame and embarrassing that sounded. I lowered my head in shame when we both fell silent and Baekhyun started to laugh again. What was it about being around this guy that brought out the childishness within me? 

“Eh, noona, what-,”

“Yeah, I don’t know what that was either,” I breathed as Baekhyun grinned and nodded his head. 

“Good. Otherwise I’d be really worried,” he joked and played with the shimmering lights that floated around us. It became quiet then, the sound of the wind and rustling leaves dominating the atmosphere. I thought I heard celestial bells too, though, but very softly, as if they came from the lights Baekhyun had summoned. 

“Here,” he murmured quietly, spinning a tiny daisy made out of pure light in the palm of his hand, and placed it behind my ear. “The night is particularly dark tonight. Some light should scare it away,” his voice was so tender when he said it, not at all like the rowdy, loud Baekhyun I came to know. When I blinked at him, he shot me another smile. “You should go back to sleep, noona. You need the rest,” he said. 

“Pot calling the kettle black,” I remarked. “Don’t you need the rest too?”

“I’m okay, noona. I’m gonna stay here for a while,” Baekhyun assured, but he wasn’t at all convincing. He had already directed his gaze towards the black horizon, his lights shining brightly against the dark backdrop. 

“Why are you out here?” the question flew from my mouth without permission, but the way he had looked out into the night struck me, for whatever reason. I’ve known Baekhyun to be somewhat of a loud moodmaker, the kid that always joked around, wasn’t all too serious- _I mean come on, do I have to mention ‘Bacon Jr.’?_ So, I guess seeing this calmer, more quiet side of him had me intrigued? Curious? Concerned? Maybe all of the above. I’ve never seen him this way before. I nearly gasped when he turned to face me again. Maybe it was because of the glistening lights surrounding us, but I could have sworn that the bright, always cheerful Baekhyun had a tinge of sadness, maybe fear, in his eyes. 

“Sorry,” I promptly apologized. “I don’t mean to pry. You don’t have to answer,” I told him, but he must’ve sensed my discomfort and I saw him relax. 

“I could ask you the same question, noona, but maybe we also have the same answer,” he sighed, leaning forward on the railing of the balcony to look out over the Kim-property. Since it was so isolated from civilization, there were hardly any streetlights here, hence, only darkness remained. Baekhyun’s light only dimly lit the vast landscape below us, though they withered and were snuffed out after a while. We watched them in silence for a moment until Baekhyun spoke. 

“Let’s just say that having most of our memories back isn’t entirely fun and games, noona,” he tried to chuckle to keep the conversation lighthearted, but it was obvious the laughter was forced, and weak. “I’d forgotten that I don’t like the dark,” Baekhyun muttered, emitting more light. 

I swallowed, still watching him. “You’re afraid of the dark?” I asked, but Baekhyun shook his head. 

“No.” 

_Shortest answer ever._ I didn’t want to push the matter since it was obvious that Baekhyun didn’t seem to want to talk about this much and I certainly didn’t want to impose. With his back still turned to me I didn’t know what else to do but to reach out to touch his shoulder as support. Except when I wanted to rest my hand on him, he abruptly turned around, causing me to nearly cup his cheek instead. 

Flustered, I pulled away, but Baekhyun moved fast and grabbed my hand. I felt the pulse of energy flow from his hand to mine. Were we connected? 

“I’m not afraid of the dark, noona,” he said quietly, looking at my hand. “But I am dependent on it, and _that_ frightens me,” he confessed so softly. 

I frowned, feeling rather inadequate because I had no idea how to comfort him. “I…I don’t understand,” I muttered in reply, the lights floating gently around us now. “How can you be dependent on darkness? You’re light itself,” I tried to cheer him up, but I doubted that worked. 

“Light shines brightest in the dark,” he said, a wan smile on his face. “The Tree of Life told me that once, I think,” he continued and I could see him digging back into his newfound past. “My heart wavered before I became a guardian. I didn’t know if I was well-suited for the job,” he regaled. “You see, because I work with the power of the light, I often found myself in darkness. It’s not that I purposely sought it out, but the Tree made a point. What use is there for someone like me to shine when there’s no darkness to shine in? For a long time, I thought that it probably meant that deep down inside, I wasn’t made of light, but out of darkness. The kind of darkness found in the Black Imoogi.” 

“Oh, come on, Baekhyun, that’s silly,” I said. “And to dwell in darkness to shine brighter is probably not what the Tree meant to tell you.”

“No, you’re right about that, noona. It was a warning,” he replied soberly. “Those who emit the brightest light…” he murmured, the white orbs around us intensifying in brightness so much I had to squint my eyes. “Cast the greatest shadows,” he said, finally looking at me when all of a sudden all the lights he had summoned went out. Even the daisy behind my ear dispersed and went away. 

I startled at the sudden blackness in front of my eyes and if Baekhyun hadn’t kept hold of my hand I would’ve believed he had left as well. 

“This is why I remembered that I don’t like the dark. I don’t like sleeping in the dark. I’m afraid that if I linger too long it, I might get too comfortable, and I’ll never be able to shine again.” His voice was low and close by, filled with unexpressed emotion.  

“You’re not the black snake, Baekhyun,” I told him with a strong, determined voice, removing my hand from his when my sight got used to the darkness. I lifted his chin so that he could look at me, but he refused to meet my gaze. 

“Well, noona, I’m not a good guardian either. Even when I try to sleep images of the past flash before me, and they all end in darkness.” 

“Baekhyun,” I started, but he cut me off. 

“On the last day in Exo planet, when our home was burning, I was fighting off these - shadows, with Xiumin and Chen. The more I used my light to defeat them, the greater the shadows became. I nearly…” he trailed off and turned his back on me again. “I nearly got my brothers killed,” he stated, almost angrily. I saw him balling his fist to hit the stone railing of the balcony. “With everything that’s happening now, what if my supposed light attracts more darkness? How am I supposed to protect my brothers- protect you, noona?” he sighed. “I’m back to where I started. Not feeling like I’m worthy of calling myself a guardian.” 

It was more than a shock to hear Baekhyun, of all people, talk like this, to hear him say such things- I honestly never expected to hear those words come out of his mouth. The desperation and helplessness in those words, the pain and anger… 

This wasn’t the Baekhyun I knew, and maybe it was selfish of me, but it wasn’t the Baekhyun I wanted to see, because I knew that everything he told me, wasn’t true. And it hurt to see that he believed those words. 

Not knowing what else I could do to comfort him, I moved forward and wrapped my arms around his waist, leaning my head against his back. I could sense him tensing up, startling lightly and stood completely still. 

“Noona?” he asked. 

“You’re an idiot, Byun Baekhyun,” I mumbled into his shirt. “To doubt yourself, to doubt your heart, to even think that darkness stands a chance of consuming you- you’re an idiot,” I said, holding him a bit tighter. “I seem to recall a young man telling his brother how this world is supposed to be filled with opposites, so that a balance can be created. Without light no darkness, but without darkness no light, don’t you remember that?” 

“That’s bravado, noona,” Baekhyun said, still unmoving. “I’m a showman, remember?” he joked weakly. 

“I’m being serious, Baekhyun,” I told him, gripping his shirt angrily. “You’re the brightest member of the pack. Your heart is strong and filled with light. You shine when you’re in the room- how can someone like that be filled with darkness?” 

“But, the Tree said-,”

“Screw the Tree!” I shouted in anger, forcing him to turn around so he could look at me. “I know you. Your brothers know you. When darkness falls, you’re the one everyone looks to first,” I told him firmly. “Yes, light shines brightest in the dark, that’s true. But it wasn’t a warning, it wasn’t the Tree telling you that it meant that you were dependent on the dark or that you were darkness itself! Don’t you get it? The Tree chose you to become its guardian because it knew that you were the person people could rely on when all they saw was darkness. When the light of hope fades, that’s when you shine brightest to remind everyone that hope is never lost.” Baekhyun blinked at me as if it took him some time to process what I was telling him. I chuckled at the puzzled expression on his face and flicked him on the forehead. “ _Babo._ Can’t believe you needed the help of a lowly peasant girl to figure this out,” I added with a smirk which widened when Baekhyun finally granted me a genuine smile. 

“You are a lot of things, Jae-noona. But there’s no way that you’re just a lowly peasant girl,” he commented prodding my forehead with his finger as we laughed quietly. “‘Screw the Tree!’” Baekhyun suddenly imitated me, his voice high-pitched and creaking. I slapped his arm. 

“I do _not_ sound like that!” I protested, but he only chuckled, rubbing his arm. 

“Thank you, noona,” he whispered sincerely and I gave a small nod, scratching my cheek. 

“I didn’t really do anything though,” I shrugged. 

“Well,” Baekhyun mused, his old self slowly coming back, “you acted like a light amidst my darkness,” he wiggled his eyebrows, his smug grin slowly turning into one of utter embarrassment. 

“Wow, I don’t know what that was, but that was beyond cheesy, dude. I don’t think that even Suho would be that cheesy,” I mocked, happy to see that he seemed better now. 

“Omo, I think you’re right, noona,” he cringed, whining dramatically. “Guess it means I do need the sleep after all.”

“We both do, probably,” I said, tugging a strand of hair behind my ear. Baekhyun nodded and then leaned forward a bit. 

“Then why aren’t we moving?” he asked in a whisper and I sighed. His expression stood worried now. “Were you plagued by that memory, noona?” he asked carefully. 

“Sort of,” I replied. “It’s mostly just general bad dreaming, though, about black snakes and fox-like women trying to kill me…I’m lucky like that,” I shrugged, making sure to smile. “But you should definitely go and catch some sleep. Who knows how long you’ve been out here before I found you,” I told him, knowing that I couldn’t go back to sleep with the nightmares still fresh in my mind. 

Baekhyun hummed as he pondered about something. “You know, they say that a little light can keep the nightmares away,” he remarked. 

“Thank you, but I think that sleeping with the lights on won’t do much for me,” I bit my lip. 

“Well then, in that case-how about talking with the lights on?” he suggested with a wink. 

We talked on that balcony, about everything and nothing. I think the both of us purposely steered clear from any topics that related to the black snake, or the problematic situation we were in, in general, which suited me fine to be honest. Nighttime was the time to forget, to not worry about the things that keep us occupied during the day. I honestly don’t know how long we spoke to each other, but Baekhyun was good company. After our talk he was back to being himself, playing around, joking, making me laugh and telling all sorts of crazy stories that he remembered again. He didn’t tell me about how he could mask his scent, by the way, but he promised that one day he’d share the secret with me. Said that ‘a man should keep his mystery to keep the ladies intrigued’… the dork. 

Somewhere along the way, we moved our conversation from the balcony to the couch in the room that led up to the balcony. Honestly, Suho’s mansion was huge. I didn’t know if we were sitting in another living room or guest room, but it was cozy enough. It would’ve been the perfect movie ending if I said that we talked to each other until the sun came up, but that wasn’t the case at all. Despite our relaxing and lively conversation, sleep decided to visit us both. I couldn’t even recall who fell asleep first or how we drifted away. 

All I knew was that I could sleep without fearing the darkness this time. The nightmares didn’t pay me a visit at all. I guess they got scared of the bright light that was watching over me.

_Then again, I’d be running scared too, hearing how loud this particular light could snore…ah, kkaebsong..._  


	92. ~ Call Me, Baby ~

***

_I’m fine. You should know that. I promise you: I am fine._

_I can’t fully explain because nothing will make any sense, and even if I did tell you the truth you wouldn’t believe it, right? It’s okay though, I understand. You don’t have to worry about anything. I have to leave for a while, but I promise I’ll be back soon. Don’t worry, okay? I know it’s hard, but_ **_don’t worry_ ** _._

_I love you so very much. See you soon._

 

Trembling hands took hold of the little note, taking care of it as though it was made of gold. Yoona sat anxiously on the couch in the quiet living room, a sniffing softly as she reread the note again. She never thought that her daughter would go so far to run away from home. She thought everything had been solved, but how could she not have picked up the signals? 

_I’m a bad mother,_ Yoona thought, thinking to all the things Jae had told her about that stupid dagger. Now her only daughter ran away without so much as a hint in the note telling them where she could be. 

_Of course she wouldn’t tell you where she was, Yoona! What point would there have been for her running away then?!_ She thought angrily to herself. Jae was a smart girl, after all. Unfortunately, she was very smart…though it baffled Yoona as to why she would do something so stupid like running away. 

She looked outside for a moment, the grip tightening around the note. With the recent wild and unpredictable weather, who knows how far Jae would have gone. And where would she find food and shelter? This island is small, sure, but the woods were filled with wild animals, wolves especially. Wolves… even though she had never seen one before, she knew that Jae had seen one the first day they had arrived. She gasped in fear as she remembered Ryo telling her that he had an unfortunate encounter with a bunch of wild wolves the other night. He hadn’t spoken to her in detail about it, but she was already thankful that he came out unscathed. But Jae was Jae, her little girl. She didn’t stand a chance against a bunch of wolves! 

_No, think positively, Yoona. She’s probably in town somewhere…_  

Yoona looked at the note in her hand once more. _See you soon…_ what teenage runaway would write her parents a note saying that she’ll see them soon? It didn’t add up. Was she that convinced that the dagger was evil? No, not the dagger, Mr. Yok, apparently… Yoona felt her heart thump as she actually, for the first time, allowed herself to think about the possibility that Jae really was telling her the truth. Why else would she write a note that stated that she would come back? Teenagers who ran away would never write something like that. Heck, their poor parents would be lucky enough if they decided to leave them a note at all. 

Thinking back to what happened this afternoon, Yoona, in her fury and emotion, had thought that Miss Kumiho had blatantly attacked her daughter because Jae had apparently stolen the dagger from E.T. Corp. She thought that this was Miss Kumiho’s way to take justice in her own hands, but what if- just _what if_ it was because she was in league with Mr. Yok, that she was after Jae because she knew too much?

_Oh don’t be ridiculous, Yoona, this isn’t some kind of action movie!_ she scolded herself. She paused, recalling the conversation she had with Jae, a few hours ago. 

_That dagger belongs to him,_ she had told her, and Jae, she looked so determined when she shook her head in protest. _But it doesn’t! He stole this dagger in the first place!_

Yoona put her hand in front of her mouth in genuine fear and disbelief. What if her daughter _did_ know something? What if she ran away because she was in danger somehow? 

Yoona yelped in alarm when the front door opened and her husband came bursting through, running into the living room when he heard her scream. 

“What is it? What happened?!” he exclaimed, looking around to see if he had to start throwing punches. Yoona exhaled in relief, her hand on her chest. 

“N-no, it’s nothing,” she quickly said when Ryo rushed towards her side. “Any news? What did the police say?” 

Ryo sighed in defeat when he heard the question, prompting Yoona to feel even more anxious. 

“I drove around first, hoping that I might find her wandering on the streets, but there was no sign of her,” Ryo started, panic and worry in his eyes. “When I went to the police station-,” he paused and Yoona was about to lose her mind. 

“Ryo?” she urged, wanting him to come out and say whatever he had to say. 

“They ran into problems of their own. The ambulance was there when I arrived. Apparently, Miss Kumiho escaped the prison. A few officers were severely injured and they put mobilized the rest of the men to go look for her. Between the jailbreak and the ongoing investigation at E.T. Corp, they didn’t have anyone else to spare to help,” he sighed helplessly. “Officer Deepak offered to keep an extra eye out for Jae, though, but he told me that since she hasn’t gone missing for long and that she left a note, he couldn’t make the case his priority. They’re focused on finding Miss Kumiho instead.” 

Yoona felt her blood run cold in her veins at the announcement, and she was numb when Ryo pulled her into his arms. She hardly heard him when he whispered consoling words into her ear. 

_Why would that woman escape on the night that Jae decided to run away? Was this just a coincidence? But why would that woman make matters worse for herself, unless she had been adamant to…_

“Her hands,” Yoona breathed in alarm.

“I’m sorry? What did you say, honey?” Ryo asked, looking at Yoona. Her eyes darted towards him in a panic. 

“Her hands were around Jae’s neck. I hadn’t fully realized until now, but why would _that woman_ do something like that?! Why? Even if Jae did steal the dagger, killing her for it is going too far!” she blurted. “And now she escaped? This doesn’t make any sense!” 

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait,” Ryo grabbed Yoona by the shoulders, forcing his wife to look at him. “Did you just say-?! What?! Jae stole the dagger?!” he asked, unable to not be angry. 

Yoona blinked and gasped upon realizing that she hadn’t told her husband about anything Jae had told her. She pulled away from him, her trembling hand covering her mouth again, whilst the other was holding the note close to her chest. She glanced away from her husband, unable to watch how the anger and shock took hold of him. The guilt came then. With everything that Ryo had to deal with, this must be the final straw. 

“I meant to tell you, _we_ meant to tell you,” she started, motioning gently at the note Jae had left them. 

Ryo only sighed, his hands in his hair as he started to pace the room. “Since when did this family revolve around keeping secrets from one another?!” he asked out loud, obvious frustration and rage in his voice. Yoona winced, but kept quiet since she thought that Ryo was in his right to be angry. She should’ve told him sooner. Heck, in retrospect, there were a lot of things she should’ve done sooner. 

“Unbelievable,” Ryo muttered. “Unbelievable!” he exclaimed. “This has to be the worst day of my life!” he uttered in disbelief. “I wake up to the news that the company I run was broken into. Then I find out that my employees are hiding something from me and when I attempt to follow one of them, it leads me to confusion and chaos! Then I find that my wife has knocked out said employee after having a fight with our daughter and suddenly, for absolutely unknown reasons our daughter runs away from home?! And after looking like crazy for her on the streets by myself, not being able to count on the help of the local police because this damned island is too damn small to handle more than two cases, I have to find out from my wife that it was _my_ _own_ _daughter_ that broke into the company I work for?!” Ryo exclaimed, kicking the coffee table in anger. “What’s going on, Yoona?! Tell me!”

“I don’t know!” she replied, raising her voice in desperation as well. She was angry too, she was scared as he was, but she didn’t know. She was at a loss. “I don’t know, Ryo! My baby girl is somewhere out in the streets by herself and I was probably the one that pushed her out the door, and I don’t know! I don’t know what’s going on or why this is happening to us!” she screamed, sinking to her knees as she tried to hold back her tears, but angrily failed in doing so. She clung to the note she held onto as Ryo had to watch his wife break down in front of him, his heart breaking as well. Putting aside his own frustrations and anger, he quickly moved towards her, gently cradling her in his arms. 

“I’m sorry, baby,” he started, calming himself down in the process as well. “I’m sorry. I just want to try to understand what’s going on, why everything has gone this far and how it’s possible that I didn’t even realize-,” he cut himself off, sitting beside Yoona. “I want to find Jae,” he muttered. “Screw everything else. I want to find my daughter, and if Miss Kumiho really escaped…” 

“What if she’s going after Jae, Ryo?” Yoona spoke in alarm. 

“I won’t let that woman go near her, and neither will the police where they’re concerned. They’re looking for that woman as we speak. We have to have a little faith and hope they find her first before she can even find Jae,” his stomach twisted into a knot as he heard his own words leave his mouth, but what else could he do? This was the reality right now. They had to deal with it. 

“I don’t suppose Jae called or left a message?” he then tried, rubbing his thumb over Yoona’s arm as he had his own draped protectively over her shoulders. His wife shook her head. 

“I left plenty of messages to her, though. I think she turned her cellphone off,” she explained, looking at the note again. 

“Yeah, she’d do that. Our baby is smart- I blame you for that,” he attempted to joke, but Yoona only let out a weak chuckle. 

“Where is she, Ryo? I want my baby back,” she then said, her voice frail as she still held the note in her hands. 

“It’s okay, sweetheart. I’m sure she’s fine somewhere. We’ll find her soon enough.” 

Neither of them spoke for a while, as if they both weren’t convinced by the words uttered mere seconds ago. Ryo looked at the note his wife was holding. 

“Can I see that a moment?” he asked gently, Yoona nodding as she carefully handed the piece of paper at him. 

“It doesn’t make sense,” she sniffed softly. “If she wanted to really run away, then why did she write that she was going to see us soon again?” 

Ryo frowned at the contradiction, realizing that what Yoona said had a point. Jae wouldn’t run away from home. It wasn’t him being arrogant or boasting about being good parents, it was simply the truth. Jae would never run away- _unless she had a reason._

He reread the note and then flipped the piece of paper around, in hopes for a hint. He halted when he saw that the back of the paper was filled with drawings. Blinking, he studied them carefully, Yoona looking up as well as she noticed the drawings for the first time. His heart nearly stopped as he looked at them, sitting up straight. 

“What is it?” Yoona asked, having noticed the sudden change in her husband’s behavior. 

“You said that Jae stole the dagger?” he asked her and she swallowed, sighing softly. 

“I’m really sorry about that, I did mean to tell you-,” she started apologizing, but Ryo cut her off. 

“No, that’s not what I mean,” he stated breathlessly, motioning at the drawing. “Did she tell you that she took it?” Yoona nodded. “Did she tell you why?” he then asked. 

His wife blinked in confusion, but was too slow to answer as Ryo got to his feet. “You found this note on her desk?” he asked. 

“Yes. I nearly didn’t find it, the place was cluttered with a bunch of papers- why? What are you thinking about?” she questioned. 

“Just a crazy hunch,” Ryo mused, biting his lip. Yoona always felt annoyed when he got like this. Jae was like him in this aspect, never just sharing what he thought or figured out, always thinking to himself first before saying anything. 

“Ryo?” she called when her husband ran up the stairs without a word. Yoona quickly followed, surprised to see him barge into Jae’s room. 

“What are you doing? What are you looking for?” she asked, watching her husband open the drawers of the desk, looking at the rows of books on the shelves and finally going through the notes on the desk itself. “Ryo, talk to me,” she demanded. 

He finally stopped moving when he found what he was looking for. “Oh my God,” he muttered, looking at his wife as he held up the drawings and the notes Jae had written down. “How did she even know?” he continued as Yoona was at a loss. She stared at the drawings of a dagger, of wolves and strange, cryptic scribbles that didn’t make any sense to her. Miss Kumiho was mentioned in them as well, along side something called _EXO_ and mentions of a _ghost wolf…_ Yoona frowned in concern when she picked up a drawing of a gigantic tree, captioned with _Tree of Life?_ _Black vs. Light?_ followed by a series of question marks. 

“What do these mean?” she asked her husband as Ryo was meticulously going through all the notes. 

“I don’t know,” he replied absently, eyes scanning each page. “But it might  give us some answers…”

“Answers to what?” Yoona grew impatient. “That our daughter has lost her mind?” 

Ryo picked up the drawing of the dagger, along with the one that had the tree on it and put them side by side. “No,” he denied. “But I may lose mine…” 

“Ryo, if you know something,” Yoona started. He turned to her then while reaching into his pocket to produce his phone. 

“I need you to tell me what you and Jae were talking about when you fought, after that woman came in to attack her. Tell me everything, Yoona,” he told her. She nodded as she watched him send a message to Jae. 

“Why are you doing that? She won’t read it,” she told him. 

“She might. Now, tell me everything,” he asked, gathering Jae’s notes, looking surprisingly calm. And so, Yoona told her husband everything, hoping in her heart that her daughter would come back soon. So she can ask her for forgiveness.  


	93. ~ My Answer? ~

***

_“Jae, I’m sorry.”_

_Mom?_

_“You shouldn’t say that. It’s not your fault, love.”_

_Dad? Where are you?_

_“We’ve tried so hard, and nothing worked…”_

_“That’s why we’re here, to ask. Ask and you shall receive. Don’t lose hope yet.”_

_“We’ve come here every day. I don’t think anyone is listening.”_

_“Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure of that,” Dad was smiling at me. “Right?” he winked._

_Dad… Wait!_

 

A faint light shimmered through my closed eyelids, stirring me awake. I thought that I would see my parents, the dream being so vivid I thought it real, until all the troubles from my waking life came flooding back and I knew that I wasn’t home. I think it was morning, but the light was dim and gray, the sun was nowhere to be found. It felt cold, but I wasn’t cold. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and moved slightly, only to startle once I realized that there was someone sleeping behind me. Now that I thought about it, I did find it rather odd that a third arm had managed to snake around my waist. 

I calmed down when I remembered that I had fallen asleep on the couch with Baekhyun, though I have to admit that I couldn’t remember us being this close when we fell asleep. This made things rather awkward though, since I had no idea how I could get off the couch without rudely waking him up. I startled a second time when a shadow blocked the faint light, but being stuck in my position, I couldn’ t look behind me. 

“Ah!” I gasped when out of nowhere, Sehun appeared in front of me, a sulking look on his face. 

“Oh, noona, you’re awake,” he whispered quietly. I nodded and blushed when I saw the look of disapproval on his face as he sneered at a sleeping Baekhyun behind me. I was about to explain that this wasn’t how it looked like, when I heard more voices in the room. 

“Yah, what’s this?!” Chen piped up in a whisper. 

“Shh, you’ll wake the little traitor,” Luhan warned, his voice just as soft. 

“Jae-noona, are you okay?” Tao asked as if he pitied me greatly. I shook my head mostly out of embarrassment, trying to bury my face _somewhere_ , which they took the wrong way. 

“Don’t worry, noona, we’ll rescue you,” Sehun said determinedly. 

“Yeah, we’ll teach him a lesson,” Chanyeol rubbed his hands, sparks already flying. 

“No, guys, you misunderstand, I don’t want you to punish him-,” I started, but of course my words fell on deaf ears as I noticed Baekhyun’s arm lifting without him actually doing anything, while Sehun and Chen ushered me from the couch. 

Baekhyun still had his arm up in the air - courtesy of Luhan -, sleeping soundly, murmuring unintelligibly against the cushion. “ _So warm…_ ” he hummed sheepishly.

“Yah! This guy!” Chanyeol shook his head. “Suho-hyung, are you ready?” he asked, as I saw the leader playing around with a ball of water. 

“Oh, really? Guys, come on,” I tried, but they wouldn’t listen. 

I rolled my eyes when they whispered the countdown, but I was surprised to see D.O. step up out of the blue, standing behind the couch so that he could grip the leaning and suddenly flipped Baekhyun off the couch entirely before the boys even made it to one. 

Baekhyun woke up with a start, yelling loudly and flinging his arms as he looked around, bewildered. “Whoa! What the heck?! What happened?! Yah!” he exclaimed loudly as his brothers laughed. 

“Okay, Suho-hyung, your turn. He’s too loud,” D.O. smirked to which Suho shrugged as though it didn’t matter anyway and flung the ball of water at Baekhyun’s face. The yelling became noisier then and even I couldn’t hold back my laughter. 

“Hey! Su-hyung! You trying to drown a guy?! What was all of this for?!” Baekhyun protested, shaking his head wildly while wiping the water from his face. 

“That’s for stealing Jae-noona from us in the middle of the night, hyung!” Sehun piped up, his arm around my shoulder defensively. 

“He didn’t steal me, Sehun,” I remarked flatly. 

“Shh, noona, let us have our fun,” the maknae replied in an urgent whisper. 

“Yeah! Did you think you could win over Jae without a fight?” Kris prompted, sleeking over his fluffy bed hair. 

“Um, okay, first of all I’m not some prize to be stolen or won, thank you very much. And per usual, you guys have it all wrong. We fell asleep while talking last night, that’s all,” I clarified. 

“Exactly! It’s not my fault that Jae-noona likes to cuddle!” Baekhyun added, gratefully accepting the towel Lay had gotten for him. 

“Okay, you’re not helping,” I pointed out, causing him to grin guiltily at me. 

“How did you guys even end up here in the first place?” D.O. then inquired, squeezing into the cushion of the leaning. I briefly exchanged glances with Baekhyun, and it wasn’t difficult to tell that neither of us were willing to share the conversations we had with one another. 

“Well, I had trouble sleeping, so I went out to get some water,” I started, looking to Baekhyun to bail me out of having to lie. 

“Y-yeah, and I just came out of the bathroom so we met half way and got to talking,” he replied, placing the towel around his neck. 

“Talking about what?” Luhan then asked, a smirk on his face. He arched his eyebrows in surprise at me, as if he could sense that I was totally purposely blocking him out no matter what. The look he gave me was one of utter amusement though. It was as if I could almost hear him thinking how fascinating he thought my reaction was. _The bully._

“Everything, nothing- what does it matter? It was a private conversation,” Baekhyun answered resolutely, though the boys probably wouldn’t let the matter go that easily. 

“We got to talking about the dagger,” I added as Baekhyun quickly masked his surprise. “And our next step. But I guess we were both too tired to really discuss it so we fell asleep instead,” I shrugged, pretending to be embarrassed at that fact. At least the guys would leave the matter be then- _I hope._

“Oh…well that’s boring, noona, why would talk about stuff like that in the middle of the night? You should’ve been resting instead,” Sehun told me. 

“Indeed, the both of you should have,” Suho nodded, looking at Baekhyun too. “We don’t know what’s going to happen from now on, but with the black snake out there we need all the rest and energy we can get. We don’t know when we might have to use it,” he added. 

“Wow, way to go, Suho-hyung. Great way to bring the mood down,” Chen commented. 

“Yeah, hyung, we were just joking around,” Chanyeol interjected as Suho confusedly looked around. 

“What? But, but-,”

“Always taking things so seriously and we haven’t even had breakfast yet,” Luhan quipped to mess with him. 

“Too tense,” Kai remarked. 

“And dense,” D.O. commented with a smirk. 

“Wha- but! Hey! I didn’t mean to bring the mood down, but we can’t forget what we’re up against either…” he said with a sulking pout that made us laugh. 

“Ah we know that, hyung! We’re just messing with you,” Tao said comfortingly, slinging his arm around Suho. 

“That’s right, so how about all of us go and get some breakfast and after that you can talk about the end of the world as we know it as much as you want, okay?” Kris suggested as he walked on Suho’s other side, sandwiching him between himself and Tao. 

“Cool, I could use some chicken,” Kai said, walking ahead. 

“Chicken? Who eats chicken for breakfast?” Sehun prompted following his brother. 

“I don’t know, who drinks bubble tea during breakfast?” Kai retorted, much to Sehun’s protest. 

“Yah, bubble tea is tea! Tea is completely normal to drink in the morning!” his voice echoed as they disappeared around the corner. Baekhyun quickly placed his hand on my shoulder, smiling and nodding subtly, before following the others. 

I trailed behind a bit before I decided I could use some food as well. However, as I walked behind them, my hand was suddenly tugged, my mouth covered and I was pulled away to another room before I realized what just happened. 

“Hm?!” I mumbled, looking at a smirking Luhan who placed his finger in front of his mouth to silence me. 

“Follow me,” he whispered, pulling along with him to the opposite direction the boys went to. His hand was wrapped tightly around my own as he took the lead, guiding me through the hallways and rooms of the Kim mansion, until we ended up in what I presumed was some kind of ballroom. _Honestly, how rich are Suho’s parents?_

The room had mirror walls on one side, giving the illusion that it was much larger than it really was. Three great chandeliers hung from the tall ceilings and the enormous windows allowed the light of day to come flooding in, except since it was gray outside, the whole room seemed to be bathing in dim, gloomy light. 

Still, I suppose it didn’t take away the grandeur and beauty of the room, though I wondered why Luhan took me here in the first place. I looked at him when he opened a glass door, which I had initially mistaken for another window and the cool morning breeze wafted in. 

Luhan looked up to the sky, but said nothing and just stood there in front of the door. 

“Um, so…” I started, but Luhan didn’t even look at me. _What? Rude much?_ “Is there a particular reason why you dragged me all the way here so I would miss breakfast?” I asked. Since the ballroom was so big, my quiet voice still bounced from the walls in whispered echoes. 

“Sorry,” he suddenly apologized. “I didn’t mean to be so dramatic, but there was something I wanted to ask you in private,” he said. 

I narrowed my eyes at him, putting my hands on my hips. “If you want to know what Baekhyun and I were talking about I’m not telling- and _no_ , you do _not_ get permission to enter my head,” I told him derisively, but this only made him chuckle. 

“No worries, Jae, that’s not why I brought you here for,” Luhan assured, running his fingers through his messy hair. He was wearing loose sweats and a t-shirt, the sight so casual and comfortable, it felt strange to have to realize that I looked the same way, sans the morning gloriousness that he radiated with ease. Honestly, I don’t think these dudes ever had a bad hair day in their lives. It was a stupid time to become self-conscious but I couldn’t help but check up on my shaggy appearance in the many mirrors and desperately tried to smooth over my hair when I saw it looked like tangled tumbleweed. 

“Why did you bring me here, then?” I asked, casually trying to unknot my hair. 

Luhan looked serious then when he gazed at me, lifting his hand, extending it to me. “Come here,” his voice beckoned from all around the empty ballroom. 

“Is there something wrong?” I asked him, taking small steps. 

“Just come over here. Hurry, before the others realize that we’re missing,” he urged, waving his hand at me. 

I quickly joined him and Luhan immediately directed me towards the opened doors as he stood behind me. 

“I want- no, I _need_ to ask you something,” he said, his hands on my shoulders. 

I frowned a little. “Okay…” I murmured, wondering why he was acting so weird. I turned around to ask him, but Luhan prompted turned me back to face the doorway that led to another stone balcony. It was large enough for more people to dance here too, in case the ballroom wasn’t enough. 

“Answer me immediately,” he whispered, his breath tickling my skin. “Without thinking, you have to answer my question. Can you do that?” 

“Luhan, what’s this about?” I asked, starting to feel a little agitated. Why did he insist on playing these silly games?

“No, no, no, Jae. Without thinking. Can you answer me immediately? You have to react, you don’t get room to think about the answer, you just have to say it,” he persisted. “Can you do that?” 

“Yes,” I sighed, playing along, hoping that he would make a point. 

“Good. Alright then, let’s start off easy-,”

I grunted. “I thought you said there was something that you _needed_ to ask me? Why don’t you just ask?” I interrupted, but he squeezed my shoulders in warning. 

“Jae,” he called out. “Focus,” he said. “I have a point, I promise.” When Luhan heard me sigh again, he chuckled before he continued. 

“What color is the sky right now?” 

“Gray.”

“And the forest?” 

“Green.”

“Whose house are we staying in?”

“Suho’s.”

“What did you dream about last night?” 

“My parents.” It wasn’t the only dream I had, of course, but it was the last dream I had before waking up. I felt Luhan gently squeeze my shoulders. 

“Who did you talk to last night?”

“Baekhyun.”

“Who did you see first when you woke up?”

“Sehun.”

“Do you trust Mr. Tabi?” 

“Yes.” That was a really fast answer. Did I really trust him?

“Do you trust us?”

“Yes, of course!”

“Then, out of all twelve of us, who do you like the most?”

I startled, feeling all the blood rush towards my head I was sure I was gonna burst. 

“What kind of question is that?!” I protested, but Luhan laughed. 

“Damn. Well, it was worth a shot,” he said, but something in his voice nearly sounded regretful. What was he playing at?

I pulled away from his grip so I could turn around to face him. Doing my best to ignore how impossibly gorgeous he looked in the gray light of the morning, with a dust of red covering his cheeks, I confronted him. 

“Look, I don’t know what you’re playing at, Luhan, but if this is some kind of game-,”

“It’s not, not really. I’m sorry,” he interrupted, apologizing sincerely. “Just tried to lighten up the mood a bit before I got to the really serious stuff.” 

I didn’t need to be a mindreader like him to see that there was something troubling him then. Luhan’s eyebrows were furrowed, and there was concern gleaming in his doe-eyes. 

“Luhan, what is it?” I asked, and he sighed, turning me back around to face the balcony outside. 

“Look up to the sky and tell me what you see,” he answered, but this had me sigh in exasperation. 

“Is this another game?” I asked, voice flat. 

“No games, I promise,” he assured. “Just tell me, what do you see?” Luhan sounded serious enough in my opinion, so I relaxed a bit and looked at the gray sky. I let my eyes wander over the dark clouds, squinting now and again, wondering what he wanted me to say. When I lifted my shoulders in question, I shook my head. 

“All I see is gray skies. The weather is dreary, so what?” I told him, but Luhan shook his head, standing beside me. 

“No, Jae, look again. Look at the light, anything you notice?” he persisted. 

“Wouldn’t it be easier if you just told me, Lu?” I asked, losing my patience. I was starting to get hungry…

I was met by the most sinful puppy dog look known to mankind and I groaned in defeat. “Fine!” I huffed, looking at the stupid gray sky and the stupid gray light of morning on this stupidly dreary day- hold on. I watched the clouds moving to the will and whims of the cool wind, saw how parts of the cloud dispersed to reveal the blue skies hiding behind them. That is, I had expected them to be a clear, bright morning blue, but was rather stumped to see that wasn’t the case at all. The sky was a lighter gray than the clouds moving in front of it, and the little light that spilled through the wisps of billows was not a bright yellow or warm orange of color. The rays were pallid and cold, like the light of- _but that wasn’t possible, was it?_

Luhan was watching me while I inspected the strange skies and when he saw my face crunch up with confusion, he took it as his cue to finally elaborate. 

“I had the same expression on my face when I woke up this morning to look outside. I haven’t told the others yet, but I wanted to confirm it with you first,” he said as I met his gaze. 

“With me? Why?”

Luhan sighed again, his lips twisted in a wan smile. His body language signaled hesitation before he gave in. 

“I had a dream last night,” he started, “Well, I thought it was a dream, but it could’ve been a vision. You were in it, Jae. You were standing on the stone platform back in the woods, you know, our usual spot? Anyway, you were looking up at the moon. I had never seen it so big and so close before…You held the dagger in your hand and asked me what I thought of the sky. When I told you that I didn’t know what you meant, you smiled and whispered something,” he explained nearly breathlessly. 

“You said that one can tell when the time for the earth is over. The sky would be the first to crumble. When I woke up, the first thing I did was look out the window and I saw what you just saw. Don’t even get me started when I looked over to the bed to see that you were gone- that really scared me for a moment,” he muttered softly, looking embarrassed and sad at the same time. 

“It was just a dream, Lu,” I tried to console him. He blinked at me and I still can’t get over the intensity of his gaze. It still had the ability to unnerve me, but not necessarily in a bad way. 

“Was it?” he asked with the vulnerability of a child. “Look at the sky, Jae,” he emphasized. “The sun never rose this morning. The light we see here comes from the moon. It’s the same light I saw in my dream. I don’t think we have much time left, and Jae-,” Luhan took my hands in his. “I don’t know why, but I’ve got a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach that goes up to tighten my chest- I’m worried, I’m-,” he abruptly stopped talking as though he divulged something he didn’t mean to. He looked at my hands, intertwining our fingers. “I’m scared something might happen to you,” he confessed so quietly it seemed all the world had fallen still. He looked uncomfortable having to say those words out loud, a distinct frown on his face. 

Was he expecting me to comfort him? Should I tell him that he shouldn’t worry when we both knew full well that there were many things to worry about? _Still_ …

He looked so upset. Dreams could do that to a person I suppose, and his in particular was admittedly nerve wracking. Considering his abilities, there was no reason to suspect the dream of being false. The frightening notion that the sun had never risen this morning was enough proof of that, but somewhere it hurt to see that even something so disturbing wasn’t the first thing Luhan was worried about. 

He gripped my hands tighter as though he was conveying that he didn’t want to let them go. 

“Luhan,” I started, but how should I continue?

“Jae,” he interrupted. “Do you really think Mr. Tabi has the answer to help us?” he asked. 

“He seems to know what he was talking about and it looked like he was puzzling the pieces together. He said he knew what to do, but I don’t know how long it would take him,” I saw Mr. Tabi’s face again, how determined he had been, how comforting it felt that there was someone that actually took me seriously, someone who believed me. “You’ve known him for years, right? Do you think I’ve made a mistake trusting him?” I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to know the answer but I also felt that if there was only one of them that said that they weren’t sure about Mr. Tabi, then I’d think twice before accepting his help as well. 

“Mr. Tabi is probably the coolest teacher we have at the school,” Luhan smirked. “Not only that, he’s a good guy. I think so at least. I never really needed to read his mind since he’s the kind of guy who just says whatever he thinks of. So, if he says that he’s willing to help, I suppose I see no reason to suspect him,” he said thoughtfully and then nodded. “I just hope he really has the answers we need.” 

I nodded in agreement while looking at our hands. I was trying to see which finger belong to which hand. When I looked up again, Luhan’s gaze was absent. 

“That’s not the only thing you wanted to ask, is it?” I stated, rather than asked. 

Luhan grimaced in reply. “That uneasy feeling hasn’t left since I had that dream. That’s why I just have to ask you if you know- _truly_ \- what you’re getting yourself into. I mean, I’m a guardian first and foremost so I have to worry about these things. I’ve been thinking lately, and no matter what happens next you can bet it’ll be dangerous. I guess what I’m trying to say is that you’ve sacrificed so much already, Jae, you’ve already done so much. I know that none of us will think less of you if you decided that this point was where you draw the line. I don’t have to tell you that running away from home is a pretty big deal,” he explained, sincerity and gentility dripping from his every word. I could tell that he would prefer me to sit this one out and even though I appreciated his concern, it wasn’t what I wanted to do. I squeezed into his hands a bit, giving him the best smile I could offer in the morning. 

“Thank you, Lu, but my answer is clear. I’ve made up my mind. I know full well of the possible dangers we might face, but I’m willing to challenge them beside all of you. I’m not going anywhere.” I assured him, but Luhan seemed torn by the answer I gave him. 

“Do you really know of the possible dangers, Jae? Keep in mind that you haven’t woken up yet, like the ghost wolf told you to. We don’t know what might happen once you do, we- _I_ \- wouldn’t know what to do if something happened to you. That bad feeling-,” 

“Is just a feeling. Come on, Lu, with you guys as guardians what could happen to me?” I interrupted. 

“You could die,” he whispered with trembling voice. “You apparently died in the past, what if- what if it happens again? What if you waking up actually means that you have to-,” he couldn’t finish the sentence and, granted, I was a bit shocked myself as it never really occurred to me that I could die _again_. Guess that was an effect of having escaped death one too many times. Then again, I really did have complete faith in the boys. They’d protect me and I’d try to do my best to protect them. 

“The past is in the past, Luhan. This is the here and now. Things’ll be different this time, you’ll see. We’ll find a way to win this time, without casualties. I won’t grant Mr. Yok his sick pleasure of hurting more people,” I told him and then smiled at him again. “Now will you stop worrying and be a little more positive? You give Suho a hard time or being Mr. Doom and Gloom, but you’re worse than he is!” I cheered him up, finally getting a chuckle out of him. _Hey, it was better than nothing!_

“Ouch, that was below the belt, Jae,” he quipped, the playfulness returning in his eyes. “So…do we hug this out?” he scraped his throat, obviously feeling awkward about how to proceed. I punched him lightly on the arm which startled him before I leaned in for a quick hug. 

“You’re a dork,” I muttered into his shoulder. 

When we pulled away, a soft smile lingered on Luhan’s lips when he suddenly blinked in bewilderment. “Oh no! I forgot to ask one more thing during our lightning round!” 

I shook my head in amusement. “Well, then ask me now and get it over with,” I sighed deeply. 

He smirked and made sure to hold my gaze when he asked, surprisingly softly, “When we’ve played hero and saved the world from certain destruction and all that- who are you going to take with you to the Homecoming Dance?”

I arched my eyebrows at him, feeling the blood rush to my cheeks again. His provocative stare helped keep my mind sharp though so I wasn’t going to be thrown off my feet that easily. 

“Well, guess we’ll find out after we’re done saving the world,” _Ha! Take that, Mr. Smartypants!_ I grinned. Luhan chuckled, admitting defeat when he became serious once more. 

“It’s not Minho, is it?” he asked, looking bothered. 

I shook my head in confusion. “What do you guys have against Minho?” I muttered as Luhan seemed to struggle to find an answer. I was about to tell the doofus not to trip over his own tongue when something shifted in the air. 

Even though I more or less anticipated it, I still jumped and gave a soft shriek when Kai appeared out of thin air. The swirls of black smoke still twirled towards the ceiling before they thinned out and dispersed. 

“Sheesh, here you are! I’ve been looking for you two everywhere,” he panted, appraising us for a moment. “What the heck are you doing here?”

“Uh, we-,”

“Um, yeah we were just- eh…”

Kai rolled his eyes. “Never mind, I don’t need to know,” he cut us off. “Here, come with me. You guys gotta see this,” Kai grabbed our shoulders and before either of us could even open our mouths to ask what was going on, we already disappeared into the black mist. 


	94. ~ When White Skies Turn Red... ~

***

_We interrupt this scheduled programming to bring you a series of special reports._

_The recent earthquakes have left thousands of people homeless in many parts of Asia and North America. Search parties continue to locate missing people in the rubble, though with the current death toll set at 3241, that number is expected to increase in well over the ten thousand. Scientists are still unable to explain the sudden eruption of these earthquakes, though the possibility of severe aftershocks are to be expected and closely monitored._

_Meteorologists have further researched into the additional unpredictable weather occurrences surrounding the devastating earthquakes, though it remains unclear whether the natural phenomena are correlated._

_Several volcanoes thought to be inactive, have suddenly erupted in several islands in the Indonesian archipelago. No reports have been confirmed regarding casualties._

_Further up north, greater parts of China and Russia are camping with massive snow and thunderstorms. Many people have been driven out of their homes and have sought shelter in government-issued bunkers for safety. People are in need of provisions due to the severity of the storms, however, vehicles have immense trouble reaching the affected areas. A no-fly zone has been set up over both continents._

_In further news, Europe is battling with rainstorms and severe flooding, while northern parts of Africa and the Middle East are dealing with what has been dubbed the worst heatwave ever recorded in the last thousand years. The massive drought has ruined farmers’ crops everywhere and massive fear for shortage of food and water supplies have been reported. In addition, animals kept in zoos and safaris have been acting strange since the natural mayhem started. One incident reports two zookeepers being attacked out of the blue by a den of lions in Brazil. The men have unfortunately passed away due to their injuries._

_In other news- here’s a headline I’d never thought I’d say out loud - the sun appears to be missing. Experts and officials are left dumbfounded to wake up to the light of the moon beaming down in large parts of the Pacific, as the warm rays of the sun remain hidden. Officials state, however, that there appears to be no reason for alarm. Scientists have explained that the strange phenomena could be the result of a rare eclipse, occurring only every 1200 years, allowing the moon to not only completely block out the sun, but absorbs most of its light entirely, resulting in a ‘morning moon’. Could this lunar madness truly be the cause of the recent weather phenomena? Or has Armageddon finally caught up with us? More updates on this in later news._

_In local news, inhabitants of Ookami Shinro are requested to stay in their homes due to the unpredictable and wild weather. Government officials have politely and urgently requested for inhabitants of the island to stay home for their own safety._

_In addition, a BOLO alert has been placed for a certain Miss Kumiho, first name unknown. Miss Kumiho was arrested last night for assault and trespassing. The fugitive escaped the confines of Hanwol PD, injuring six officers who are currently in critical condition. Suspect is deemed dangerous. Police have asked for the vigilance from the citizens of Hanwol. If suspect has been spotted, please notify the police department immediately. Do not engage as suspect is possibly armed._

_We will now continue the scheduled programming. To stay updated check our channel’s website or tune in every hour for more news. Stay safe, everyone. Thank you._

 

It was silent in the room. Even when the broadcast turned back to the initial programming with Spongebob laughing loudly through the speakers, the rest of the room remained quiet. 

I was standing behind the sofa, holding the leaning for support. I was still trembling when I saw the images of the news flash in front of my eyes. Mass destruction, people panicking and desperate, nature going completely out of wonk- and behind it all, evil eyes shone, a black tail rattled. Even now, the grim light outside seemed to have already dimmed more, as if to emphasize to us that we didn’t have much time left.  

On top of that, Miss Kumiho is on the loose… Would she come after me? What if she came back for my parents? _No_ , I shouldn’t think that way. She had been determined when she chased after me. She wanted the dagger, needed it as much as we did. She’d come after it for sure. 

I balled my fist and walked away. 

“Whoa, where are you going, Jae?” asked D.O. gripping my wrist when I walked past him. 

“I need to get the dagger. I’d feel better if it’s in my hand,” I explained, feeling particularly antsy and almost naked without it. “I’ll be right back.” I moved out of the room, but I guess my wolf senses were on high alert as well as I could hear the boys talking after I left. I think they purposely waited until I did, so I wouldn’t get worried. _Bit too late, though…_

I rushed towards the bedroom and flipped the contents of my backpack on the bed. A wave of comfort washed over me when I saw the dagger and quickly took hold of it. The weapon had looked better, to be honest, but the fact that it was in my hand felt like a relief. 

I remembered how painful it was to even be near this thing, in fact, my heart still thumped uneasily with the dagger so close to me, but I didn’t want it out of my sight. 

“I know, I know,” I whispered to it, seeing that the corrosion had spread and it lost a bit of its original shine. “We’re working on it, okay?” 

The green heart on the hilt glowed briefly before it was snuffed out again. I held the weapon to my chest, using my free hand to put my stuff back. I halted when I saw my phone and saved that one to put back into my bag last. 

_Mom. Dad…_ Would they understand? 

I startled myself when I thought about Miss Kumiho, saw how her green eyes lit up before her face shape shifted into something monstrous. 

_Oh my God… she escaped!_ I had already turned my phone on, wanting to check on my parents, but I nearly dropped my phone when it started to vibrate as though it was possessed by the devil. 

48 messages… That wasn’t so bad considering everything that had happened so far, I guess. Still, my thumb hovered hesitatingly over the red dot that was attached to the messenger app. I shouldn’t try to contact them. I shouldn’t read what they sent me. Not because I wanted to torture them or anything, but I knew that I was too weak to resist sending something back or even going back home to see them, endangering them further- especially if _that woman_ was on the loose. 

I swallowed. I could perhaps just click on it, so that they would see that I read the messages even though I hadn’t, but then they would know that I received them, which could tell them that I was alright. It was perhaps the only comfort I could give them at the moment. 

I closed my eyes. _Don’t read the messages, Jae. Just click and close the app again. It’s for their own safety. You have a job to do._ I reminded myself and clicked. The moment I saw the flood of messages rolling in, I quickly shut the app down, but not before I saw the last message my father sent me: 

_I understand. Please, call me, baby._

Putting my phone back into my bag I walked out of the room without looking back. Still, holding the dagger with both hands I couldn’t help but wonder what my dad meant. Understand? What? The note I left him? Or was it a trick on his part to lure me back to the house? 

I couldn’t think too long about it. I didn’t have the luxury to do so right now. This thing in my hand was what was important, as terrible as that may sound. I just had to have faith that my parents will remain safe, and that I can go back home to them once this madness is over. 

When I got back to the living room, the boys had been talking together and looked up as I entered with the dagger. The fact that none of them were eating or drinking anymore added to the grave expressions on their faces. 

“How’s the dagger?” asked Suho, motioning towards the weapon. 

“I think it’s not doing all too well,” I replied, showing them its condition. “As weird as it sounds, I think this thing might actually be sick, or something.” 

“Sick?” Lay asked, approaching me. “Do you think it will work if I try to heal it a bit, Jae-yah?” he then asked, and I had to admit I hadn’t even thought of that before. 

“If you think it might work,” I told him, extending the dagger towards him. Lay wriggled his slender fingers before placing them over the dagger. A soft light appeared from his hands as he continued waving his fingers about. The light was obviously being absorbed by the weapon, but it didn’t seem to do much else. 

Lay clacked his tongue, humming in disappointment. “It seems like dagger-nim can’t be healed by me,” he said. 

“Is that surprising? If it were that easy, we’d never have to go through all of this trouble, hyung,” answered D.O.. 

“So, what are we going to do now?” Sehun questioned, looking around the group. “I mean, if _that woman_ really did escape prison and is now out there somewhere, I don’t think we should stay in one place.” 

“Right. She’ll be after the dagger, so it’s our job to protect it,” Suho muttered, looking at the weapon in my hands. 

“So, we run? Is that the plan?” Kai asked, the skepticism obvious in his voice.

“I don’t see what else we could do,” Suho sighed gravely, turning off the TV. As silence filled the room, I saw the boys’ faces. I exchanged a look with Luhan, who then gazed outside where the light of the supposed moon had dimmed. The light seemed different now, the air heavier. 

“We have to recreate another Tree of Life to restore this world’s balance, right?” I asked then, wondering whether it was just my imagination, or whether the light really did seem redder somehow…

“Maybe we should go to Mr. Tabi. Maybe we could help him to speed things up,” I suggested, I couldn’t think of anything else to do. Waiting around or running away seemed like poor options. What else could we do?

“She has a point, Suho,” Kris started. “Mr. Tabi is a smart guy, he’ll probably know what to do,” he said. “I mean, we can try and run if you want, but that Kumiho lady is going to come after us for sure.”

“She’s on the hunt,” Kai muttered, and I startled to see that his eyes were red. “An animal never gives up on their prey.” 

I tightened the grip around the dagger’s hilt, holding it closer to my body. Just as I wanted to suggest that we call Mr. Tabi, thunder clapped out of nowhere, and the earth shook beneath our feet. 

“Whoa!” I lost my balance and fell, the dagger clattering on the floor beside me. 

“Jae! Are you alright?” Xiumin squatted beside me, as the others were doing their best to keep their balance. 

“D.O.?” asked Kris, but he was met with a clack of the tongue and a scoff. 

“You honestly think this is me?” the youth replied with a loud voice as the thunder rumbled outside. “Right! And that storm is Chen!” D.O.’s sarcasm was obvious as we watched how the grey clouds darkened and split open. I expected to see the white light of the moon spill through the cracks, but the color was definitely red this time. 

The light shone through the windows like something from another world, and my eye caught the shine of the dagger, the beam of the sky giving it an otherworldly glow- an eerie glow. For a brief moment the silver was a fiery red, the heart had turned black and call me crazy, but that really freaked me out. 

I snatched the dagger from the floor to hold it close, relieved to see that it was normal in my hands, but I kept it from the light. We waited until the earthquakes were over, and I waited for the rain to start pouring down, following the thunder- except it never fell. The earthquake and the thunder stopped as abruptly as they started.

“Is everyone alright?” Suho called out, looking around the room. 

“I think so,” Chanyeol was rubbing his head, a painful expression on his face. He was standing near the bookcase, so chances were that he probably got hit on the head by one of the books that lay strewn on the floor. 

“Um, guys? You should see this…” Chen said as he opened the window and looked outside. I tensed up and felt the blood drain from my veins at seeing the moon actually cast a red glow over the dark skies. The clouds from before had thinned and slowly dispersed, as if they had purposely waited until this moment to reveal what they kept hidden from the world all this time. 

“That looks unsettlingly familiar,” Kris murmured, his eyes, even though not the wolf-kind of red, still gleamed a bit crimson, due to looking up at the skies. 

“The sky would be the first to crumble,” Luhan mused in worry. 

I took a step back from the window, but since I was so preoccupied, I got careless while handling the dagger. “Ow!” 

The cut wasn’t deep, luckily, but the blood started streaming before I could even blink. D.O. was the first to hear me yelp and he clacked his tongue at seeing my wound. He held up my hand as gently as possible, partially to prevent the blood dripping everywhere. 

“You have to be more careful, Jae,” he told me and I nodded. 

“Sorry,” I mumbled. 

“Lay-hyung,” D.O. called out, and I smiled apologetically when the healer widened his eyes at seeing the blood and rushed to my side. I watched how he easily healed the wound as D.O. handed me a tissue to wipe the blood. I moved to get rid of the blood on the dagger as well, but there was none there. Not so much as a splatter. The thing must’ve been so sharp and quick it couldn’t even be smeared by my blood. 

My hand still tingled after Lay healed me. There was no pain anymore of course, but I could still vaguely sense the sting of the blade when it cut me. I still felt the cold steel press too tightly against my palm. I checked the dagger again in case it was tainted, but there was nothing there. 

“We’re out of time,” Suho huffed and made a decision. “We need Mr. Tabi. Let’s go find him before Miss Kumiho finds us.”

“We may be a bit too late, hyung,” Tao suddenly said, sticking his nose out the window while taking a deep whiff. “There’s the scent of burned wood in the air. I think she’s close,” his eyes shot towards me in worry and I nearly cut myself on the dagger again. I really should loosen up a bit, but _hello?!_ World is ending and there’s a crazy woman hunting us! 

“Then all the more reason to hurry it up. We leave- _now_!” Suho commanded and I truly hoped that Mr. Tabi knew the answer. 

Running beneath the light of a blood red moon was unsettling. Unnatural. We ran as fast as our human feet allowed us, but I was frightened. While I ran, all I seemed to think about was the fact that we were running away from a beautiful face with hellish green eyes, hoping to keep her behind us. All the while we were running forwards, to the unknown, and even though I really couldn’t afford being pessimistic at this point, all I seemed to see was a pair of evil amber eyes waiting for us on the other side, ready to strangle the life out of us- or maybe just _me_ , considering that Mr. Yok only needed the boys alive somehow to recreate his version of the Tree of Life. 

But I had to have faith that we could stop that. I had to have faith that we could find the answer and create a Tree of our own before the black snake even realizes that we’ve beaten him to the punch. That was the result I hoped for. That was the goal and task the boys had in mind as well. 

It felt like the dagger was burning in my backpack. The idea of it being there probably gave off the sensation that it was becoming warmer and heavier. The dagger may have been affecting nature’s balance but it was obviously being affected itself as well. Even running through the woods like this, like fugitives, like the devil was chasing us - _which is sort of true considering that woman is probably a well known acquaintance of his_ \- the waning and unbalance energy was pressing unto our shoulders like an anvil. It was present all around us, the ground we touched, the branches and plants we accidentally brushed against- heck, even in the air we breathed. 

But, we’ll fix this… I have to believe that we can. I glanced at the palm where my hand was cut open by the dagger before, saw how it was unscathed thanks to Lay’s healing, and balled it into a fist. 

We were going to succeed. I’m going home after this. My biggest problem was going to be me, having to figure out who I was going to take to that dreadful Homecoming Dance, and I wouldn’t have to worry about the world exploding, or crazy green-eyed monster chicks who want my head on a stick. I’d have my normal, mundane life back. 

And that’s worth fighting for. Come what may. _The real trials start now._


	95. ~ ...Soon Approaches The Day of The Dead ~

***

Dee was still shaking even after the earthquake had long ceased. He walked the quiet halls of the research facility, feeling somewhat like a trespasser even though he worked there. 

Everyone had been given the order to go home. No one would be working until everything had settled down, but Dee couldn’t leave it at that. He jumped a little at seeing the reddish light spill on the clean floor of the laboratory of the biotech department and swallowed. Still trembling, he looked at the angry sky, wondering what he was still doing at the company. 

He hadn’t heard anything from Seunghyun, or Mr. Miyano, for that matter. Dee could’ve gone home and try to put all of his work behind him, but he knew better than to wait at home for everything to blow over. He was smack in the middle of everything after all. What was happening to the world right now- _aish,_ Dee thought, _why do I feel guilty?_

Dee fiddled with his phone, wondering if he should call Mr. Miyano and ask what he should do with the dagger-experiments. Then again, he was more inclined to call Seunghyun, as his friend and colleague would probably know what to do now. Should he wait? Should he try and fix things? 

_Ah… When had this job become so difficult?_

When he went to check his phone for messages and looked at the newsfeed, he let out a tiny squeal. 

_Woman escaped prison. Highly dangerous. Suspect is female, of Asian descend, green eyes, black hair. Authorities ask for vigilance from the public. If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of the fugitive, please contact Hanwol PD._

Was it just him, or did someone he knew fit that description eerily well? Dee swallowed and continued his journey to the basement of E.T. Corp. His stomach turned when he thought about how he had kept this secret room from Mr. Miyano, but he had hoped to surprise the boss, to show him that they were close to uncovering the secrets of the dagger. 

When he walked through the hole in the wall and entered the forest simulation, he started up the computer and looked around as the hologram brought the room to life. 

A gentle smile graced his lips as he saw holographic butterflies flit about, saw how rivers streamed beside his feet, how small critters sipped the water. Outside it may be chaos, but in here…this was the future he hoped to see. 

“You shouldn’t be so careless, Dee,” a deep voice boomed from the shadows, startling him half to death. 

Dee turned around to see Seunghyun approach him with a smirk on his face. The younger scientist grasped his chest and let out a deep sigh of relief, rolling his eyes. 

“That wasn’t funny, hyung!” he whined, trying to calm his heartbeat. “When did you get here? I thought you went -,”

“I just got here,” Seunghyun interrupted, though he looked tired, as though he hadn’t been sleeping for a few nights. “You left the door open, that was careless of you,” he scolded again, causing Dee to cringe apologetically. 

“Sorry, I didn’t think anyone else but me would be here. Everyone else were told to go home, so they did,” he quickly explained. “What made you come here, hyung?” he questioned before his eyes widened slightly. “Did you find the dagger?” he asked, excited. 

Seunghyun rubbed the back of his neck, the smirk fading a bit. “Well, you could say that,” he sounded hesitant and Dee wondered why, though he didn’t ask. 

“Did you happen to speak to the boss? What should we do now? Oh, did you see the sky?” he then asked, stringing his questions together without giving Seunghyun the chance to answer them. 

“Calm down, Dee,” the taller scientist said, donning a white lab coat. “We stick to the plan,” he said. “And yes, I’ve seen the sky…” he mused. “I need your help with something. We’re close to cracking this thing, and I think I know what we have to do. Will you help me?” he asked the younger researcher, and of course, Dee was more than happy to oblige. It gave him something to do and it was better than waiting around. 

“Of course, hyung! But, wait- shouldn’t we tell Mr. Miyano? Oh! And did you see the news? What happened to Miss Kumiho?” he asked again as Seunghyun sighed. 

“I-,” he was cut off when the phone rang and Dee blinked as Seunghyun frowned, reaching into his pocket. He kept politely quiet so that his friend could answer his phone. 

“Hello?” 

Dee startled himself when he noticed the alarm on Seunghyun’s face and something changed in the atmosphere. It made him feel uneasy. 

“Mr. Y-Yok, h-hello,” Seunghyun replied rather unsteadily and Dee’s eyes widened to the size of saucers. He panicked at hearing his friend speak to the big boss himself and didn’t know what to do with himself. Why was Mr. Yok calling Seunghyun?! 

“N-no, sir, I wasn’t aware of that… I have no idea where she is, sir- ah, I-I see…” Seunghyun paced about the room and Dee subconsciously mimicked his movements. 

“Y-yes, of course, sir. Right away, sir. But…Well, is it safe to travel at this time, sir? Of course, what was I thinking?” Seunghyun laughed nervously, a sign that Dee knew to interpret as him being frightened. And if Seunghyun was frightened, Dee knew that it was wise for him to be worried as well. 

“Very well, sir. Thank you, sir.” Seunghyun hung up the phone with a deep sigh. 

“Mr. Yok?” Dee questioned and the taller man only looked at him to confirm it. 

“He’s coming,” said Seunghyun gravely and Dee swallowed deeply, his mouth dry like sandpaper. 

“You seem nervous about that,” he noted, though he fully understood why his friend looked worried. 

“Wouldn’t you? Ah, I thought I had more time- this is not good…” Seunghyun muttered to himself, but Dee was lost this time. As he was about to ask his friend what he meant, the phone rang again. Seunghyun seemed surprised again this time, but seemed a bit more relaxed when he answered. 

“D.O.? Did you pocket-dial me by accident, kid?” he said lightheartedly and Dee understood this to be one of his students. He didn’t know how he could sometimes forget that Seunghyun was a part-time teacher at the  local high school. His students must be fond of him, and he of them if they had each other’s number. The young scientist bit his lip pondering about this and focused his attention on the holographic Tree that grew from the deep abyss. He tried not to listen as he had before, but he couldn’t help but be curious. 

“What do you mean?” he heard Seunghyun say. “Yes, I spoke to her, I understand the situation you’re all in is no laughing matter- wait, what?” 

Dee frowned a little, fidgeting with his lab coat. His palms were sweaty. 

“ _Who_ is chasing you? D.O., if you guys are in some kind of trouble- oh? I-I see…but it’s dangerous, too risky- of course I can help you!” Seunghyun raised his voice in worry and Dee couldn’t help but turn around to look at his friend. _What’s going on?_

“Alright,” Seunghyun then nodded. “I’ll meet you there. Be careful- I mean it!” 

Dee didn’t skip a beat this time once Seunghyun hung up the phone. “Who was that?” he asked, though he knew the answer. 

“A student,” Seunghyun replied. 

“Hyung?” Dee asked, hoping that his friend would explain. 

“It’s a long story, Dee,” he started. “So, I have to ask you…” Seunghyun approached while Dee looked at him, ready to answer whatever his hyung asked. 

“You trust me, don’t you? We’ve known each other for a long time, and I need to know this, because I need to know if I can trust you,” Seunghyun started, which surprised the younger researcher. 

“Of course I trust you, hyung!” he said, feeling a little insulted. “What kind of question is that?” 

Seunghyun chuckled and nodded. “Good. That’s good. And you still wish for the same things I do, regarding this crazy experiment?” he gestured around him. 

Dee looked around as well, his eyes following the holographic birds that flew among the treetops. “Yes, very much.” 

“Then will you help me? The student that just called me, he’s not alone. It’s a long story to explain, but they have the dagger. I need your help to finish the experiment. Will you help me, Dee-yah?” Seunghyun inquired, and even though the shock was evident on Dee’s face when he heard that a group of teens possessed the dagger, he still managed to nod solemnly. 

“Any way I can. But I don’t really follow- why-?”

“It’ll make sense eventually,” Seunghyun smirked. “We can do this,” he said, grabbing Dee’s shoulder in encouragement. “I’ve told the kids to meet me outside of the facility. They should be here soon.” 

“You mentioned something about them being chased?” Dee then asked when Seunghyun was about to leave. “Who is chasing them?” 

Seunghyun went quiet then. “We never thought that any of this was going to be easy, was it?” he answered instead, and of course Dee was well aware that his friend was dodging his question, but he still chose not to ask him anything about it. 

“Come on, we gotta get to work,” Seunghyun said, closing down the hologram projections as Dee watched him walk away. He sighed to himself, hesitating a moment. He took a step forward, when, out of nowhere, a butterfly flitted around him. The computer was shut down, but what was this hologram still doing there? 

Dee followed the beautiful, little butterfly with his eyes, trying to see whether it was a computer program or whether it was real. The butterfly flew lazily towards him and landed on his chest, where it vanished. 

“Dee? Come on, time is running out!” Seunghyun shouted after him, prompting him into action. 

“R-right! I’m coming, hyung!” he replied, quickly following his friend’s footsteps, however, even though Seunghyun told him what the plan was and why he wanted to help those kids, it still bothered him that Seunghyun never seemed to tell them that Mr. Yok was coming as well. Had he forgotten? Shouldn’t they worry about that first and foremost? 

He turned his head to look over his shoulder. He blinked when he thought his eyes deceived him again when he saw the projection of a white wolf watching him briefly from the trees before disappearing as well. 

***

“I don’t feel so good,” Sehun panted as he caught his breath, leaning against a great oak. 

“Yeah, is it just me or does everything we do seem to take more effort?” Baekhyun added nearly breathlessly as he held on to his sides before bending over to lean on his knees. “This is tiring,” he huffed. 

“Think it’s the light that’s affecting us?” asked Kris, motioning at the reddening moon. 

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Suho muttered, panting himself. “Are you okay, Jae? You seem to be keeping up pretty well,” the leader then asked me as I took calm, steady breaths, holding the strap of my bag tighter. We were somewhere in the middle of the forest and the red beams of light gave it a creepy vibe. The boys insisted they take a quick breather, as the strange atmosphere was starting to take its toll on them. I, surprisingly, didn’t seem to be bothered by anything at all. Sure, I was a little tired, but who wouldn’t be after running all this time? The guys seemed to be genuinely struggling, though. Xiumin was sweating and Chanyeol looked like he was about to blow chunks any second now. 

“This isn’t good,” I stated the obvious. “If you guys are in such a poor condition like this already, only by running, what’s gonna happen if we find ourselves face to face with the black snake? Or Miss Kumiho?” I remarked in concern. 

“We won’t let it get that far, Jae,” Luhan breathed. “With help from Mr. Tabi we might be able to recreate another Tree of Life long before the black Imoogi even has the chance to hiss at us.” 

“Don’t take that enemy lightly, Luhan,” I warned him, the image of the black snake coiling around my body still fresh in my memory. I flinched and looked away when I heard the sound of bone snapping in my mind. I swallowed. “Don’t presume that the black snake won’t fight for this. He seems to have been waiting for a really long time to get what he wants, so don’t expect him to be careless.” 

“Jae is right. We have to get ourselves together and be ready for a fight,” D.O. nodded. 

“In this condition? Oh yeah, we’re gonna kick ass for sure,” Chen couldn’t help but be sarcastic and I couldn’t blame him. I’ve never seen the boys in such a condition before. They looked genuinely tired. 

“We should keep moving,” I then said, wincing a little when I saw the looks of fatigue on their faces, their eyes pleading me to give them a little more time. “I know you’re drained, and I’m sorry,” I quickly added. “But, what if this light really _is_ affecting you? What if it drains your energy for whatever reason? The sooner we get inside a building, the sooner all of this might stop,” I told them. 

“I guess it’s worth a shot,” said Suho, peeling himself off the bark of a nearby tree. “The facility isn’t much further,” he said, eyes gleaming red. 

“Mr. Tabi said he’d wait for us in front of the building,” D.O. added again, doing his best not to appear tired, though his shoulders were heaving. 

“About that- we’re _sure_ we can trust him?” Kai asked. 

“I think, at this point, we don’t have much of a choice, Kai,” Suho replied before I could. Kai looked like he wanted to argue, but eventually decided against it.

“You don’t think Mr. Tabi is trustworthy?” I asked carefully, and Kai started pacing about like a wild wolf. 

“It’s not that, noona,” he grunted. “None of this seems to add up. There’s something- it doesn’t feel right. We’re supposed to be guardians, that means something, right? So, how come we don’t know how to fix the world? How come a plain scientist like Mr. Tabi has the answer? Does this make sense to anyone?” 

“Did you forget that our memories haven’t returned in full?” Chen said, still sitting on the ground. “At least, mine aren’t. There’s still bits and pieces missing…” he rubbed his head. 

“Maybe the Tree did tell us what to do with the dagger, but we just-,”

“Forgot?” Kai interrupted Luhan, shaking his head in disbelief. “How could we forget something that important?”

“In all fairness, a lot of memories tied to the Tree are hazy,” Tao mumbled. 

“We should consider ourselves lucky instead, Kai. If Mr. Tabi hadn’t been working on the dagger at all, we may have stood completely clueless and defenseless against the black snake,” Suho tried to reason and Kai nodded slowly, but his eyes signaled how dissatisfied he was with the answer. 

“Let’s get going before anyone can pick up our scent,” the leader then suggested, looking a little replenished now. “In formation, everyone. Let’s go,” he ordered as he dashed off. I took a breath and made sure my backpack was secured before starting to run. 

I nearly yelped when someone tugged my hand and I looked at Lay, who was calmly inspecting the hand I had accidentally cut with the dagger. 

“Um, Lay? What are you doing? We have to move,” I told him, seeing the boys run off ahead of us at great speed.

“Sorry, Jae-yah, I didn’t mean to startle you. It’s just that I noticed something about your hand,” he mused, and I saw the light appear from the palm of his hand. 

“Lay, save your strength. My hand is healed. You healed it before, remember?” I told him, but he seemed a bit flustered. 

“I know, Jae-yah, but this doesn’t look right,” he showed me the palm of my hand, where a faint green scar was etched where the blade had cut me. 

“What the-?” I traced it with a finger, gently checking to see if it hurt, but when I felt no pain, I started rubbing. “It won’t come off,” I murmured, looking at Lay. 

“It’s okay, calm down,” he told me, folding his hands over mine. He closed his eyes and focused as I felt a pleasant warmth spread over my body. He removed his hands the moment he opened his eyes and when I turned my hand to look at the scar, it had faded. 

I frowned. “I don’t get it. What was that?” I wondered out loud to which Lay rubbed my shoulder to ease me. 

“Dagger-nim isn’t a regular weapon, Jae-yah. I think it just took a little extra to heal it a bit more,” he shrugged, gentle smile on his face. 

“Right,” I nodded, closing my hand. “Thank you.” 

“Anytime, Jae-yah,” Lay chirped and I smiled at him. Would nothing get him down? 

“Here,” I put my hand on his chest and concentrated. I could feel his fatigue pressing down on him like an anvil and I focused to relieve that weight. 

Lay sighed in content after I healed him, smiling brightly. “Thank you, Jae-yah, but you should save your energy.” 

I chuckled at this. “Hey, for once I’m the one that’s perfectly fine, you know. You guys are having a hard time keeping up,” I reminded him. “This is the least I can do. I don’t know what might happen, but taking into consideration what happened on Exo planet… if it comes down to a fight, we want the healer to be fully energized and ready,” I told him quietly, plucking imaginary dust from his shirt near the shoulder, just so I wouldn’t have to face that damned dimple beaming at me. I hadn’t meant anything serious when I said that, but Lay seemed to have interpreted in a certain way. 

“No worries, Jae-yah. I won’t let anything bad happen to you! I’ll protect you no matter what- all of us will, even if it means giving up our li-,” 

I put my hand over his mouth so he couldn’t finish that awful, clichéd sentence, though knowing Lay, he probably meant every word of it. “I’m good knowing that we’re in this thing together, okay? But, thank you,” I told him, and he seemed to understand. I happened to look past his shoulder when I removed my hand from his face and startled when I saw something shift between the trees. Lay sensed it as well and turned quickly around, making sure I stayed behind him. 

“You saw that?” I whispered to him. 

Lay hunched a bit as he peered at the woods. “I don’t know. I think I saw something, but- I don’t know,” he muttered, shaking his head. 

We both startled when twigs snapped behind us and Kris had showed up, looking annoyed. “What are the two of you still doing here? Come on, time to go! Hurry up!” he yelled. Lay and I checked the area behind us one more time before following Kris. 

I had ran a few steps forward, when I couldn’t resist looking over my shoulder one more time, just to be sure. The air left my body when I saw green eyes peering through the thickets, my heart thumping as I recognized the ghost wolf. 

“You…what- what are you doing here?” I demanded to know. The wolf, per usual, only glared at me. 

“Jae! What’s keeping you?” Kris shouted from the distance, but I didn’t reply just yet. I kept my eyes fixed on the white animal. Was this a sign? It had said that it lacked the power to help anymore, so what was it doing here? 

I took a step back when it bore its teeth at me, snarling at the red sky. The ghost wolf seemed to accuse me for that. 

“Hey, I’m working on it, alright? The least you could do is help-,” I was silenced when the wolf growled at me before licking its lips. 

_I am helping_. _Never let your guard down_ , was all it said before it sprinted off into the woods. 

“Wait! We- ugh, yes, I can see you are _very_ helpful,” I huffed soon after the creature bolted away. 

“Jae!”

“Jae-yah!” voices called from the distance. 

_Jae_ … _you are preyed upon. Take heed. You will know what to do. Wake up._

The faint scent of burned wood lingered through the air this time, and now my feet weren’t so hesitant to move. I caught a white figure flashing beside me as I ran, though it vanished each time I tried to get a better look. Was the ghost wolf protecting us? Or was he leading us a merry dance? I picked up the pace when I thought I saw calm green eyes turn a fiery red and I ran faster, with the wail of a lonesome wolf accompanying my journey. 


	96. ~ Tick, Tick, Boom, Boom, Bout to– Oh?! ~

***

It was strange seeing how abandoned the roads were, how quiet the woods were. Even when we arrived at E.T. Corp, the feeling of isolation dominated the atmosphere. Usually, cars were parked by the heaps near the building, security guards walked near the gates and employees strutted on the property- but it was silent now. There was no life to be found here, nor anywhere else on the island, I reckon. The warnings of strange weather occurrences and a dangerous fugitive on the loose must’ve been enough for the citizens of Hanwol to stay in the safety of their homes. 

I thought back to my parents one brief moment. I allowed myself that moment of weakness, since I knew I wouldn’t be able to afford it later on. I hope they were okay. I hope they didn’t worry all too much about me. I hope they understood. I frowned a little as I felt my cellphone burn in the pocket of my jeans. Dad said he understood, but what had he meant? I know I shouldn’t worry about that right now. I’m sure it’s nothing… 

“Okay, are we _really_ sure about this?” asked Sehun as we looked at the abandoned research facility. 

“Don’t you start as well,” Suho warned, causing Sehun to shrug. 

“I’m just saying, hyung, if we do this there’s no going back,” he replied, getting hit by Chen and Baekhyun who were flanking him. 

“Yah, what’s with that attitude?! I thought Suho was the drama queen,” Baekhyun prompted. 

“Wasn’t it Tao, though?” Chen stated, chuckling as both leader and the kung fu maknae protested at the accusation. 

“There’s no one here… Are you sure Mr. Tabi said to meet him here, D.O.?” Luhan asked, though I was surprised that he was the one who asked the question. Couldn’t he hear the minds of others in the building? 

“Yeah, he told us to meet him at the entrance,” D.O. replied while scanning the perimeter. 

“What’s going to happen once we get there?” I then asked, feeling nervous. 

“Ah, no worries, Jae-noona. Once we get there, we’ll save the world with help from Mr. Tabi, then we can all go home and I’ll even treat everyone for a celebratory meal at my parents’ restaurant,” said Chanyeol with a bright smile, reassuring me. 

“Score! All the hanwoo barbecue!” Kris exclaimed in excitement. The boys all seemed to get excited at the prospect of a good meal and it occurred to me that even though they were dorks, the Tree couldn’t have picked better guardians. Even at the point of life-threatening danger, they can still laugh and joke around. I wish I had that kind of bravery. 

“Alright. Everyone ready?” Suho then asked, looking at each of us for confirmation. He sent me a reassuring smile when he looked at me and then gave the signal to move forward. I followed swiftly, though when we left the security of the forest, I turned around to see if the white wolf was still following, but there was no sign of that. I was still worried about the scent of burned wood, but then again, it may have just been my imagination. If _that woman_ had truly been on our heels, she would’ve showed up already. But that was no reason, of course, to lower my guard. 

“Wow, it’s so quiet,” Xiumin noticed, the silence around us prompting him to whisper. 

“This place looks like a haunted house,” Chen said, though his mischievous eyes glanced over at Tao, who looked a bit nervous, the way he clung to Sehun’s arm. “Almost like a ghost-infested asylum,” he added with a low, evil laugh as he saw Tao literally shiver. 

“That’s not funny, hyung!” Tao squeaked. 

“Who says I’m joking, Taozi? Look around you…There’s no one here…and in this red light, reminiscent of blood…who knows what else is lurking in the shadows of that haunted laboratory of death?!” Chen continued his relentless teasing, even starting to prod Tao to freak him out more, causing him to whine in protest. 

“Stop it, Chen,” Suho flicked him on the head as Chen chuckled, innocent grin radiating from his face. 

“ _Wae_ , hyung? I was only playing, you know, relieving the tension,” he elaborated sweetly. 

“ _Bringing_ me tension more like!” Tao grumbled, still clinging on a snickering Sehun. Guess their fatigue from earlier on had waned away- _unless_ …

As I studied their faces, their relaxed smiles, the lack of nervousness, I came to realize that this was how they dealt with the task at hand. It’s how they kept their focus. I was honestly amazed at how easily they fell back into the guardian job. I had no problem believing that they were just that. They were gathering strength from each other, not even giving fear the chance to get to them- well, maybe that didn’t quite apply to Tao- but still. 

I chuckled softly myself as Suho was still scolding Chen like a mother would scold her child. 

“So, where is he, hyung?” Kai eventually asked, looking around. 

“He said to meet us at the entrance,” D.O. repeated once more, pointing at the main gate. “I guess that’s where he meant?” 

We walked towards the door and it felt strange to walk up to the front gate of a building we previously had to break in to. Chanyeol waved his hand over the sensor of the door, but it didn’t open. Baekhyun then tried to move the doors manually, but they wouldn’t budge. To be honest, I had expected the alarms to ring off by now. Maybe the security systems have been shut down as well. It really seemed as though there wasn’t a soul around for miles. 

“Are you sure he told you to meet us here, D.O.?” Kris inquired as he cupped his eyes whilst peering through the glass doors. “It looks pretty dark…You think Mr. Tabi set us up?” he asked what we were thinking and I was starting to become really nervous now. 

“No way, he wouldn’t do that,” D.O. stated resolutely, and it wasn’t difficult to see that he had a close bond with the biology teacher. 

“Then where is he, hyung?” Sehun started peering through the glass doors as well. 

“I don’t know, maybe he’s a little late?” D.O. answered, and through his irritation I could recognize a mild sense of panic as well. He checked his phone, but put it away again when he didn’t see any new messages. 

“Try calling him again,” Suho suggested. 

“Wait. Noona,” Kai directed himself at me. “How much does Mr. Tabi know about us exactly?” he questioned as I frowned at him. 

“About us?” I echoed like a confused little parrot. 

“Yes, noona, about us,” Kai confirmed a bit impatiently. “What did you tell him about us? Does he know what we can do?” he then clarified and the lightbulb in my head switched on. 

“Oh! Nothing- that is, I didn’t tell him about the magical wolf stuff. All he knows is that we stole the dagger because we had a hunch that his boss, Mr. Yok, is evil,” I became aware how ridiculous that sounded as I said the words out loud and shook my head. _How in the world did that man manage to believe me?_  

“Then I guess teleporting inside isn’t such a good idea,” Kai mumbled, kicking a few pebbles at the door. 

“Yeah, let’s _not_ do that. We don’t need Mr. Tabi fainting on us while we need him the most,” Baekhyun quipped dryly. 

“I’ll send him a text,” D.O. then mused. 

“Tell him to hurry, hyung,” Kai added, patience obviously wearing thin. He seemed particularly on edge but it appeared that if I asked him what was eating him, it wouldn’t improve his mood much. However, it looked like I wasn’t the only one who thought Kai was behaving particularly antsy. 

“What’s eating your shorts, huh? Mr. Tabi said he’d meet us here. Relax,” tried Baekhyun though he snuck behind the taller Chanyeol, startled, when Kai glared at him with red eyes.  

“Are you serious, hyung?” he exclaimed, nearly raising his voice. I was startled by this sudden change in behavior and I stepped instinctively back. Luhan and Lay were suddenly by my side, their guards up. We watched as Kai sighed in frustration and I briefly suspected the strange light of the skies having something to do with this. Maybe it affected his mood? Or was it simply because he was stressed? _He looks so tense…_

“Of course you’re serious,” Kai then grunted, pacing around. “You think everything is a joke while we’re facing the end of the world as we know it - _again_. I won’t relax this time, hyung. I won’t allow myself to relax,” he said firmly. “I’m not going to take things easy and watch a second home burn to dust. We don’t have time, hyung,” Kai pressed and his plea sounded more desperate than annoyed. “How can all of you even stay so relaxed when there’s obviously something _off_? Have you let your guard down? It’s not safe out here.” 

A cold, spine tingling feeling crept over my body, leaving goosebumps in its wake upon registering Kai’s words. 

“Hey. What’s gotten into you, man?” D.O. looked at his brother in concern while Kai shook his head. 

“Do none of you sense it?” he then asked in utter disbelief. “I want all of us to be inside of this building,” he demanded, but gave no explanation. 

“Kai,” Suho started, but Kai wouldn’t let him finish his sentence. 

“Are you telling that none of you realized that we were being followed?” he announced as the world fell silent. A quick twinge of fear rippled through me and I looked behind me in response, expecting to see signs of someone following us. 

“Are you talking about _that woman_?” Sehun nearly hissed at the mention of that particular person, but his question was met by another grunt of frustration, courtesy of Kai. 

“If it was _her_ I wouldn’t be standing here talking to you, Hun-ah. I would’ve long gone and fight her if she was the one following us,” he growled softly, the guttural sound reverberated through his chest. “This is something _else_ ,” he elaborated, but didn’t speak further. 

“Something else?” I repeated, suddenly thinking about the ghost wolf. Should I tell them that I saw it again? But if that was truly what Kai had sensed, wouldn’t that mean that the ghost wolf wasn’t on our side after all? Cold sweat formed on my brow and my clammy hands trembled when I wiped them discretely on my jeans. It was in that moment that it felt like something shifted in the air and I felt incredibly uneasy. I had moved closer to the door as I looked around the property. The reddish light wasn’t helping in calming me down. I saw shades flash through the trees, dark entities appearing and disappearing in the corner of my eyes. Was my mind playing tricks on me now? 

The boys seemed more alert as well, the way they carefully stood in formation. It was beyond me how they managed to secure me in the middle though. 

“Did you guys hear that?” Chanyeol asked, looking towards the forest. “I thought I heard something.” 

“What did you hear, hyung?” asked Tao in a whisper. 

“The dragging of chains, maybe? Or the tortured wail of a soul in unrest, perhaps?” Chen replied, still able to joke around at a time like this. He was immediately punched in the arm by Tao. 

“Stop it, Chen-hyung, it’s not funny! What if it really is a ghost?!” he freaked out. 

“Both of you stop it!” Suho warned as he stepped forward to look around properly. “There’s nothing here, Kai. Are you sure?” he looked at the stoic youth, but Kai only arched his eyebrow skeptically. He was known as having the strongest instincts in the pack, so there was no reason not to believe him. We jumped nearly simultaneously when there was a distinct rustle of something rushing by coming from the woods on the other side of the building. 

“What the heck was that?” Chen called out, light bolts of lightning buzzing between his fingers. 

“Chen-hyung it stopped being funny ages ago,” Tao accused him, but Chen firmly shook his head. 

“I’m not kidding, Tao, I saw something in the forest just now, I swear!” 

“No, it’s there by the fence!” Chanyeol called out and the wind blew and picked up. I had never felt the breeze so cold before. 

“Stay close, Jae,” said Xiumin, protectively standing in front of me. I startled when I saw the clouds form in the air as I breathed. The temperature had dropped out of the blue, but I still felt extremely warm. _What the hell is going on?_

“Is it just me, or has it become darker?” Baekhyun remarked quietly while he looked up at the sky. 

“The moon turned a darker shade of red,” Luhan murmured, his head snapping towards the forest when a strange pitched noise echoed from it. This wasn’t the ghost wolf that was lurking from those trees. Kai was right. There had been _something_ following us. 

“So, did Mr. Tabi tell you when he’d come to get us, D.O.?” Kris then asked, his voice breaking when he caught sight at a strange entity forming amongst the trees. 

“He’d be down in a sec,” D.O. replied, his eyes fixed on the strange, black masses moving along the shadows. I held in my breath when I first caught sight of it. I thought they were just that; shadows, but now I saw that they moved, saw that they had distinct shapes and sizes, saw that they were watching us back. 

“Do…Do you guys see what I see?” I whispered, feeling the tension in the air as the pack prepared themselves. The silence was pressing and filled with dreadful anticipation. 

“Stay behind us, Jae,” Luhan told me.

“What are we looking at?” I nearly squeaked as I saw the black entities moving towards us. 

“What the hell is keeping Mr. Tabi?” Kai grunted in annoyance, though he looked like he was about ready to start a fight. “If he doesn’t show up soon, I’m teleporting everyone inside,” he announced. 

“And risk him seeing us?” Suho argued. “I don’t think so!” 

“Why not? If he believes Jae-noona about the dagger, why wouldn’t he believe that magic is possible?!” 

“Are you two seriously going to fight while we’re facing- whatever those things are?!” Kris then interrupted them. 

“Those things look familiar,” Chanyeol then mentioned as he glanced at Baekhyun, who nodded soberly. 

“Very familiar,” he nearly sneered as a ball of light illuminated his hand and he threw it at the black creatures near the forest, while I stood there, frozen, watching what they would do. The shadows scattered when the light approached them, save for one. It stood behind a tree, standing its ground when Baekhyun’s attack soared past it. I gasped softly out of terror when the light briefly showed its facial features- or rather, the lack there of. 

It had been a matter of seconds, but it was enough for me to see a pair of pale eyes and rows of sharp, jagged teeth, all etched in a face that seemed to have been made from tar and was still slowly melting. I had never seen something so hideous and frightening before, but as my one memory flashed back into my mind, I knew that wasn’t entirely true. 

Exo planet had been attacked by creatures from the dark. Creatures that were loyal to _him,_ the Black Imoogi. My breath was raspy at the realization, the wisps of small clouds escaping my lips. _How did those things manage to come to Earth?!_

“G-guys,” I started, feeling myself physically shake in fear. I was utterly pathetic compared to how calm and composed the boys were. 

“We know, Jae,” Suho said softly, though determinedly. “Don’t be afraid. They’re not worth the fear.” 

I nodded as I anxiously awaited what would happen next. My heart accelerated when I noticed that the creepy creature had widened and curved its mouth upwards, almost as if it was trying to smile. _CREEPY!_ I shrieked in terror inside my mind, but I couldn’t move. _Courage, Jae. Find your courage._ I thought that if I repeated that sentence over and over again, I might actually start believing that I had a shred of courage left in my body. _Courage, Jae. Damn it woman, find your courage!_ I startled when the creature made a sudden movement, and I nearly ducked behind D.O., who stood closest to me. _Nope! Forget it, you can’t find your courage since it just left through your pants! What the hell is that thing?!_

“Maybe Kai _should_ teleport us inside,” I suggested, but I don’t think anyone heard me. They were too focused on keeping an eye on those _things._ The boys stood at the ready, making sure that they had each other’s backs while the shadows had started moving. I could see their eyes glowing red, their canines elongated and the air vibrating with power.

“How did these things get here?” Baekhyun wondered out loud, obviously disgusted. 

“The Black Imoogi must’ve summoned them,” Suho muttered. “Be on your guard. Protect Jae.” 

“Protect yourselves! If you protect yourselves, then Jae is protected too!” I exclaimed in mild protest since I did _not_ want either of them risking their lives for me when they should be worried about themselves first. I trusted them enough to know that if they managed to stay safe, I would, as a consequence, be alright too. 

“Just leave it to us, noona,” Tao said confidently, the anxious teenage boy from before nowhere to be found. This was Tao the guardian, the young master of Whoop Yo Ass Wushu, not the baby panda that was afraid of ghost stories - and I was thankful for that. 

I rolled my shoulders lightly since it felt like something was tugging at my backpack, but when I quickly looked behind me there was nothing there that could’ve been pulling it. I looked up when the wind had died down all too suddenly and the silence that ensued was deafening. I could tell now that there were distinct shadow figures surrounding us at various points. There were at least a dozen of them, if not more, standing frozen, watching us through pale eyes, set deep and asymmetrically in black, melting faces. 

None of us dared to speak. None of us dared to even breathe too loudly. Just as I thought that this was the closest thing those creatures would do to intimidate us, the shadow, which I thought had tried to smile, widened its mouth and let out a screeching, terrifying shriek that had me beyond startled. In that moment, the shadows moved. They moved _fast_. _Towards us_. 

“I don’t think so!” Lay reacted first, setting up a barrier around us and successfully stopping the first shadow that attempted to attack. The creature bounced back, seemingly burned, and hissed angrily at us. 

“Chanyeol!” I warned, when I noticed one of those things jumping from a tree, over where Chanyeol stood. He looked up in time and a wave of flames incinerated the shadow. Everything moved so quickly. Tao was suddenly fighting two of those things at the same time, being one of the few that didn’t use his magic to fend them off. Blasts of ice shot through the air, freezing hissing shadows- Xiumin never missed one. Bits and pieces of their frozen, misshapen bodies then exploded with a wave of the hand from Luhan. The wind swept the creatures off their feet as lightning and water struck them - a lethal combination that caused a certain kind of fireworks that I really didn’t necessarily needed to see. The earth rumbled, swallowing any approaching shadow whole, before mercilessly closing again, squishing them like bugs.

I watched breathlessly and frozen in fear as shadows were swept from the ground in a cloud of smoke, only to reappear again at great heights, their terrible screeching screams silenced, the moment they splattered onto the concrete. Over towards my left, a large wolf was in combat with a shadow, viciously attacking as it was attacking him. Kris leapt towards the creature, bit into it and soared up into the sky, only to release it again, adopting the same method as Kai. However, amongst the chaos, I somehow managed to notice that these things were mostly afraid of the light. Baekhyun’s pulses of light, his lasers, had the shadows cowering and hissing most evilly. Yet, at the same time, his light attracted the darkness and they swarmed him, hoping to take the greatest threat out. Lay’s secure barrier wouldn’t hold long, as for some reason, the boys’ energy was quickly depleting. 

“Baekhyun!” I called out, but felt so helpless. I wish I could say that everything had slowed down in slow-motion for me, so that I could think clearly and gather my wits about me, but this wasn’t a movie. There was no slowing of time. No second chances. No time for me to just stop and stare. The only thing I could do was watch or react. Not think. Not now. 

I moved forward towards him on instinct, without properly knowing how I could help in any way. I nearly reached him when all of a sudden, there was that tug on my backpack again. I was pulled back and I stumbled, startled at the sheer force of it. Not only did I think my backpack had become heavier, there was something there that was still holding onto it. When I turned around, I was met by a horrid face that had only one eye and a dislocated jaw, causing me to stare into a gaping mouth, filled with rows of razor sharp teeth. 

I screamed. In response, the creature screamed back, but had its filthy claws still around my backpack. “No! Get away!” I shrieked, struggling to get out of its grasp. “Let go, you ugly freak!” I kicked and tried to tear away from it, but it had its claws latched onto my backpack. I could hear the straps tearing. 

“Get off!” I yelled, but as I swung my arm to hit the creature, the straps of my bag tore and it slid over the ground, the contents spilling out. I stood frozen when I heard the clang of the dagger on the concrete and noticed the shadow hissing loudly before moving to grasp it. 

I gasped and quickly reacted, running towards the dagger before this thing could get to it. But who am I, a girl, to catch up with a shadow that slid across the ground like a snake? _Wait_. I watched as I saw how the shadow reached a bony hand towards the dagger and I could feel myself changing. I let out a growl so vicious I nearly startled myself, biting the creature’s hand, trapping it in my clenched jaws. I heard the shadow shrieking when I bit its hand clean off. I jumped towards the dagger, changing back as I held the weapon in my hands. 

I was still growling while the shadow was screaming in pain over the loss of its hand, but as I bore my teeth towards it, my face cringed. As I smacked my lips together I could faintly taste the rotten ooze that leaked out of the hand I had bitten off and my stomach coiled. 

“Ew! Ew, ew, ew, _ew_!” I yelped, spitting out the disgusting goo and throwing out my cool image in the process. “God, that is disgusting! Yuck!” I spat out, wiping my mouth on my sleeve. The shadow had stopped to stare at me a moment, seemingly bewildered before it shrieked furiously again and leapt for the attack. 

“Whoa!” I was knocked back as I tried to fend the shadow off. The creature wasn’t necessarily interested in me, though. It wanted the dagger. 

“Gah!” I struggled, doing my best to use my legs to kick it off me. I was met by more screaming, the shadow using the one hand it had left to try and pry the dagger from my hands. 

“You’re not getting this!” I yelled at it. “You’re not getting this!” I repeated. 

“Noona!” I heard Baekhyun call out, but he was still dealing with a handful of these things by himself. The shadow was grasping for the dagger, wouldn’t even let it out of its sight. As I fought hard to protect it, I saw the blade gleam. 

“Alright,” I breathed, still putting up a fight. “You want this?” I asked, the shadow shrieking horribly in response. “Fine! You can have it!” I firmly grabbed the hilt and shoved the blade into the shadow. 

I crushed my eyes shut as the creature wailed in agony. I peeked only to see the shadow bathe in light while its black body shriveled and it was gone. The heart on the hilt of the dagger pulsated and stilled once more. The brightness of the attack had momentarily paused the ongoing fight around me, but as I was still trying to put the pieces together, the shadows caught sight of the dagger and I saw them approach me in a herd. 

“Jae!” D.O. yelled in alarm, stopping as many as he could, while the boys quickly reacted to help me. 

“Hold on, noona!” Sehun’s tornadoes knocked most shadows out, but they rose as swiftly, still approaching me. 

“Noona, I’m coming!” Baekhyun called out as he was closest to me. 

“Stay back!” I screamed at the shadows as they swarmed me, their eyes on the dagger. I’d be lying if I said that it hadn’t crossed my mind to just throw the weapon away so that they would go after it and leave me alone. However, I wouldn’t allow that to happen. I was the keeper of the dagger, as Chanyeol mentioned before. They weren’t getting this thing without a fight. 

“I said, stay away!” I swung the dagger at them as I was met by more hissing. It became dark in front of my eyes as I was slowly being surrounded by more shadows, more darkness, more grabby, bony hands reaching out towards me. I was scared. I was in panic, but the grip on the hilt of the dagger never weakened. 

“Baekhyun!” I called out, though I doubted that he could hear me over the shadows. As I looked above me, the sky was so red. I wanted to scream as the shadows closed in over me as I hugged the dagger tighter to my chest. “You’re not getting this,” I said, breathing heavily. “Over my dead body!” I yelled, feeling multiple claws scratch my clothing, my skin. 

_Jae-noona, I’m here,_ I heard Baekhyun’s voice in my head. _Don’t be afraid of the dark._ I could feel him then, his presence. I saw the world bathing in a beautiful light, and I wasn’t afraid anymore. Rather, I was angry. What was I doing so helpless on the ground? The moment I saw specks of light coming from my fingertips I knew to whom I was connected to. 

_Thank you, Baekhyunnie,_ I mused. Opening my eyes to look at the shadows. The light floated and grew, and even though it obviously brought fear to them, the shadows relentlessly tried to get the dagger. I panted, feeling overwhelmed by emotions as they stubbornly continued the attack. I felt a sense of power well within me and I think my patience with these horrid things had worn thin. 

The world around me became quiet as I focused on the creatures that were hurting us. “I said…” my voice trembled. “Stay back.” 

A gulf of brilliant light had appeared and swept across the area, going as far as the forest on the other side of the road. The air filled with horrid shrieking that lasted for a good few moments until everything died down. Once my eyes adjusted again after the light waned, the shadows had all gone. 

I panted heavily, looking at my own hands before looking at an out of breath Baekhyun. 

“Oh no, noona,” he shook his head, breathing hard. “Don’t blame me. This was all you,” he remarked with a cheeky grin before giving me a wink. 

“What happened?” I asked, still holding the dagger close. 

“Well,” Baekhyun started. “I’m awesome, so when you connect to me, noona, by default, you become awesome, too. Hence the… _poof_ ,” he gestured, obviously exhausted, but still managed to smile. Knowing that the danger had momentarily passed, I returned the smile. 

“Is everyone alright?” Suho called out, looking tired as well. Seeing the others still standing had me relieved, but before any of us could answer, a loud beep sounded behind us and a pair of doors slid open. 

“Hey, kids! What the hell was that just now? Did you see that light?!” a deep voice exclaimed and I leaned on my knees when I saw Mr. Tabi walking out of the building, a shocked look on his face. Did he only see the light? Didn’t he notice the shadows? 

“Are you guys alright? What- what the heck happened?” he continued, which answered my questions. He walked towards D.O. to check the scratches on his arm before turning his attention to the rest of us. 

“You’ve a weird sense of timing, sir,” D.O. deadpanned though he was smiling out of relief. 

“Did you guys get into a fight, or something?” Mr. Tabi asked, holding Lay by the shoulder as he was obviously exhausted. “Don’t tell me you ran into the police, or anything?”

“That would’ve been a lot easier to deal with,” Chen huffed, sitting on the ground, but immediately put up an innocent smile when Mr. Tabi heard the comment. 

“Can we get inside, please, sir?” Suho then asked politely while Sehun and Tao were helping me put my stuff back in my bag. 

“Uh- y-yeah, okay, of course, come on,” Mr. Tabi muttered, shaking his head a little. He waited for all of us to go inside whilst looking around, just to be sure. I tried to smile as casually as possible when I passed him, but Mr. Tabi must’ve noticed my wounds as well. His eyes then found the dagger in my hands. 

“Ah, you brought it, good, Jae,” he sounded a bit flustered which was odd, but then I imagined that this wasn’t a regular sight to see to begin with, so the poor dude was probably still trying to make sense of it all. 

“You’re gonna have to explain this, I hope all of you realize this,” he then stated, pursing his lips. I then noticed him squinting his eyes at something in the distance, which alarmed me. When I turned around, I felt the shock hit me in the face again. Not all shadows had been vanquished. 

“What the hell is that?” Mr. Tabi mused, intrigued and startled at the same time. I pulled the teacher by the arm. 

“We should go, sir,” I told him, but his curiosity took hold of him as he stepped forward to inspect the creature. 

“You’re seeing this, aren’t you?” he asked. 

“Mr. Tabi, let’s go,” Kai added. 

“In a bit,” Mr. Tabi muttered absently, though I couldn’t imagine what he was thinking. “What _is_ that thing?” 

“Don’t get too close, sir,” Luhan warned him, while I still tugged on his arm so that he wouldn’t actually approach it. For whatever reason the shadow was keeping its distance, but something told me that that wouldn’t last long. The moment the creature hissed, and moved, it was suddenly Mr. Tabi grabbing me to pull me inside the building. 

“Inside, kids, inside!” he ordered. Once we had gathered in the building, the glass doors slid shut while Mr. Tabi inserted a code to keep it that way. I thought for sure that a set of glass doors wouldn’t be able to stop that thing from getting to us, but once it had banged against the glass once, it shrieked again, making us jump back. 

The shadow hissed and looked at us, stopped at Mr. Tabi, hissed once more and suddenly, just like that- it left. 

“So,” Mr. Tabi started slowly, looking at us. “Who’s the one that’s going to explain?” he waited as we exchanged glances. We kept quiet as he watched us, though right now all I could think about was that last shadow. 

_Why did it leave? No…what made it leave?_ I quietly looked at Mr. Tabi as Suho was the one that decided to try and come up with an explanation and I looked down at the dagger in my hands. The air smelled faintly of lupines as I held the weapon closer. 


	97. ~ Let's Play, Boy ~

***

_Let’s just leave it alone, why are you worried?_

_It’s alright, I know your heart._

_It’s alright, show me all your secrets…_

_My heart is covered black - Your heart is burnt white._

_You knew everything from the start and now you’re blaming it all on me?_

_It’s out of your control… isn’t it?_

 

I rubbed the side of my temple as Mr. Tabi led us through the research facility. Suho tried to explain to him what he had seen, but the biology teacher eventually brushed it off since he didn’t want to confuse himself further. He was satisfied knowing that the world was going to crap and that it was up to all of us to fix it. According to him, that was more than enough crazy he could already handle. 

“I should get you guys patched up first,” Mr. Tabi muttered in concern when we stepped into the elevators. “Some of you look really rough,” he noted, lifting Kai’s chin a bit as he inspected the wounds near the side of his face. 

“It’s fine, sir,” Kai promised, moving away. 

“Yeah, it’ll be over in a moment, seonsaeng-nim,” Lay tried subtly, as he was already trying to ever so subtly heal Baekhyun, who was standing behind him. 

“Over in a moment? You guys need medical care, Lay, not just a moment’s rest,” Mr. Tabi chuckled, his eyes then directed towards me. “Though perhaps a breather or two wouldn’t be so bad, huh?” he asked sympathetically while I tried to smile. 

“We do feel better than before, sir,” Suho reassured. “I think the light from outside has some bad effects on people.” 

“Oh man, don’t even get me started on that weird eclipse. I’ve never seen something like that before, I mean that’s a natural phenomenon if any,” Mr. Tabi rambled, his science geek showing for all to see. “The effects it’ll have on - well, everything, really, should be interesting…”

“You’re really into science, aren’t you, Mr. Tabi?” I quipped, arching my eyebrow at him in mild amusement. He chuckled at this, scratching his cheeks. 

“That’s a nice way of saying that I’m a nerd, Jae, thanks,” he retorted with a wink. 

“No, that’s not what I mean, sir. It’s just that most people would freak out when something like this happens, but you just seem to take all of it in stride. Isn’t there anything that scares you?” I clarified. 

“Well, that shadow thing was a surprise,” Mr. Tabi answered truthfully before letting out a deep sigh. “And the end of the world gets me a bit jittery, I must confess,” he tried to joke, but the nervous chuckle that escaped his throat said enough. The elevator doors opened and he walked out, prompting us to follow him. 

“I have to say that I’m not yet done with researching the specifics, but I’ve had some help and I guess that the smartest kids of the local high school being here can be helpful as well,” he told us, opening the door of my father’s office. “I don’t think I need to give you a tour, now do I?” he joked before standing by the door to let us in. 

“We do apologize for the uproar, sir,” Suho then said, guilt painted on his face. “We really didn’t mean to steal anything, but we wouldn’t have unless-,”

“It was important,” Mr. Tabi finished easily. “I know. Jae told me.” 

He opened the door to the hidden laboratory where we found the dagger in the first place and gestured for us to walk in. 

“Psst, you okay, Jae? You’re very quiet,” Kris whispered to me as we were the last two to get inside. “Those shadows didn’t hurt you that much did they?” he added, carefully tugging a stray of hair behind my ear. “Want me to signal Lay?”

“No, I’m okay, thank you,” I assured him, hugging my broken backpack to my chest. The dagger was placed inside of it and I wouldn’t let it out of my sight. 

“You sure?” Kris asked to be safe. 

“A little absent, maybe,” I admitted. “I guess I’ll feel better when we make a Tree of Life before the black snake does,” I then shrugged, though I doubted that was it. Since we got inside of the complex, I’ve been feeling strange. I kept hearing voices in my head which at first I thought it was Luhan channeling through me, but once I realized that it wasn’t him, I tried looking for the source. They were like faint whispers in the air. If I believed in ghosts like Tao, I would say the whole building was haunted, except that the voices seemed to come from one person? Maybe two? 

I’ve been thinking as well. About what Kai had said earlier. The guys, they were guardians, but had to rely on Mr. Tabi to fix the problem. It wasn’t that I was ungrateful for that, but now that he said it, I couldn’t help but ponder about it too. It seemed a bit skewed- didn’t it? And if that solved the problem then… _Why would the ghost wolf go through so much trouble trying to wake me up? Why the heck hadn’t I woken up yet anyway? Was I supposed to look for an alarm clock somewhere? Honestly!_

I suppressed my frustration by focusing on my surroundings again. I noticed then that Kris was still watching me and I sighed. “I’m fine,” I grumbled and blinked when he placed his hand comfortingly on my head. 

“You will be. I promise,” he whispered, smiling. 

“Now, I’ve got some ointment for your scratches, guys. That should soothe the pain at least,” Mr. Tabi said as he walked towards a cabinet in the large laboratory. “Naturally, only look around, no touching- Chen, I’m talking to you,” he remarked while grabbing bandages. Chen feigned being insulted, and as he was about to open his mouth to retort, Mr. Tabi turned towards him. “No protesting, I can hear those gears whirring in that head of yours, kid,” he commented with a smirk, throwing him some disinfectant spray. 

“I’ll help out,” Lay immediately proffered, taking the spray from Chen’s hands. 

“Good man, Lay,” Mr. Tabi answered amicably. 

“Jae said that you can help us out, sir,” Luhan started, watching the teacher closely. Was he trying to read his mind? Based on his expression it didn’t seem like it was working out the way he intended. 

“She did, eh? Well, she wasn’t lying, I think,” Mr. Tabi said with a small smile, grabbing his glasses to clean them. “I’ve been working on it after we met in the woods. We’re close, but-,”

“ _We_? There’s someone else, sir?” asked Kai, suddenly looking on edge now. At that moment, another door opened on the other side of the laboratory. The boys and myself stood straight in response to the sudden arrival of the blonde stranger. Even though we noticed his presence, he seemed rather oblivious to ours, which was impressive,- given the fact that there was over a dozen of us here and only one of him. 

“Seung-hyung! I made the final calculations of the samples you gave me! You would _not_ believe the results of the - oh,” the man’s words trailed off when he finally took note of us, suddenly looking shy and awkward, had he been excited a few seconds ago. He nervously held the glass tablet against his chest as he looked around from behind blonde bangs before settling his gaze at Mr. Tabi. 

“Um, I’m sorry, I had- I had no idea y-you were here, already,” he mumbled shyly. 

“Dee, good timing. I would like you to meet my students. I told you that I would be meeting them, and why,” he turned to us. “Everyone, this is my friend and colleague, the talented Mr. Kang Dee. He works at the biotech department and was chosen by Mr. Miyano to participate in the Yggdrasil project. He’s an excellent scientist and I’ve asked for his help in solving the secrets of the dagger,” he introduced as we gave tentative bows towards the new scientist. He returned them awkwardly, but genuinely. 

“Don’t worry, I wasn’t planning on pressing charges on you guys for stealing the dagger, or anything. Seung- eh, that is, your teacher told me how the dagger might relate to recent happenings in the world right now and they’re plausible hypotheses if any,” he elaborated, sounding just as much as a science geek like Mr. Tabi, albeit a bit more childlike. “I would very much like to help you in any way I’m able,” he added sincerely, and perhaps it was the way Mr. Kang spoke or perhaps it was his good-natured demeanor, but I felt like I could trust him. Then again, trust might be a too big of a word for it, but I thought him sympathetic and genuine. Besides, I didn’t think that anyone who vaguely smelled like gardenias could be so bad. He seemed a bit scatterbrained though, but perhaps that just fitted the whole scientific researcher shtick. 

“You said you found something, Dee?” Mr. Tabi then continued, focusing his attention to his friend. 

“Ah, y-yes, though- well,” he stammered, continuing the conversation with the teacher.

  _Luhan? Is everything okay?_ I asked quietly, since his expression didn’t sit well with me. He looked so troubled and I guess I was still worried about what he told me he saw in his dream. I didn’t want him to be thrown off by a mere vision, of course, but he looked frustrated. I followed his gaze as he looked at Mr. Kang. At first glance, it would seem that he was simply listening to the researcher, but the knitted eyebrows and soft huffs now and then, told me otherwise. 

_You don’t trust Mr. Tabi’s colleague?_ I then asked, to which he glanced at me for a second before casually turning his attention back to Mr. Kang. 

_It’s nothing, Jae. Don’t worry._

Hm. Well. Okay then. Not the answer I was looking for, obviously. The fact that he didn’t give it to me straight was only more reason for me to worry. I didn’t want to let it slide so easily, but the moment I wanted to ask him more, over a dozen pair of eyes were simultaneously looking over at me. 

“Oh- uh, what?” I muttered, dazed. 

“Do you have the dagger, Jae?” Mr. Tabi asked and I blinked before coming into action. 

“Oh! Yes, it’s here,” I dug into my backpack, wincing a little as I rummaged through my stuff.

“Oh dear, what happened to it?” Mr. Kang immediately asked once he laid his eyes on the dagger. He wore gloves when he carefully examined it, but for some reason, I still refused to just hand it over to him. He noticed when my grip on the dagger didn’t loosened up, but didn’t comment. He continued inspecting it, clacking his tongue when his gloved fingertips grazed over the corrosion, shaking his head ruefully. 

“We were right,” he muttered. “We were right, Seung-hyung,” he repeated, looking at Mr. Tabi. “The dagger is connected to the natural energy of the earth, though I still don’t know how-,” he scratched his head before glancing at us, a thoughtful look on his face. 

“It would explain the huge variety of DNA samples,” Mr. Tabi then noted. 

“Something so small, though- I’m not sure if we-,”

“But we have to try!”

They carried on their confusing conversation until Kris cleared his throat. “Sorry, don’t mean to interrupt, but does this mean that you can help us, or are we lost here?” he cut in, the two older men gazing up at the tall teen in bewilderment. 

“We can definitely try, Kris,” Mr. Tabi patted him on the shoulder and directed our attention to a glass screen. “Now, this next part might be a bit confusing , but try and keep up, okay? Now, this dagger is comprised out of a series of different DNA segments belonging to various organisms. Impossible, I know, but here it is,” Mr. Tabi showed us the results of their experiments on the screen, but I couldn’t really follow. Again, science wasn’t my strong suit. 

“We believe that the dagger is losing energy, possibly because the instability of its DNA. Now, perhaps, if there was a way to stabilize it, we can safely secure it to the leylines of the earth and this could produce the endless power source that Mr. Yok wanted to create,” Mr. Tabi explained carefully. 

“The endless power source wouldn’t happen to be a tree, by chance, would it?” Luhan asked and Mr. Tabi snapped his fingers at him in confirmation. 

“Sharp, kid. That’s why they called this Project Yggdrasil. We believed it was the intention of Mr. Miyano to create a Tree of Life of some sorts to benefit this world, but it appears Mr. Yok had different plans,” Mr. Tabi sounded disappointed, but I was focused on Mr. Kang. He pursed his lips and didn’t look up. 

“The only thing left to do is figure out what stabilizes it,” Mr. Tabi then sighed. “We need a little more time,” he said looking at us. 

“Sir, I don’t mean to pressure you, but have you taken a look outside recently?” D.O. started carefully. “We don’t have that much time left.” 

Mr. Tabi chuckled nervously at this. “Now, now, Kyungsoo, I never took you to be so dramatic,” he tried to joke, but once he saw the grave looks on all of our faces, he swallowed and looked at Mr. Kang, who looked to be just as worried now. 

“There’s-,” Mr. Tabi cleared his throat and I nearly felt sorry for the guy when I saw the look of harsh realization on his face. “There’s more to this than one man’s greed, isn’t there?” he asked carefully. 

“Hyung?” Mr. Kang then called in question, his gaze switching between the teacher and us. 

“It’s a really, really, _really_ long story, sir,” said Suho. “But it’s important that we figure this out- fast,” he stressed. 

“Miss Kumiho is after it,” I blurted, visibly startling Mr. Kang. “I don’t know what might happen if she finds out we’re here and takes the dagger back to Mr. Yok.” 

Mr. Tabi took his glasses off, pinching the bridge of his nose for a moment. I can’t begin to imagine what he must be thinking right now. It was difficult for me to straighten out my thoughts myself. I kept thinking about the ghost wolf. Kept thinking about what it said to me. Even now, inside of the laboratory, I could sense its presence, could sense like someone was watching me, watching _us_. 

_Ew, what if this place really is haunted?_

“Alright,” Mr. Tabi breathed. “I need to think,” he crunched his nose and looked at his colleague, who looked a bit panicked as well. “We don’t know what could stabilize the dagger.” 

“We thought that perhaps another source of energy could fuel the dagger, but it seems that it doesn’t bind to the properties of the weapon as it should,” Mr. Kang then added. 

I looked up when Lay had quietly shuffled towards me, spraying disinfectant spray on my arm, whilst hovering his hand over it. My wounds immediately felt better, but when he grabbed my hand again, he pouted a little when he stroked my palm. There it was again. A faint, green line where the blade cut me before. Why wouldn’t it heal?

“So, what you’re saying is that the dagger most likely needs more energy to make up for the energy it’s losing?” Xiumin proffered. 

Mr. Tabi and Mr. Kang nodded simultaneously. 

“And just fusing it with the leylines doesn’t work?” Xiumin asked. 

“Tests indicate a high risk of failure. If we lose that dagger, there’s no way of getting it back. Maybe it could create another Tree, but the energy would be wasted,” Mr. Kang said as he tapped on his glass tablet. “It’s important the dagger gets a particular form of energy. Personally, I believe it may need a living host- or rather, living energy, if that makes any sense.” 

“Ah, but Dee forgets that the dagger also contains properties that we haven’t been able to decipher yet. According to Mr. Miyano, Mr. Yok found this thing when it fell from the sky. It’s obvious it’s not human, maybe the energy it needs is - for lack of a better word - alien,” Mr. Tabi interjected, sighing deeply as he was growing frustrated. 

My eyes shot up towards the guys now, but I tried my best to mask my nervousness. I mean, weren’t the boys- weren’t _we_ sort of kind of alien? Earth wasn’t technically our original home. Exo planet was. 

“So, say that we know what kind of energy it needs,” I started, several heads turning my way. “How would you fix it?” I held up the dagger, its shine having diminished, the heart barely glowing. 

“Well, hypothetically speaking, the dagger would need to fuse with it, absorb it. As it is a living entity, I take it that it has certain properties that we don’t understand quite yet,” Mr. Kang said, carefully looking at the weapon. 

“It’s a weapon, though,” Mr. Tabi mused, staring at the dagger. “Maybe there’s a reason for that,” he said, looking at his colleague. “Let me think a moment,” he then stated as Baekhyun subtly patted Suho’s shoulder. 

“Hyung,” he whispered, “didn’t that Kumiho woman get strands of our hair that night? Do you remember?” he asked. “What if she wanted to get our DNA because of the dagger?”

“That’s possible, but it must’ve been a test,” Suho mused back quietly. 

“Wasn’t it not long after that those weird tornadoes suddenly showed up and died down again?” Sehun recalled as I listened in, all thirteen of us huddling around while we let the two scientists do their own thing. 

“You think it’s connected?” Chen wondered. 

“There had to be a reason why she wanted our hair, right? What if she was trying to find a way to replenish the energy and thought that we were the answer?” D.O. then said. 

“It must’ve not worked the way she wanted, though,” Chanyeol breathed. “She seems to care more for the dagger than us.” 

“Unless the hair alone wasn’t enough,” Suho remarked and I felt a chill run down my spine. 

“Why would you say that? Maybe it really doesn’t have anything to do with you,” I said softly. 

“No, Jae, Suho has a point,” Kris told me. “That night she specifically told us about how Mr. Yok had been paying attention to us. The dude knows about us, long before any of this started.” He rubbed his cheek. “I’d almost forgotten about that. He thought we were important to unlock the dagger somehow.” 

“What if he was wrong, gege?” Tao swallowed. “What if his memories are jumbled too, somehow and he knows just as much as we do?” 

“The only one that would know the answers was the Tree itself,” Luhan replied instead of Kris. “The black snake is searching, because that knowledge was never passed to him.”

“Wait. I’m confused. You’re saying the Tree knows what to do, but how can we find the answer then? We’re supposed to make another Tree, right?” I asked. 

“You’re talking about the voice,” Xiumin looked at his best friend and then heaved a deep sigh. “Then we’ll never know.” 

The boys looked frustrated at this, but I had to ruefully admit that I wasn’t sure what they were talking about. Why was it so difficult to figure this out? Was it really because we’re missing something? Was it really because the answers lay hidden in the memories we still lost? I angrily thought of the ghost wolf, how it was trying to help, but really, didn’t do that much at all. It said, find the heart and you’ll get your answers. Well, here I am, holding onto the so-called heart, but I was none the wiser- _unless_ … 

I looked at the faint green marking on the palm of my hand, literally hearing the cogwheels spinning in my own mind. “Hair doesn’t work. Hair dissolves easily, it’s fragile, it’s not stable, it’s not alive,” I muttered, letting my brain do all the work. I was the daughter of the CEO of a scientific innovation research company for God’s sakes, whether they were my real parents or not, that still counted for something in my book. 

_Come on, brains! I know there’s more to you than social awkwardness and sarcasm!_  

Tracing the line on my hand, I knew that it was a shot in the dark, but it was better than nothing. “What if it needs blood?” I asked out loud, so the scientists would hear as well. 

“Ew, noona, why do you say that?” Tao protested in a whine. 

“No, I mean, Mr. Tabi, you said it yourself. If this thing is alive, then why is it shaped like a dagger? The only thing a dagger is good at is drawing blood. What if that is how it absorbs the living energy of another organism? What if it just needs a bit of blood to, I don’t know, replenish its energy?” I knew how crazy this sounded, but after all the magical wolf business, lost planets and black snakes, I didn’t want to risk making fun of the most insane theories. 

“That is absolutely morbid, Jae,” Mr. Tabi started before glancing at his friend. “But not necessarily unreasonable.” 

“Seung-hyung, you can’t be serious. You want to bathe the dagger in blood?” Mr. Kang asked in disbelief. “If, and I do mean _if_ , we decide to do this, whose blood could we even use? With the unique properties of the dagger, we would need a similar DNA pattern for it to even accept it. There’s nothing in this world that comprises out of various DNA segments! And no, mutants from comic books do _not_ count, hyung,” Mr. Kang chuckled despite the obvious disbelief in his voice, and I suppose he thought we’d all lost our minds. Really, who could blame him? Here was a legitimate scientist, having to listen to a bunch of kids with crazy theories concerning a living dagger. _How is this even reality?_

“What about our blood samples?” Lay suddenly spoke, biting his lip thoughtfully. “Maybe if you put all thirteen of our blood samples into one and have dagger-nim absorb that, perhaps it would be enough to at least prepare it to fuse with the leylines?” 

“Why would you think it’s your blood that could do the trick, Lay?” Mr. Tabi then questioned, though I could tell that he was considering the suggestion. How was Lay going to explain this though? _We’re alien humans with the ability to change into wolves and do magic tricks- you do the math, sir!_ Yeah. He’s totally gonna buy that. 

“We’re young,” it was Sehun that replied instead, shrugging casually. “Don’t they say that the young have endless energy? We should at least give it a shot,” he said with such unwitting innocence it made me smile. 

The two researchers looked like they were about to argue, but apparently couldn’t find an argument to retaliate with. They looked at each other then and it was Mr. Tabi that shrugged first, his hand in his hair. “I’ll see if I got a bowl somewhere. You mind starting with getting some samples?” he patted Mr. Kang on his shoulder and went on his way. I quickly exchanged glances with the pack, but still held on to the dagger, even when Mr. Kang came to collect a vile of blood from me. The others were hoping, like me, that this would work. 

Mr. Kang had an unexpectedly gentle touch. He was extremely careful when he went to prepare my arm so he could tap some blood from me, smiling politely but sincerely, treating me as though I were made from porcelain. As I got to take a better look at him, I didn’t know why I suddenly felt at ease. I couldn’t pinpoint it, but the way he handled me, his touch, the way he worked- why did it seem so familiar? 

“This won’t hurt, Miss Miyano, I promise,” he announced before he cleaned a spot on my arm. 

“Call me Jae,” I corrected him good-naturedly, since he seemed a bit anxious. “So, you’ve been working with my dad all this time, huh?” I tried to make conversation while he carefully punctured my skin and we waited for the vile to fill. 

“Oh yes. A great honor and pleasure, I assure you,” he smiled. “Your father is a good man, Jae,” he complimented and this had me smiling shyly. 

“Yeah, he’s pretty awesome,” I agreed. “Are you and Mr. Tabi the only ones working with my dad on this Yggdrasil project?”

“That’s right. Well, us and Miss Kumiho- sort of. She’s Mr. Yok’s liaison, strictly speaking” he elaborated, shaking the filled vile a bit before taking out the needle from my arm and quickly pressed a piece of cotton on the tiny wound. 

“I’m sorry you had to deal with her on a daily basis. Must not have been very pleasant,” I breathed, slightly shivering as I thought back to the memory of her being on top of me, trying to strangle the life out of me. 

“Oh, please don’t misunderstand, Jae,” came Mr. Kang’s surprising reply. “Miss Kumiho does come off rather intimidating and scary, but, well… eh, never mind,” he chuckled apologetically, bandaging the puncture wound on my arm, cleaning it again for good measure. “All done,” he announced with a wide smile, but my curiosity wouldn’t let him off the hook that easily 

“Wait, please,” I urged, watching him. “What can you tell me about that woman?” 

Mr. Kang cast his glance away at this, and if I wasn’t mistaken, it appeared as though the dude was actually blushing. Was it because he was shy? Or did I make him feel uncomfortable? _It couldn’t be because he was thinking about her, right?_

“There must have been mistake,” he then started, letting out a soft chuckle. “Miss Kumiho…she’s many things, but she’s not a criminal. I mean, I have no doubt that she’s after that dagger, but there’s more to her than the coldhearted, cruel woman you’ve had the displeasure of meeting,” he tried to explain, sighing halfway because he probably realized how unbelievable it sounded. “Everyone has their reasons for being the way the are, for doing the things they do,” he then said, a sad smile on his face. “Sometimes, Jae, people don’t have a choice, sometimes they don’t see a way out. They’d do anything to reach their goal.” 

_Were we still talking about Miss Kumiho, or…?_

Mr. Kang smiled a little wider and a little brighter when he glanced back at me this time and I blinked in near astonishment at him. “You care for her,” I stated rather than asked, and the deep flushes of red that flourished on his cheeks was a good response as any. A sweet, unassuming guy like Mr. Kang, crushing on a psychotic, heartless woman? _What doesn’t seem right about this picture? Should I tell him what she’s really like?_

Mr. Kang suddenly let out a short blast of laughter. “You look like you wish to send me your condolences,” he remarked with a smirk. “Has she been _that_ terrible to you?” 

_Oh, buddy you have no idea- trust me, you do not want me to open up that can of poisonous worms. Knowing her, she’d probably already found a way to pop out of that can, having scared those worms along the way._

“The heart loves whom it loves. I’m afraid there’s very little control I have over that,” Mr. Kang quietly confided, though he didn’t dare to look at me. 

“I suppose you’re right about that part,” I then mused, scanning the room and seeing the boys. “It’s a strange thing, that. Love, I mean,” I remarked to which the researcher nodded, chuckling. 

“A teenager should definitely know that much,” he jested as we smiled at each other. Even though I doubted his tastes in women, I decided then and there to like Mr. Kang. Poor bastard. How was it possible for him to have fallen for someone like Miss Kumiho, of all people? 

“Miss Jae- I’m sorry, I mean, Jae,” he suddenly stammered. “I hope- no, uh…” he had trouble getting the words out and I could only wonder what he possibly wanted to say to me. “I hope this works,” he finally managed to say, though something told me that that wasn’t what he really wanted to tell me. Ah, what is it about this guy? Why did he sound regretful just now? Didn’t he have faith that this might work? 

“Yeah, me too,” I smiled. 

“Alright! Let’s give this a shot. It’s not like we have anything else to lose, right?” Mr. Tabi then announced after gathering our blood. He looked expectantly at me and I carefully placed the dagger into the square tub he had prepared. 

“Okay, everyone step back just in case,” our teacher then warned as he took a deep breath, grabbing the closest vile near him. “Suho,” he muttered, the leader himself perking up at the mention of his name. Mr. Tabi carefully poured the vile over the blade of the dagger, but nothing remarkable seemed to happen. Until…

The little heart atop of the hilt of the weapon had started blinking, as though it was reacting. We gathered around the tub, watching breathlessly while Mr. Tabi nudged Mr. Kang to record this for scientific purposes. 

The little amount of Suho’s blood rippled and glided over the blade like water, before the dagger truly did absorb it within the green heart. I looked up at Suho when I noticed him rubbing his left chest. 

“Okay, I don’t know what just happened, but-eh,” Mr. Tabi muttered, looking at his colleague. 

“Keep going, hyung,” Mr. Kang urged, breathlessly. 

“Kris,” Mr. Tabi called out, pouring the blood. He jumped back when the drops floated around the dagger before also settling within the green heart. It nearly looked as though our theory was right. The blade was slowly repairing itself. Mr. Tabi kept on calling out our names, trying his best to keep his sanity intact when the blood was absorbed in different ways. We did our best to act surprised as well, of course, but we knew why the blood reacted that way. We knew why and how the dagger was absorbing the energy. 

Xiumin was still rubbing his hands together after his frozen droplets of blood quite literally crashed onto the green seed on the hilt when Mr. Tabi held the last vile containing my blood. 

“Our little Common Jae,” he mused. “Best for last,” he winked a little nervously, pouring the crimson fluid over the dagger. How would the weapon react to that? I was the hidden variable to this whole thing and now we could all see whether I was just a contaminator, or not. I pursed my lips feeling antsy seeing that the dagger didn’t seem to be absorbing my blood. 

“Hm. That’s odd,” Mr. Tabi said as I started gnawing on my lip. “Could it be that the dagger is full now?” he wondered. 

“No, hyung, look!” Mr. Kang pointed out and sure enough, slowly, the blood was absorbed through the blade rather than the green seed on the hilt. Why was it different? We watched as the dagger shone like it had been polished, how the corrosion had disappeared. 

“Dee, could you get the-?” Mr. Tabi pointed at a device while he ever so carefully lifted the dagger with gloved hands, letting the device Mr. Kang was hovering over it, scan the weapon. We simultaneously turned our attention to the glass screen, the results of the scan being displayed there. The two scientists went to work as we exchanged nervous glances amongst each other. Mr. Tabi typed loudly on the computer before looking up when a beeping sound echoed through the lab, a green warning blinking on the screen. 

“Hyung,” Mr. Kang called, looking somewhere between excited and dumbfounded. 

“I see it, Dee, I see it.”

“Sir?” asked Suho curiously. “Does this mean…?”

Mr. Tabi cracked a smile so wide I was afraid his cheeks would rip. “I don’t know what’s in your blood, kids, but it’s stable.” 

“Does this mean that we can create that tree you were talking about, sir?” I asked. 

“We can definitely try, Jae,” Mr. Tabi chuckled. “We can definitely try!”

“We should head over to the basement, hyung,” Mr. Kang suddenly mentioned. 

“You’re right. Jae, you hold on to this,” Mr. Tabi then told me as I held the renewed blade in my hand. It was buzzing with familiar energy once more, but I wondered how long it would last. “All we need to do now, is head downstairs,” the teacher spoke as he led us out of the laboratory. “We pop this thing into the simulator, and presto- oh! Whoa!” 

I jumped at hearing the sound of an alarm go off throughout the building and heard Chanyeol yelp when the door of the hidden laboratory closed shut on its own. 

“Mr. Tabi?” Kris called out, the teacher panicking himself.

“I don’t know what happened- eh, Dee?” he called out to his colleague. The blonde scientist moved forward tapping vigorously on his glass tablet. 

“I don’t understand- the security system shouldn’t have been activated! Hyung!” he called out. “The building is going into an automatic lockdown. We have to move!” 

“Okay, everyone stay calm, run to the stairways, hurry!” Mr. Tabi commanded as we started to make a run for it. I clenched the dagger tighter to my chest, D.O. and Kai by my side. 

“Guys?” I asked quietly while we were on the move. “Do you think it’s-,”

“Just keep moving, Jae,” D.O. told me calmly. “We’re almost there,” he urged. 

“How are we going to explain everything after we’re done, though? I mean, what will happen once we make this tree anyway?” I asked. 

“I think you should focus on other matters first, noona,” Kai grunted, holding me steady when my elegant self managed to trip over my own feet while running down the stairs. “Like not falling,” he scolded, pulling me to my feet and dragging me by my arm. 

“Keep going, Jongin!” Mr. Tabi yelled behind us as we finally got to the main floor. Kai kicked the door open before it went on lockdown. In the hallway, the lights had dimmed and a red light replaced it, blinking softly to add to the alarm that was resounding all around us. 

“Hurry, this way,” Mr. Tabi took the lead as we followed, but as we were running I felt uneasiness creep over my skin once more, and I kept looking behind me to see if there was someone following us. 

“Mr. Tabi?” I called out. “Mr. Tabi?”

“Not now, Jae, come on, don’t dawdle,” he told me and lead us to the end of the hallway where we had been before. I caught Sehun glancing over at Tao and I recognized the door the maknaes found that night we stole the dagger. Mr. Tabi was running towards it when we were caught off guard by the screeching wail of audio feedback through the speakers. Having wolf senses in this case was not an advantage at all. I nearly clawed at my ears upon hearing the terrible noise, but the sound that came after that, was worse. _Infinitely worse_. 

“ _Once upon a time, a great king came to the horrid realization that the endless power he possessed, was waning,_ ” an ice cold voice regaled through the speakers. 

“Hyung, is that-,” Mr. Kang started, but Mr. Tabi quieted him down, as if he was afraid that the person who was speaking could hear us, could see us. He signaled us to see if we could get another door to open. 

“ _He found that there was a pack of playful little wolves that had intruded into his mighty kingdom, wishing to steal what was rightfully his…_ ” 

If you thought that the creepy voice was enough to riddle my entire body in goosebumps- you would be right, except there was something else about the transmission that really had my hair spiking. A laugh. Soft and barely audible, but it was there, a throaty, _feminine_ laugh intertwining with the icy words spoken by _him._ How did they know that we were here? 

_You’re preyed upon. Take heed!_

“Luhan?” I tugged at his sleeve, but he was preoccupied. “Luhan, tell me you heard that,” I asked, but he looked so dazed. “What’s wrong?” I looked at the others, but the boys all looked so lost, bewildered, and very on edge. I glanced over at the scientists then, but they were only looking to find a way out- although, was that the case? Why was the scent of lupines so sharp? 

“ _There’s no point in running. You’ve stepped into my playground. There’s no escape.”_ I could almost hear him smirking. 

“Boys? What’s wrong? Come on, we have to get out of here,” Mr. Kang spoke, having noticed the boys’ sudden absence as well. I looked around when laughter boomed through the speakers and I nearly rolled my eyes at the painful cliche. Of course he sounded like a Bond-villain. 

“You’re not getting this,” I said, since I had a feeling that he was probably monitoring us from wherever he was. 

_“Oh, but that is where you are frightfully wrong, my dear. That is my Yeouiji, whether you hand it over willingly or not, does not matter. It already belongs to me. You see, you have found yourself in a situation where you have less than zero chance of winning- Jae-In Miyano.”_

I gasped audibly. _How does he know my name?_ I startled when a pair of hands wrapped around my ears and I glanced in panic at Luhan while he held me closer towards him. _Don’t listen_ , he mouthed, but how could I not? 

As Mr. Tabi was trying to kick in a door for us to get out- the electricity was cut off and we were riddled in darkness. 

“Jae, stay close to me,” Luhan whispered in my ear, and I had absolutely no intention of moving away. The clacking of heels approached us in the dark and the only thing I heard was faint scuffling, someone moving amongst us? 

_Luhan, what’s going on?_

_I don’t know, Jae. I don’t know._

I startled when I thought I heard someone growling, but the soft, vague voices and noises confused me. I held in my breath when I saw a pair of green eyes flash within the darkness. I was frozen when I saw those eyes, swallowing hard. 

_Jae…_ I heard Luhan question, followed by a muffled gasp. _Jae! Watch-_

_Luhan? Luhan?! Luhan, where are you?!_ I reached out behind me, but there was nothing there. I was grasping for air. _Oh God, no… Luhan? Guys? Anyone?!_

Green eyes approached me, a face appearing from the darkness. Red lips smirking, pale face nearly glowing amongst all that black. “We meet again, darling,” Miss Kumiho grinned. 

“Stay away!” I warned, using the dagger to slash at her, but she simply grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards her until our nose were nearly touching. 

“Tsk, such a naughty little bitch,” she murmured. “You’re lucky, darling. The only reason why you’re not dead yet, is because there’s someone who wants to meet you,” she breathed into my neck and I writhed, trying to move away. “But once he’s had his fun with you- you’re all mine…” I struggled in her grip when she moved to whisper in my ear. “No worries. I promise I’ll take my sweet time with you, darling.” 

I screamed when she dug her nails into my arm and I lost consciousness, not being able to discern what was real and what wasn’t. 

_…Mianhae…_

_Who was that? Was that real?_


	98. ~ EXOdus ~

***

 

_I shout out, but the answer is no._

_The broken pieces of my heart shine._

_I’ve **fallen** and there’s no wait._

_In the end, I’m in the same place._

_…I’m lost…_  
  
There’s no light where I am. I feel my limbs twitching and even when I open my eyes, I see only darkness. I’ve been put in situations like these a million times before and a million times over. You’d think I’d be used to it by now…

A handle is switched and I’m attacked by blinding lights, and light is all I see.

My muddled head and eyes need longer than usual to adapt to the environment, and once I adjusted to the sudden brightness, I find myself lying on the cold hard floor, inside of that strange steampunk laboratory I’ve been in before with the pack. When I looked to the side, I saw the huge hole in the wall, but it was closed off as well. Something was buzzing nearby like a tesla coil, sparks popping and machines whirring.

I groaned when I gained control over my body, but snapped up when my first concern was the dagger. Where is it?!

I startled upon hearing muffled groans and shouts in alarm nearby. My eyes widened as I saw the boys and Mr. Tabi and Mr. Kang trapped in a huge glass tank, their necks chained to stone blocks near their chained feet. Their wrists were chained as well, but the chains were just long enough for them to be able to tap on the thick glass. They were shouting and yelling something, but I couldn’t hear.

“Oh my God! Guys!” I got to my feet, steadying myself before approaching them. They instantly banged the glass, shaking their heads frantically as I approached, almost as though they didn’t want me to get to them. I slowed down and took a step back on time as a fence of green lasers appeared right in front of my nose. I jolted back, curiously leaning forward to inspect it. Why would there be a green laser-fence here?

The men started banging on the glass again to warn me, and I felt helpless when I looked at them. How was I going to get to them?

“Stay back!” they shouted simultaneously and loud enough for me to hear. I nodded and stepped away from the lasers.

Luhan, are you guys okay? How can I get to you? I then asked, looking at him. I blinked when there came no response. Luhan? I tried again, making sure he knew that I was staring at him. A faint, wry smile appeared on his face as he gently placed his hand against the glass, as though he wished he could touch me instead. It only took a small shake of his head for me to come to the horrid realization that he couldn’t hear me. Did this mean that none of them could use their powers?

I glanced at the others, subtly trying to motion to D.O. to have him try to cause a little earthquake or something, but he too, shook his head. What did that woman do to them?

“It’s okay,” I stammered, hoping that they could hear me through the thick glass. “I’ll get you out! Just- wait there!” I yelled, and they seemed to understand. Mr. Tabi even smirked ever so slightly at hearing my comment. “Yeah, I know, stupid- cause where would you go, right?” I said, to which he shrugged and nodded, leaning on the glass. “Okay,” I breathed, looking around while trying to concentrate and stay vigilant. What do I do?

Wait. I know that getting them out was my priority right now, but there was something else that was, unfortunately, a bit more important. Stupid dagger. Where was that thing? Come to think of it, where was that woman? Why did she put me here, of all places? And Mr. Yok- where was he? I carefully looked around to check for any signs of them being in the same room and lurking from the shadows, before checking the chamber for cameras. Were they watching along? Probably were. I didn’t understand why I was out in the open like this while the others were put in chains in that glass tank. I had to get them out.

I rushed over to the computers and machinery, jolting each time the tesla coil sparked while thinking how disgustingly cliche this setup was. Of course the bad guys would choose to bring us to some godforsaken basement filled with contraptions that even Jules Verne wouldn’t think up. Was this thing I was examining even a computer? The panel was filled with buttons and levers, but what connected to what? There had to be something that would deactivate those lasers, right? What did they do, anyway? Trigger an alarm? That didn’t make a lot of sense. That woman and Mr. Yok already knew that we were here. Or, was it something that once you walked past it, your magic gets blocked? Did something like that exist?

I walked to the end of the panel when I noticed something glimmering from the corner of my eye. As I looked on the floor I gasped so loudly I nearly fainted. Without a moment’s hesitation, I grabbed the dagger to inspect it. It must’ve fallen from my person when I was brought here, though, what could’ve have possessed them into not taking this from me first? Was this a replica? It didn’t feel that way. That was surprisingly careless of them… Or, was it a trick?

I turned around at the men to tentatively show them the dagger. I saw them yelling and banging against the glass again, one big incoherent mess. I saw Mr. Tabi calm everyone down, saw how he told them what to do. After counting down, all fourteen of them simultaneously yelled; “She left it there on purpose!”

My eyebrows knitted together. “On purpose?” Why the heck would she leave this here on purpose? This was the thing she wanted more than anything and her boss made it pretty clear that the dagger meant a great deal to him. It was his yoyo-thing! What would possess him to leave his freaking yoyo-thing?!

After I carefully secured the dagger in the belt behind my jeans, I searched the panel again to see how I could get rid of the laser fence. I looked behind me when Mr. Tabi and Mr. Kang were knocking on the glass. He signaled the boys to help him deliver the message he was trying to yell at me.

“It’s lasered plasma! You have to handle with care!” the words were carefully pronounced and I nodded. Not that I knew what the heck he was talking about, but okay, be careful. Got it.

“What even is lasered plasma?” I muttered to myself, starting to randomly press buttons. Again, the knocking of glass resounded through the chamber and I rolled my eyes before turning around.

“Careful!” they shouted. Mr. Kang looked exceptionally nervous when he pointed at the fence. “Dangerous! Sharp!” they communicated.

“Sharp?” I mouthed, looking at the lasers again. I nearly grunted out of frustration when my biology teacher gestured towards his glasses and pointed at me. Reading his lips I assumed he told me that I should wear a pair of goggles before examining the lasers. However, I wasn’t a scientist and my main concern now was to get to the guys so I could figure out how to release them. I checked the panel one more time and found a handle that looked like it could deactivate a laser fence. I jumped and let out a short shriek when I saw that it had opened the way to the hole in the wall instead.

“Convenient, but not what I needed,” I huffed. Hold on. I felt the dagger jabbing my hip as I looked at the entrance to the makeshift forest. Didn’t Mr. Tabi and Mr. Kang say that the dagger was stable enough after absorbing our energy? What if I went to create another Tree right now? Mr. Yok would lose and I can come back for the guys after?

Too easy, Jae. Way too easy, the conspicuous part of mind argued, while the other part couldn’t wait to get to the other side of that wall.

“I’ll be right back,” I said to the pack, but this got the men protesting all over again. I was shaking my head and ran towards it, when I heard a distinctive buzzing. I stopped on instinct as more lasers whizzed in front of my face and I yelped when the tip of my shoe was slid off, missing my toes by a hair.

“Oh my God!” I exclaimed, quickly moving away. My shoe was still smoking, seared by the fence. Great. Well, at least I know what lasered plasma is, sheesh. No wonder they put me out here instead of inside of the tank with the others. I may be unchained, but I wasn’t free. I was trapped like them.

“My, my, my, still alive I see,” a feminine voice echoed through the chamber, her words following the distinct rhythm of heels clacking on stone floors. “And here I thought I would have a blast laughing at your lifeless corpse, shred to pieces by the plasma.”

I shivered at hearing her laugh, turning around to face her. Miss Kumiho’s eyes were shining a brilliant green as she approached me, that stupid smirk still plastered on her pale face. She was clad in a black fur coat that revealed her milky shoulders and accentuated her figure. Her leg peeked out from the high split as she walked, strutting around like some super model.

“You are one sick individual, do you know that?” I told her, and she laughed. Literally threw her head back to shove that swanlike neck in my face and laughed.

“You’re lucky that you amuse me so much, darling,” she mused. “Otherwise-,”

“You’d find all sorts of sick, demented ways to cause me excruciating pain and suffering before taking my life- yeah, yeah, I get it,” I cut in harshly, sick and tired of always letting her have the upper hand. The look of outrage and offense on her face brought me a small jolt of satisfaction. “Look, I’m busy, okay? So how about I ignore you another time?” I added, holding the dagger protectively in one hand while I glanced over the panel, hurriedly trying to figure out which buttons I could press to deactivate the lasers.

Of course I felt her cold stare of death poking me from all sides, but what else could I do? I can’t fight her! My sarcasm and poor sense of wit were the only things sharp enough to throw at her… _I’m gonna die, aren’t I?_

I nearly hugged the dagger when she suddenly managed to get behind me, one hand wrapped around my waist, the other around my neck. Ah, good times…

“You think you’re special, don’t you?” she hissed in my ear, the smell of burning wood penetrating my nostrils. “You think you’re worth something? Only because I didn’t chain you like I did the others?” she taunted, turning us around to face the men in the glass tank, their shouting still muffled. I couldn’t see her face, but I could tell that she was smirking.

“You, my dear, are nothing,” she whispered, her hot breath trickling against my skin and I shrieked when I felt the tip of her tongue licking the shell of my ear. “You’re just a toy for me to play with once Mr. Yok gets what he wants.”

“If it’s the dagger he wanted, then why didn’t you take it from me when you had the chance?” I asked, struggling a little in her chokehold.

“I told you, you’re nothing but a toy. I was allowed to have a little fun,” she replied, her nails digging into my flesh. Suddenly she let go.

“Also, out of the kindness of Mr. Yok’s heart, he wanted to give you a chance to tell him how it was possible that the dagger renewed its energy,” she said.

“According to what I heard about your boss, I’d say he already knows everything,” I watched as Miss Kumiho traced her nails over the panel, freezing on the spot when she heard my comment.

“Don’t you dare underestimate my master,” she warned, her eyes lighting up briefly. “I’m going to ask you nicely again,” she spoke louder, hands hovering the levers. “How did you heal the dagger?”

I tried stealing glances at the boys, but she kept a close watch on me. “What’s it to you how we did it, anyway? Isn’t the dagger the only thing important to you?” I was stalling to see if I had more time to figure out what to do next.

“Do you take me for a fool?” her voice echoed in the chamber.

I shrugged as I looked at her, contemplating whether I should answer the way I wanted to.

“Say it,” she then provoked. “See what happens.” Unfortunately, that threat was enough to shut me up.

“Possessing the dagger wasn’t enough to recreate a Tree of Life. It needed to be unlocked, stabilized. You managed that, and you will tell me how,” she ordered.

“Why? Not smart enough to figure it out yourself? Isn’t Mr. Yok supposed to be some almighty mythical snake, or something? Couldn’t he google the answer?” I was pushing it, per usual, and I became extra aware of it when Miss Kumiho was on my neck in a matter of seconds, tightening her grip when she pulled me towards her.

The anger was obvious in her eyes, but her face was still smiling. “Don’t you dare try my patience, darling,” she whispered. “You know what happened last time we were this close to one another,” she threatened, as I cringed, feeling myself being lifted slightly as she held on to my neck.

“I remember,” I grunted, causing her smile to widen. “How’s the head feeling? You took quite a beating then,” I spat out, bracing myself when she tightened the grip around my neck and smacked me right across the face.

The smack resonated in the chamber, followed by muffled protests coming from within a glass tank. My ears were ringing and I shook my head to focus. Miss Kumiho was smiling at me.

“Do yourself a favor and tell me how you healed the dagger,” she told me.

“Why don’t you do yourself a favor,” I grunted. “Go stand on a street corner and make some money instead of promoting this useless violence!” I knew that my big mouth would get me into trouble, so I merely braced myself again when I saw that she was ready to attack. She lifted her hand again, but she turned her head when she heard a deep voice booming inside of the glass tank.

“Kumiho! What are you doing?! Let her go!” Mr. Tabi shouted and I was surprised myself at how genuinely angry he sounded. But it wasn’t just that, it nearly sounded as though he was warning her? What could he possibly think to assume he had any kind of influence on her, being chained up the way he was?

Of course the woman responded to this, turning her head slowly and dropping me to the floor. Her eyes wandered over her captives and she knelt down beside me, holding my wrists, forcing me to look at them.

“Look at their faces,” she told me. “Do you see their expressions? That sweet, helpless look of despair? Would you like to see more of that?” The woman grinned widely now, her eyes shimmering almost as brightly as the green lasers.

“Bite me, lady,” I spewed.

Miss Kumiho rolled her eyes as though she was bored of me and clacked her tongue. “Are you going to tell me how you stabilized the dagger, or not?” she questioned this time, as though she was giving me an ultimatum. When her eyes wandered to the dagger, I kept it closer pressed against my body so she could hardly see it. I glared at her, but said nothing. My cheek was still stinging from where she had hit me, and I doubted my glaring was intimidating her.

“Very well,” she licked her lips before walking back to the panel and pressed a sequence of buttons. After she was done, the buzzing of lasers disappeared, the fences deactivated. Even though I was relieved, part of me didn’t trust this at all.

“What are you doing?” I asked, getting to my feet. I nearly wanted to make a run for it when I saw that creepy smile of hers actually reaching her eyes a bit.

“Let’s play a little game,” she started.

“Hell no. I know what games you play,” I spat out immediately.

“I’m afraid you’ve no say in the matter, darling. You’ll have no choice but to play,” she interjected. “It’s a very easy game,” she added, deliberately mocking me.

“Let me guess, do as you say or get killed?” I deadpanned, cringing slightly when she let out a throaty laugh.

“No. Of course I wish you dead, but not yet. Not now. Besides, that kind of game lacks creativity, there’s no fun in that at all,” when she pouted her ruby lips, the thought of impaling her with the dagger flashed across my mind and it nearly startled me. I wasn’t a violent person at all, but this woman brought out the worst of me.

“It’s quite simple, little Jae,” the woman continued. “You tell me the secret of that dagger, or something will happen,” she stated vaguely and of course this wasn’t very motivational on her part.

“And what is that something, pray tell? You’ll hurt me?”

“What is the secret of replenishing the dagger?” she asked instead, never answering my question. Having found my courage once more, I lifted my chin up in defiance, standing straight.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Even when she came standing in front of me, I wouldn’t relent. Not to her. Never again.

“Tell me how you did it,” she demanded once more, but I only swallowed and shrugged.

“Did what? There’s no secret to unlocking anything. I’ve no idea what you’re talking about,” I persisted and it wasn’t hard to tell when her patience was going to wear out.

“Fine. Have it your way, little Jae.” Miss Kumiho turned around, approaching the glass tank. I panicked a little now.

“Hm,” she mused obnoxiously, staring at the men one by one. “So handsome, so hot-blooded,” she mocked. “How much is that dagger worth to you, Jae?”

The question chilled my blood and I uneasily shuffled my feet. She wouldn’t…

My silence brought another smile to her lips. “That’s reassuring.” Miss Kumiho walked to the side of the tank while she ran her hand over the glass, laughing upon hearing the boys yell at her.

“Don’t-”

“Don’t what?” she interrupted harshly when I opened my mouth to speak. I pursed my lips angrily before stepping forward.

“Don’t you dare hurt them,” I spoke softly, but steadily. That woman needed to know that she wasn’t the only one that could get angry. She needed to know that I could mean business too.

“Who, me? Oh, darling, I would never dare hurt anyone!” the tone of sarcasm was so obvious it seemed she purposely wanted to be dramatic about the statement.

“If anyone happens to get hurt, and I pray they won’t of course, then the only person to blame for such a misfortune, would be you, my dear.”

That was an obvious threat. Miss Kumiho stood next to the glass tank and it was only now that I noticed a handle there. Her fingers wrapped around the metal bar as she never diverted her gaze from me.

“It’s okay, Jae!” Kris suddenly shouted loudly. “Don’t worry about us!”

“Aw, such heroic display! He’s tall, handsome, and courageous,” the woman mocked with obvious disdain in her honeyed voice. To me, she said, “Will you tell me, or not?”

“Lady,” I breathed in annoyance, “take a long walk off a short pier, will you?”

The silence swelled, the tension grew. I thought the air was filled with static, and I didn’t dare move. I wasn’t even comfortable breathing.

“Did you forget that I always win the games I play?” Miss Kumiho said before pulling the handle. I jolted when the rushing of water reverberated through the massive chamber through lead pipes. A valve opened then, and a cascade of water was dumped over the guys and two scientists. I gasped in alarm, running towards the tank and hitting the glass.

“Stop it!” I yelled at the woman who was casually inspecting her nails at the side. She lazily glanced at the men struggling against the waterfall while the tank slowly filled up. I banged my fist angrily against the glass at seeing Sehun gasping for air while water poured mercilessly over him.

“You’re insane!” I screamed at Miss Kumiho. “You are crazy! Let them go! Stop this!” I cried out, in utter disbelief over how someone could possibly be so cruel.

“Tell me how you fixed the dagger,” she demanded and I groaned out of frustration.

“I don’t know!” I shouted, a part of me still not wanting to give in. The woman stopped the water, the men inside coughing and desperately gasping for air. D.O. was barely managing to keep his head above the water. I heaved a sigh of brief relief before looking at her. “Let them go,” I told her, but she only scoffed. She glanced at the men she held captive before looking at me again. Without a word, she pulled the metal bar once again, the water falling mercilessly on them.

“No!” I screamed, desperately pounding against the glass. “I told you, I don’t know!” I yelled, the panic overwhelming me when D.O., Suho and Chen were having trouble keeping their heads above water. “They’ll drown! Stop it!”

“You wanted to recreate another Tree,” Miss Kumiho spoke, serenity personified. “You know the secrets of the dagger.”

I kicked against the glass as I saw the boys desperately trying to help the shorter ones of the group to stay above the rising water levels. Their chains, however, were holding them back. They struggled when D.O. went under water and I gasped, hitting the glass so hard until my hands went numb. D.O. looked at me, shaking his head as though he told me not to worry about him.

“Oh my God, D.O….” I muttered, feeling helpless, desperate. The only thing that separated us was glass and I still couldn’t get to him. I couldn’t get to any of them. “Please,” I muttered quietly, refusing to let the stinging tears fall from my eyes. “Release them!” I said in a stronger voice, a voice that she could hear. Miss Kumiho’s expression was cold, distant. I couldn’t read off anything. There wasn’t even a hint of amusement in her eyes. Why the hell was she doing this then?! “I’ll play whatever game you want, just- don’t do this!” I then shouted at her, my voice rising above the rushing of water. I panicked when D.O. was obviously starting to lose consciousness, while Chen and Suho, of all people, were starting to struggle as well.

“What is the secret of the dagger? You were going to recreate the Tree of Life, weren’t you?” she persisted, coldblooded as ever.

My hands desperately in my hair, I knew I had to think. What do I do? What do I do?

“Yes!” I shouted out of panic when I noticed D.O. rolling his eyes, body twitching. “Yes! Okay?! I wanted to recreate another Tree before you did!”

“How?” she pressed.

“Oh my God- stop the water!” I yelled, seeing the others tilting their heads while the water continued to rise.

“How?!” Miss Kumiho screamed.

“I don’t know!” I screamed louder. “I don’t know! Please- Please, stop this!” Forget about pride, forget about the fact that I was begging this woman of all people to spare the lives of my friends.

“Why do you care so much?” she then asked, but there was no mockery in her tone of voice. She seemed genuinely curious, and in disbelief, as if she truly couldn’t understand why seeing my friends drown in front of me was something I couldn’t handle.

“Why don’t you care at all?!” I retaliated, gesturing wildly at Mr. Tabi and Mr. Kang. “They’re your colleagues-, or at least, they’re people that you know! Doesn’t that mean anything to you?!”

Miss Kumiho blinked once before she abruptly pushed the handle back up, stopping the water. She moved swiftly towards me before I had a chance to properly react and practically threw me back against the panel. While I was ready to storm right back at her, I saw her touch the glass with her poisonous nails. She calmly stepped back onto a nearby platform while the glass cracked, like spiderwebs it spread across the thick surface and finally cracked. I was only barely in time to brace myself as the water spilled out of the tank.

The water washing over me with force, I covered my head, waiting until it was over. The men, still chained, gasped for air like fish out of the water - really Jae? You crack lame jokes at a time like this?!

“D.O.-hyung!” Kai shouted, tugging at his chains as he tried to move over to D.O.’s unmoving form.

“Guys!” I yelled running towards them, my wet clothes weighing me down.

“Noona, check D.O.-hyung!” Kai barked at me in a panic as he was still coughing and recovering himself. He angrily pulled at the chains, glaring at a motionless Miss Kumiho. I knelt beside D.O., grabbing his cold hand.

“D.O.? D.O., can you hear me?” I brushed the hair from his face, my fingers trembling when I felt how cold he was. No…this can’t be… “He’s- he’s not breathing,” I announced, my voice cracking.

“What? N-no! D.O.!” Suho called, trying to get to his feet.

“Kyungsoo-yah!” Lay put his feet against the stone block that kept his arms chained and he pulled as hard as he could. “Jae-yah, hurry, he needs air! Do you know CPR?”

“CPR? Oh God,” I swallowed as I forced my mind to focus, laying him on his back and listening to his chest. My blood froze when I didn’t hear a heartbeat.

“Tilt his chin up a bit, noona!” Chanyeol exclaimed, looking like he was about ready to chew his way through the chains if he had to.

“Yah! You bitch! Let us go!” Kai suddenly shouted in rage as he fought hard to rid himself from his bonds. I did as Chanyeol instructed me, ignoring the fact that heels clacked ever so slowly towards us. I pumped D.O.’s chest several times before squeezing his nose shut and placing my lips over his, blowing air into his lungs.

“Come on, D.O.,” I muttered, feeling Mr. Tabi’s eyes on me. “He’s not breathing!” I repeated, hoping that the biology teacher knew what to do. Mr. Tabi’s expression was one of utter shock and disbelief though. He was staring at D.O., rather than at me, when all of a sudden, he looked sharply at Miss Kumiho.

“Release us,” he told her. “Do you hear me?! Let us go! What are you thinking?!” he bouldered in outrage, while I continued the CPR on D.O., praying that I wasn’t too late.

“Keep at it, Jae,” Luhan told me. “Don’t give up.”

I nodded at his words, putting my all into pressing onto his chest, blowing air into his lungs. I’m not too late. You’re not going anywhere, D.O., no way. This isn’t happening- this isn’t going to happen!

“Kumiho!” I flinched at hearing Mr. Tabi so angry and apparently that kind of tone was needed for the woman to even glance at him. I didn’t know why Mr. Tabi bothered with her, but I was at an even greater loss when she actually released a strange mist from her fingertips and the chains corroded. I heard metal snapping and breaking, falling onto the ground all around me. Kai was beside D.O. first, followed by Lay and Mr. Tabi.

“Dee, there’s a medical kit behind the tesla coil, keep it at the ready,” Mr. Tabi instructed as his colleague rushed. “Jae, let me take over,” he then stated, but I didn’t want to leave this to someone else. I was still pressing on his chest, wanting to see him breathe on his own. “Jae,” Mr. Tabi called. I ignored him.

“Jae-yah,” Lay then said, his hand carefully placed on my shoulder. I breathed out then, still fighting my emotions. I looked at Mr. Tabi.

“Save him, please,” I urged and the teacher nodded, immediately taking over as Mr. Kang stood ready with the medical kit, just in case.

“If he dies, Kumiho-,” Mr. Tabi seemed to threaten in between pumping D.O.’s chest.

“He’ll live,” she mumbled without emotion. The next few minutes were hell. We watched breathlessly as Mr. Tabi did his all to revive D.O., and when he finally gasped, coughing up the water.

“There you go, you’re alright, kid, you’re alright,” Mr. Tabi patted his back as I felt like my heart was about explode.

“See? Told you,” Miss Kumiho said so coldly and I glared at her. To my surprise she was staring at Mr. Tabi, how he fussed over D.O.. I couldn’t read her expression, but I saw her eyebrow twitch. “My, my,” she spoke flatly. “What a touching scene.”

Mr. Tabi froze, as did Mr. Kang. They turned to look at her, and Mr. Tabi, still panting, gave her a dark look. “You went too far,” he said.

“I believe I haven’t gone far enough, personally,” she spat and didn’t even flinch when Kai jolted towards her without warning. She simply dodged his attack and grabbed him by the throat.

“Really? You have a particularly annoying temper, boy,” she told him, throwing him back. When others made attempts to attack, she evaded them and I was sure that she would come for me again. I had the dagger, after all, but we were utterly thrown off when she went after Mr. Tabi instead. In a matter of seconds she overpowered the surprised man, her nails trailing threateningly over his skin as she kept him in a firm headlock.

“Kumiho! What are you doing?!” Mr. Kang exclaimed in shock.

“Kumiho-,” Mr. Tabi tried, struggling.

“Shut up!” she yelled. “I’ve had enough of this!” she spewed, her green eyes glaring at us as her nails literally grew right in front of us. Tiny talons pricked Mr. Tabi’s skin, but didn’t pierce it- yet. “You filthy humans,” she scolded, sneering when she looked at Mr. Kang. “Your bleeding hearts… Disgusting!”

I swallowed when she turned to me once more. “I’ll take that dagger from you now, darling. I don’t think I have to tell what I’ll do this time if you don’t comply.” A gasp escaped my lips when she pulled Mr. Tabi’s hair so his throat was exposed.

“You wouldn’t!” Luhan growled.

“After all this wonderful time we spent together, pretty boy, you still doubt my capabilities?” the woman mused, that catlike grin reappearing again.

“Don’t do it, Jae,” Mr. Tabi grunted. “Don’t give her the dagger.”

“Aw! Let’s all put our hands together for the heroic Mr. Tabi, so selflessly willing to sacrifice his own life for a piece of metal,” Miss Kumiho mocked.

“You know it’s worth more than that,” Mr. Tabi said, his adam’s apple bobbing up and down when he gulped. “Don’t give it to her.”

“Yes, listen to teacher, little Jae. You can always give me the dagger after I kill him. Your choice.”

“You’re sick!” I cried out a second time, but this was a woman who was aware of how mental she was, and she relished in it.

“You can’t give the dagger to her, Jae,” Kris whispered gravely to me, which startled me.

“I can’t let her kill Mr. Tabi either, Kris!” I replied desperately.

“Kai, can you get him out?” Suho asked, but Kai didn’t immediately answer.

“She might slice his neck open before I get to him, hyung,” he muttered reluctantly, the frown engraved on his face by now.

“Luhan?” the leader then asked, but he shook his head.

“She’s blocking me. I think that poison magic of hers has the ability to block magic as well, or something. I can’t get into her head,” he explained briefly.

“Then what the hell do we do?” D.O. asked with a raspy voice.

“Tick, tock, time is running out. What’ll it be? Give up the dagger, or give up your precious Mr. Tabi? I’m sure he was a mentor to all of you for all these years,” she said with a smirk.

“You’re cruel, Kumiho,” Mr. Kang remarked with a fallen look in his eyes.

“You’re finally learning,” she replied with another scowl upon seeing the look of sympathy in Mr. Kang’s eyes. “Don’t look at me like that or I’ll have your neck too! Jae, dagger, now!” she yelled, snapping her head towards me.

Great. Freaking great! How am I supposed to decide? What do I do now?! It was my wavering in the first place that nearly killed D.O., and now she’s putting me in the same position again?! My heart was crushed when I felt the heavy weight of responsibility and that of guilt, when I whispered, “I-I can’t…”

“Jae, no,” D.O. protested.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what to do, but I know I can’t give her the dagger,” I tried to argue, hating myself for it.

“If you think this is a game, think again,” the woman threatened and started to countdown. “Three…”

“Jae, reconsider. There has to be something else we can do,” D.O. argued, while the others started to protest as well. Different voices rang in the air, telling me to hand over the dagger, others saying that I absolutely couldn’t. When I caught the look of desperation in Mr. Kang’s eyes, I turned to look at Mr. Tabi. He looked so ready, but I couldn’t do this! He was brave up until she whispered, “one…” and the reality of this woman actually about to commit murder in front of my eyes was too much to bear.

“No, stop!” I screamed, the silence following so deafening I thought I was going mad. Mr. Tabi had his eyes crushed shut, opening only one when he realized that he was still alive. Angry, helpless, defeated, I repeated the command. “Stop. Let him go,” I told her, ignoring everyone else when they started talking again. I approached her, revealing the dagger.

“Let Mr. Tabi go and you’ll get the dagger,” I guess my emotions became too much for me to handle. I literally felt nothing at this point. Was I broken?

Miss Kumiho smirked a smug grin, retracting her claws and roughly pushed Mr. Tabi away from her. The man stumbled forward, Mr. Kang still standing at the side, watching everything unfold in disbelief, while the boys went to help the teacher to his feet. However, before any of them could even get to him, he lifted his hand to stop them. He got up to his feet, looking at me.

“Hand over the dagger,” Miss Kumiho barked, looking far too satisfied in my opinion. I approached her, but I had to pass Mr. Tabi on the way. He grabbed my wrist without a word, stopping me.

“Mr. Tabi?” I whispered. What was he up to? He looked at me before glancing at the dagger and grabbing the weapon instead. There was a look in his eyes that I found frightening when he turned towards Miss Kumiho, who arched an eyebrow at him. Was he going to kill her instead?

“Seunghyun?” the woman questioned.

“Yes! Get her, Mr. Tabi!” Baekhyun cheered on, followed by the others. I was only feeling anxious. Why did she look so surprised? Surprised, mind you, not frightened.

“You were really going to kill me, weren’t you? You think you could get away with that?” he asked in a tone that I wasn’t familiar with hearing from him. “You hurt these kids, nearly killed one of them and you think that’s acceptable?”

Mr. Tabi held out the tip of the blade towards Miss Kumiho, who stood unmoving and the evil part of me wanted him to stab her. I pushed away those thoughts, watching what he would do. All of a sudden, he turned towards me again whilst inspecting the dagger. “You know we need them,” he mused, but I was sure that I must’ve heard him wrong.

“Mr. Tabi, what are you doing? Attack her!” D.O. said, not caring that everyone could hear him. I stared at the biology teacher, long and hard this time, trying to read him. The smell of lupines wafted through the air and my instinct told me to take a step back as my blood froze in my veins. The man noticed this and he clacked his tongue softly.

“You should’ve listened to teacher, Jae,” he murmured. “I would’ve been dead then, and things would’ve been less awkward,” he said, face contorted in worry, in regret.

“D-dead? Awkward? I don’t-,” I stammered, as my heart thumped. No. N-no! It- it can’t be! Don’t tell me…

Mr. Tabi opened the palm of his hand and a tiny flower appeared in it like magic. A lupine, its fragrance strong and sweet, dizzying. ”Do you remember when we first met, Jae?” he asked me quietly. “I told you that it was extremely difficult to catch a Common Jay,” his deep voice brought no comfort this time. I stepped away from him, watching him through angry, teary eyes as I gasped at seeing the violet glow in his eyes, how his hair slowly turned to a shade of turquoise blue. “I lied,” he said before shrugging. “About a number of things, I suppose.”

How could he smirk like that, showing off his elongated fangs? I literally felt the blood drain from my body, felt the chill of betrayal descend over me like an avalanche. It wasn’t until the heart-shaped seed of the dagger lit up red in his hands that everything really sunk in.

_Mr. Tabi was one of them._


	99. ~ Black Serpent ~

***

The tense silence was interrupted by someone clapping hands. While the others turned around to see who broke the silence, D.O. still watched in disbelief at Jae staring incredulously at Mr. Tabi. He found that he couldn’t quite take his gaze from the biology teacher as well. Maybe it was still the shock of having nearly drowned and being brought back to life that got him shook up, but D.O. knew that the numbness he felt now was that of betrayal. 

He had never seen the cold look in Mr. Tabi’s eyes before, how colder they seemed with that grim grin on his face. _It couldn’t be…_ he still thought. _Not him…_ he still doubted. Was this a trick? Did that woman have Mr. Tabi under some kind of smell?

D.O. nearly felt his heart harden when he saw the violet glow, the blue hair, the clarity in his eyes. _No_. This was all him.

Familiar anger seeped through his veins as his brain slowly progressed the situation and by the time he had turned around to the man who had entered the chamber, his eyes were glowing fiercely red. 

“What a beautiful performance! I must commend you all, such splendid entertainment!” the voice was chilling enough to send a shiver down his spine, but that only caused his body to tense up in a state of heightened alertness. There he was, the Black Imoogi in the flesh. His stomach turned when he saw Mr. Tabi walk slowly towards the man, with the dagger he had easily took from an unsuspecting Jae.

“Mr. Tabi! What are you doing?!” Suho exclaimed and D.O. was too late to respond himself when he saw that Kai had moved from behind him, attempting to stop the teacher from handing the dagger to that man. 

“Kai, wait-,” his warning came too late. Out of the blue, D.O. felt like snakes had slithered around his ankles and arms. He tried to escape but the bonds held him down and he saw that they were vines. Thick, strong vines that coiled easily around them, holding them in place. D.O. felt the muscle beneath his eye twitch when he saw the violet glow around Mr. Tabi’s hands and knew that he was the one that summoned the vines. _Magic, like us?_ He frowned deeply as he struggled in the tight grasp of the vines. _Who is he? Why can’t I remember him?_

“I’m sorry, boys,” Mr. Tabi apologized soullessly. “Let’s face it, you would’ve found out one way or the other,” he spoke calmly, which only angered D.O. more. He didn’t understand how the man was able to bow before the black snake as if he revered it. He grunted when the teacher gave the dagger to the black snake, none of them being able to do anything about it. 

“You traitor,” Jae spoke softly, voicing his own thoughts. “You traitor!” she yelled, her dark hair turning to cyan green tresses as her eyes shone golden when she leapt towards Mr. Tabi. D.O. could nearly feel her growl reverberate in his own chest. He watched breathlessly, seeing Jae leap towards Mr. Tabi, but was startled when he saw the lead pipes from the dark walls move on their own, shooting towards her at great speed. None of them even had time to tell her to watch out as they grasped her, leaving her dangling in mid-air like a helpless puppet on a string. 

D.O. grunted as he pulled and pushed, but the vines were too strong. He smelled something burning nearby and noticed Chanyeol trying to sear the plants, but more only came in their stead. 

Mr. Tabi smiled in amusement at Jae, giving a small wave of the hand when she was pulled back by the metal bonds and D.O. cringed at hearing her slam against the wall. He witnessed how she snapped her head towards the only remaining scientist that had stood idly by until now. He exchanged glances with Baekhyun, who was closest to him, the expression on his face mimicking his own shock. 

“ _Mianhe,_ Miss Jae,” Mr. Kang muttered ruefully as he used one hand to keep the bonds tight around Jae’s limbs, his eyes glowing a pallid yellow. With his free hand he smoothed over his blonde hair, turning it a silver white as he did so. _He’s also one of them?!_ _What’s going on?!_  

“What- Mr. Kang…?” Jae breathed in disbelief. Kumiho appeared by the young scientist’s side, leaning casually on his shoulder as if they’ve known each other for years. 

“See? I told you a bleeding heart is useless, Tweedle Dee,” she chuckled, blowing a green mist in his direction while he turned away from her. 

“Stop it, Kumiho,” he said, with a face that signaled regret, though D.O. couldn’t come up with a reason why. All he felt right now was anger more than confusion, though, the bitter sting of betrayal still piercing his heart. He turned his focus towards Mr. Tabi then, and that bitterness and anger only grew. 

“How can you just stand there and grin?!” he yelled. “We trusted you! All these years, all this time- and you knew?!” _I trusted you_ , was what he really wanted to say. _All those years of you looking out for us, taking the time to get to know us as people not just students, all of it was a lie?_

Perhaps Mr. Tabi could hear his thoughts. If he was truly like them, it wouldn’t surprise him at all if the teacher did hear him. Frankly, he didn’t care. He wanted Mr. Tabi to feel the hurt he caused. _Why even bother saving my life?_

D.O. thought he saw a flash of remorse come and go just as easily when Mr. Tabi turned to look at him. 

“Ah, Kyungsoo-ah,” he started, “boys,” he said, “I never quite told you to trust me, did I?” 

D.O. couldn’t believe what he was hearing. None of them probably could. Was it that easy for their teacher to betray them? And for what? That snake? If they came from Exo planet too, then how come he had no memories of these three?

“You traitor,” Kai spat out. “Liar!” he yelled. 

“Liar?” Mr. Tabi repeated, chuckling. “Are you mad that I lied, Jongin, or are you mad that you believed those lies?” he asked without remorse at all this time. 

“Now, now, Seunghyun, there is no need to be so cold to these little cubs,” Mr. Yok suddenly interjected and D.O. hated how that man made him feel. Now that he thought about it, this was probably the first time he saw the black snake don the appearance of the one thing he loathed and deemed unworthy in the entire world: a human. At first glance, he didn’t seem like an extraordinary person at all. He was middle-aged, had properly groomed dark hair and wore glasses. But, D.O. noted, his eyes were cold. His eyes were dark. His smile was sly and conniving, like that of a true serpent. And when he spoke, the atmosphere chilled. The air seemed thicker, darker and colder, as if all happiness and hope had vanished.

Snarling softly when Mr. Yok turned to glance at them, he openly bared his teeth towards him, though he doubted the man would notice. 

“And you,” he pointed out, “shouldn’t be so harsh on your revered teacher,” he mocked whilst patting Mr. Tabi on the shoulder. “He taught you a most important lesson; listening to teacher is not always good for you. Consider it a free life lesson, boys!” The black snake looked at them in mirth, wringing his hands together in delight as he put the dagger in the inner pocket of his jacket. D.O. continued to feel his anger growing. 

“It’s been quite a while, boys,” the man breathed, his smile wide. “How long has it been? It seems like ages have passed, and I see you haven’t changed at all, though I doubt you fully remember. I was so surprised when I sent Seunghyun to find you and to hear from him that your memories seem to have been lost. Scattered, obliterated,” he gestured, grinning evilly. “Very much like your previous world.”

“You bastard!” Kris scolded loudly, while D.O grunted at feeling the vines tighten around him. Mr. Yok turned his head slowly towards Kris as he walked towards him, the way he moved reminiscent of a snake slithering over the ground. 

“So, your memories have returned… But not completely,” he spoke, grabbing Kris’ face, arching his eyebrows in amusement when he saw his gleaming red eyes. “The Guardian who flies,” he mused, a sneer on his face. “The blasphemous fraud that dared compare himself to mighty dragons, and yet, lacks the ability to even spit fire.” 

Kris growled. “At least I know how to fly. Tell me, what’s it like to wade around in the mud all day amongst the worms, hm?” he exclaimed when the vines tightened further and Kris glared at Mr. Tabi, who was responsible for ensnaring them like this. “Tighten the vines all you want, you traitor! Just wait until I get out of this!” 

_Don’t you dare, Kris!_ D.O. thought, prompting his brothers to glance at him if their bonds allowed it. _This guy’s mine._  

“Yes, I’m curious to see how you’ll be flying around in circles around my head, I’m sure that will show me,” Mr. Tabi mocked. 

“And what do you plan to do, huh? Bore me to death with your biology lessons?!” Kris retaliated. 

“You really don’t want to piss me off, son,” he then threatened.

“Don’t you dare call me son,” Kris said viciously. 

“Kris, enough,” Suho tried to calm him down, though the fury in his voice was evident as well. D.O. noticed how Jae was trying to get out of the metal bonds that Mr. Kang had placed on her, but he didn’t want her to get herself into trouble. Just when he wanted to warn her telepathically, he overheard her speaking to Mr. Kang instead. D.O. was aware how the scientist seemed to be the only one that behaved differently from the others. He couldn’t quite look Jae straight in the eyes as he kept her trapped. 

_Everyone has their reasons for being the way they are, for doing the things they do. I meant it when I said those words to you, Miss Jae. Don’t take this personal,_ Mr. Kang said, which irked D.O..

_Don’t take this personally?!_ He startled at hearing Jae yell like that, but he couldn’t help but feel a little proud as well. 

_Are you out of your mind? You worked beside my father all this time, you’ve spoken to us as though we could rely on you! You won our trust, our sympathy, and you go around stabbing people in the back! And now you expect us to just accept the fact that everything you do is for your so-called reasons and that validates your actions? You’ve lost your mind!_

_Jae was right_ , D.O. thought, they couldn’t just let them get away with this without a fight. 

“You know,” Mr. Yok interjected as he looked at them. “You are not the same guardians I once knew, but I suppose that’s a consequence of getting rid of the Great Tree. You’re weaker than you used to be.” He eyed them all like an eagle encircling its prey, stopping briefly upon seeing Chanyeol trying his best to scorch off the vines. But each time he turned them to dust, more vines came in its place. Mr. Yok grinned in jest at him. 

“I remember you,” he mused in a mere whisper, but Chanyeol was wise not to even grace him with a reply. His flames only grew hotter, grew bigger. His attention was then caught by a fiercely struggling Kai, who was riddled in black smoke. He tried to teleport away, but the vines held him back each time. 

“Careful with this one, Seunghyun. His fighting spirit is valuable. I don’t want you to damage him. He’s the traveling Guardian, always riddled in smoke,” he said as he leaned towards Kai who openly growled at him. “Darkness becomes you, my boy,” he murmured. “Why are you still fighting a battle you’ve already lost?” 

“What is that supposed to mean, sir?” Miss Kumiho suddenly spoke, looking anxious at seeing her master speak like this. 

Mr. Yok laughed. “So territorial! Calm down, my love, I’m merely getting reacquainted with these boys. It’s been so long.”

Mr. Tabi smirked as he watched the interaction and D.O. kept his gaze on the teacher then. He remembered things he didn’t want to at that moment. Remembered how he was the first teacher to take notice of him. The first one to take the time to talk to him and to get to know him. The only teacher that understood his situation, who taught him not to pay any attention to the bullies and that he was actually worth something. Mr. Tabi had always been encouraging and understanding, but D.O. knew now that none of that had meant anything. It was a game from the start, a ruse for the teacher to get close to him, to get close to all of them. _All this time, he’s been working for the black snake…_

He felt his body tense even further, felt himself trembling out of rage despite being held down by the powerful vines. At that moment, something inside of him snapped. 

“Why?!” he yelled out of the blue. He must’ve been interrupting Mr. Yok while he spoke since the latter focused his attention on him. D.O. only kept looking at Mr. Tabi. 

“Why are you doing this?!” he asked the man, without so much as granting Mr. Yok a glance. “You know what he plans to do to this world and you help him?!” Mr. Tabi’s eyebrows arched briefly as D.O. glared at him, sending him daggers with his gaze. “Why are you doing this?!” he repeated, the earth trembling beneath his feet. “You’re like us, aren’t you? So why are you fighting on _his_ side?!”

Mr. Tabi blinked slightly, though he shifted his gaze towards his master as if he was asking him for permission to answer. It made D.O.’s eye twitch at seeing it. Was he no more than a dog then? One who obeyed his master?

“You want to know why I fight for him, Kyungsoo-ah?” he then started, violet eyes glowing as he scanned over his former pupils. “Allow me to answer with another question,” he mused with a lopsided grin. 

“Why did you fight for the Tree back home?” he questioned, tilting his chin slightly. The question startled D.O., as he hadn’t expected him to pose it. _He knew about the Tree? He has similar powers to us… Who is he?_ He swallowed hard. He had a feeling that he should remember Mr. Tabi from Exo planet, but there was a gap where that memory should’ve been. 

“The Tree protects life. It doesn’t take it away,” it was Luhan that answered in his stead while he was racking his brain. 

“The Tree takes care of the world, takes care of the living creatures living in it! It doesn’t kill, it doesn’t allow itself to be guided by greed and power, and it certainly doesn’t betray anything or anyone!” 

“Doesn’t betray, says you?!” Miss Kumiho suddenly interrupted as she clacked her heels while she walked towards Luhan, sliding her nail over the side of his face without cutting him. “Can I play with this pretty face to punish him for his annoying ignorance?”

“Kumiho,” Mr. Tabi warned as the woman hissed and backed away from Luhan, standing next to her master. 

“So you claim to fight for the Tree for those reasons,” he summed up. “They are why you are so filial,” he stated rather than asked, smirking when none of them spoke. 

“These were my reasons, _all our_ reasons, too, once upon a time,” he then revealed as D.O. felt like he got punched in the stomach all over again. _All our reasons? Their reasons?!_

“Wha-y-you?! You’re guardians?!” Suho exclaimed in shock. 

“ _Were_ guardians,” Miss Kumiho corrected with a bored, icy tone. 

_Guardians? Them? No, there were twelve of us! If they were guardians we would’ve remembered…_ D.O. found it difficult to breathe. _But, you didn’t remember Jae, either, did you?_

“Did you really think you were the only ones? Did you blatantly forget that there were others before you?” It was Mr. Tabi’s turn to sound angry this time. “We’re your sunbaenim, you should be more respectful! The White Imoogi chose us first. We were there since the beginning of the world, by his side, always protecting the world he held dear. But do you know what he did to repay us for that loyalty?”

_White Imoogi…_ D.O.’s eyes flashed towards Mr. Yok, how darkly he smirked as Mr. Tabi elaborated. _Of course, how could I forget? They were brothers. The White Imoogi and the Black Imoogi. They balanced the world, but something changed._ D.O. remembered how the White Snake and the Black Snake would always fight for dominance. It was the White Imoogi that ruled the world, but his devious brother was always watching, always trying to attack. He had weakened his own brother and then… _What happened next?_ The White Imoogi was replaced, but not by this guy, not by Mr. Yok. 

D.O. blinked. _The voice…_

“We were discarded,” Mr. Tabi continued as D.O. tried his best to focus again. Though his mind was racing a hundred miles a minute. 

“The white snake, that chose to shed his scales and magnificent wings to don a coat of fur, to be closer to the people he cared for, or so he said - had no longer need for us,” Mr. Tabi elaborated bitterly. 

“He _betrayed_ us,” Miss Kumiho then added, glaring at Luhan for emphasis. 

“Replaced us, with younger models. As though we were nothing, as if centuries of service didn’t mean anything!” 

D.O. crushed his eyes shut a moment when Mr. Tabi’s vines tightened themselves again, more snaking around his arms and legs, even around his torso and neck to keep him from moving. As if having drowned wasn’t enough impact for his lungs, now they were being crushed by a bunch of vines. 

“That’s why I’m on his side,” Mr. Tabi gestured towards Mr. Yok. “Your Tree of Life is gone. There is no great guardian left to protect anything anymore!”

“So you choose to destroy alongside of this guy because it’s easier?!” Kris grunted with strained voice. 

“I follow him because he has kept his promises thus far. I follow him because he doesn’t delude my mind with dreams and wishes that can never come true!” Mr. Tabi’s voice was loud and deep as he yelled. “The white wolf filled our heads with silly dreams of light and hope, of a perfect world which the ugliness of darkness could never touch. A world where all our desires would be fulfilled. A balanced world of peace…” there was a slight tremble in his voice before he hardened himself again. “There is no such thing. It doesn’t exist!” he exclaimed. “And he lied about the darkness. Made us loathe it. But darkness, as we found out, was most welcoming. It didn’t cover the world with beautiful lies, no, darkness showed the world as it truly was. An ugly truth, but an honest one.” 

D.O. would’ve probably felt a hint of sympathy towards his former teacher, had he not still been seething with anger. He had to admit, however, that there was a certain sadness about Mr. Tabi when he explained, but all he concentrated on in the end, was what he was saying. He still needed to make sense of everything, but D.O. couldn’t think straight at the moment. The vines were suffocating him along with the new information he had to process. 

As he tried to sigh, he noticed that a certain feisty she-wolf was moving on the wall she was pinned on. His hope reignited when he saw that Jae had managed to wriggle herself loose from the bonds. Mr. Kang wasn’t paying attention to her, but D.O. was worried. _What is she doing? Doesn’t she see that if she does something stupid, we can’t protect her?!_ He honestly didn’t need the additional stress at the moment, but what else could he do?

_Jae, be careful,_ warned subtly, trying to stay as inconspicuous as possible, not knowing whether the girl could actually hear him or not. _If anyone sees you-_

_Relax, D.O.,_ rang her gentle voice in his head, soothing over the worries and concerns that resided there. _I got this, and I won’t leave you guys hanging. We’ll figure something out._

D.O. risked glancing up to look at her, not looking away until she had seen him and had given him an assuring nod. He didn’t like it at all to be unable to do anything to help her or help himself, for that matter. He hated being helpless. It fuelled his rage further, but the instinct to want to protect Jae was still greater. Perhaps that girl got under his skin a lot deeper than he initially thought. 

_Be careful, Jae,_ he added again for good measure. _Or I’ll be the one that kills you._ All he got in return was wan laughter. 

“This world is cold, and there is no one that cares,” Mr. Tabi was still talking and D.O. hesitated on whether he should try to signal the others about what Jae was trying to do. He decided against it since he saw that they were being watched carefully now. 

“You’re wrong,” Suho suddenly answered very softly. His body was stiff and had more vines coiled over him than the others. Still, the unwavering determination in the leader’s eyes was more than admirable. _Stupid_ , _but admirable_. 

“A balanced world filled with light and goodness will always exist if there are people around willing to fight for it. To despair and let yourself fall into darkness is to throw away hope itself.” At any given day, D.O. would’ve thought that Suho was being a dramatic sap, but not now. He felt exactly the same way. 

“You were a guardian once. You of all people, should’ve known this,” the leader commented, angering their former teacher. 

“Argh, kid, wake up!” he boomed. “Look at you! Your precious Tree is dead and you still aim to defend it! You don’t know what it’s like, having dedicated your entire life protecting something, putting the entire world before yourself, not having a real life of your own! Only to find out later that you get cast aside like garbage for your trouble, that you would be replaced by _others_!” he growled. “Mr. Yok gives credit where credit’s due. Rewards those that are loyal to him. That is all a guardian could ask for,” he added quietly, but the tension was clear. Suho bore a look of utter disgust and disappointment on his face. 

“You’ve really fallen, Mr. Tabi,” was his calm response, letting out another pained gasp as the vines became even tighter. The vines traveled up his leg, slithered over his chest and coiled itself around his neck. The leader gasped and grunted, body twitching but unable to move. D.O. watched in shock as Suho’s eyes started to roll back, his face turning blue. 

“Stop it! You’re killing him!” it was Kris that shouted before he could, earning the taller teen the same vines that coiled around his neck. Mr. Tabi was doing this. D.O. saw how violet his eyes were, how stark its contrast was compared to his blue hair. It didn’t look like he was going to stop anytime soon. 

“That is enough, Seunghyun,” Mr. Yok suddenly warned, placing his hand on the man’s shoulder as the violet glow in his eyes slowly dimmed. 

Suho and Kris coughed and gasped for air, but the vines didn’t leave their necks. D.O. felt them around his neck, as well. 

“Why?” Miss Kumiho then asked in obvious disdain. “Why not kill them now? You have what you want, sir. We don’t need them anymore,” she hissed. 

“My little fox,” Mr. Yok shushed. “Have you forgotten that we still require them to supply the dagger of the proper energy until I can create my own Tree?” he asked derivatively. 

“But they were about to make another Tree with the dagger in its current condition!” she protested heavily, nearly hysterically. _She really wants us dead, doesn’t she?_

“All you need to do is connect the dagger with the natural leylines of the earth and we’ll have succeeded! You don’t need these mongrels anymore. All you need is us,” she argued, sounding desperate. 

“Of course I need you,” the man replied, caressing her cheek as her eyes fluttered shut and D.O. frowned deeply. _Why does he keep calling her little fox? Argh! Why can’t I remember?!_  

_We need to escape,_ Luhan’s voice suddenly sounded in his head, but D.O. was unable to turn his head to look at his brother. 

_No shit, Lu-hyung!_ Kai cussed as Suho clacked his tongue. _If you’re gonna tell me to watch my language, Suho-hyung, I’ll bite you first before I’ll get to any one of them!_

_Guys, focus! We need to distract them and get out of here,_ said Xiumin as his frost did nothing to stop the vines. 

_You don’t honestly think that there’s anything you could do to escape, do you?_ The black snake smirked at them, his eyes glowing with delight. The boys froze upon hearing his icy voice in their minds, how it slithered inside like an unwanted guest. 

“I hear everything, boys,” he spoke. “Don’t insult me,” he added for good measure. “There is nothing you can do to escape, nothing you can do to stop me. You are Guardians without anything to guard, why do you persist on fighting me? Accept your defeat, don’t make it harder than it already is,” he tried to coax with a voice as smooth as velvet. “Tell me all of the dagger’s secrets and I promise I will spare this world you’ve grown to love,” he stated. “You were closest to the Tree. It must’ve told you how to revive it when the time was right. Tell me.” 

Silence fell. No one spoke. Mr. Yok continued looking at all of them, his face contorting into angered dismay when none of them answered. 

“Is this how you wish to play, boys?” he asked. “Do you know nothing of the gravity of the situation you’re in? Do you truly need me to show you how serious I am?” 

“Show them,” Miss Kumiho whispered, her eyes already lighting up. “Show them, master,” she coaxed him in a breathy whisper. 

“B-but, we need them, don’t we?” Mr. Kang interjected in a quiet voice. “I-if you harm them, sir…” he trailed off, the words falling silent on his tongue when Mr. Yok glared at him. The atmosphere in the chamber was heavy, filled with foreboding. 

“There’s no need to worry, Mr. Kang,” said the black snake. “We have our very own healer, right here!” he grabbed Lay by the chin as the healer struggled in his grasp. “Of course there is very much reason to worry, if I decide to make an example out of him.” 

D.O. winced visibly at hearing Lay yelp in pain. “Yah! Leave him alone!” he yelled, his brothers protesting while trying to escape. 

“Must this truly be the way each time, boys? Must I hurt you first before I get what I want?” Mr. Yok asked as he tortured Lay, leaving angry marks on his skin, causing the healer’s eyes to glow a dangerous red as if the pain seared through his entire being. 

“Stop it!” 

“Lay-hyung!” 

“Let him go!” 

The earth beneath them trembled and D.O. could feel the energy rising. This was him, and they needed to know that. The lights flickered overhead and he could sense Baekhyun everywhere. Mr. Tabi showed concern when he noticed the shift in energy as his vines multiplied and tightened their grip. 

“That’s it, boys, unleash your full powers,” Mr. Yok laughed. _The bastard laughed!_ D.O. tried to turn his head to check up on Lay, but he couldn’t see him. _Hold on, Lay-hyung,_ he thought hard. _Hold on. Hold on-_ D.O. startled when he noticed movement behind the distracted Mr. Kang and he nearly groaned out loud when he saw Jae wriggling herself loose from her metal bonds, one by one. Her movements became more erratic when her eyes moved towards Lay, pulling on her legs frantically to get loose. 

_What is she doing?_

“Enough!” Kris screamed. 

“Don’t hurt him!” Suho added, the leader cringing when Lay gasped sharply for breath. 

“No? Shall I put him out of his misery instead then?” Mr. Yok mocked to which the pack replied with a resounding ‘no!’, causing him to laugh. “Then will you tell me what I need to know?” he asked, waiting for someone to reply. At this point the boys probably realized that he was going to want to get his way one way or the other, but they knew about as much as he did where the dagger was concerned. 

_He wouldn’t believe us, though._ D.O. tried to think on his feet, but he was barely recovering from everything and his body, as much as he disliked it, was tired. His eyes darted towards Jae now, how she managed to free her leg and was busy trying to get the other one out. 

“Just tell us what we want to know, boys,” Mr. Tabi said. “It’ll be better that way.” 

D.O. sneered. “We don’t know anything,” he spat out. “You said it yourself, our memories aren’t what they used to be. We know as much as you do, so good luck figuring it out on your own!” 

He didn’t look away when Mr. Yok glanced at him and held his gaze. The man approached him steadily, but D.O. didn’t even blink. He wasn’t afraid of him and he wanted to make sure the black snake was aware of that. He definitely wanted Mr. Tabi to know that as well. He expected for Mr. Yok to say something, the way he approached him, but there came no smart remark, no sassy retort. 

“Very well,” was all the man said before his hand shot towards D.O.’s throat, squeezing tightly, but the pain he felt wasn’t that of suffocation. The man’s touch alone burned. It seared. It singed. D.O. felt the most horrid pain seep through his skin into his blood, running towards his brain, plaguing his mind with nightmarish imageries of memories he never thought he had. 

“I can’t quite recall,” Mr. Yok suddenly mused. “Was their healer able to heal someone near death?” he threatened, chuckling out loud as he squeezed harder. “Shall we find out, my boy?” he asked and D.O. widened his eyes at the sharp pain that shot throughout his body. His surroundings died down as he felt himself slipping away no matter how hard he was trying to fight. As he was teetering between consciousness and certain death, he was surprised to see Mr. Yok’s head bob forward a bit as if it was hit by something. The grasp he had on him released and D.O. sucked in the sweet air, the pain slipping away from him. 

As he recovered, he saw a sneaker near his own feet and he blinked, looking up in disbelief as he saw a panting Jae, holding another, similar sneaker in her hand, standing in her socks. D.O. didn’t know why he noticed that she wore Totoro socks or why he thought it was cute at a moment like this, but he wasn’t the only one that was taken aback by her standing there. Mr. Kang was gaping at her as he was probably wondering how she managed to escape his metal bonds. Mr. Tabi looked like he was still trying to process what he was seeing, with Miss Kumiho looking on indignantly, but obviously startled. 

As for the black snake himself, his shock was masked by a look of irritation, the kind of expression someone would have when they saw a fly in their soup. His eyebrow twitched when he saw Jae standing there, turning his attention away from the pack. 

_Jae, what are you doing? Get out of here, run!_ D.O. yelled at her, and the only sign of her having heard him was when she glanced towards him briefly before fixating her gaze on Mr. Yok again. 

“What do you think you’re-,”

Mr. Yok wasn’t given a chance to even finish his sentence as Jae blatantly threw her other sneaker at his head. He was so surprised at the audacity that he didn’t even deflect it. It landed against his face, bounced down his chest and landed on the ground with a sad thud. 

“You little-!” Miss Kumiho screeched, about to charge towards her. 

“Kumiho!” Mr. Yok’s voice bouldered throughout the chamber, stopping her, eyes glaring at Jae. D.O. didn’t like how he was appraising her, sizing her up as she stood as straight as possible, standing her ground. 

_You idiot, run away!_ he grunted at her, but she stood unmoving. 

“And _who_ are _you_ , child?” Mr. Yok then asked as he kept staring at Jae. 

She breathed. “You know who I am.” 

“I meant, who _were_ you then,” he corrected in annoyance. “A little fox claimed that there was a thirteenth member in a pack for a dozen and that doesn’t add up for me. I don’t like it when my careful calculations turn out wrong, my dear,” he said, and it was D.O. who growled when the man dared to skim his hand lightly over Jae’s cheek. 

“I feel like I should know you…” he peered at her as her angry expression never changed. Mr. Yok caught sight of one of the sneakers and something in his eyes shifted. 

“There was only one creature I recall that had the blatant audacity to defy me,” he hissed at her. “A scrawny, little peasant girl who threw away _my_ _Yeouiju,_ setting me back many years until I found it again,” he spoke threateningly, holding up her chin as he inspected her, and D.O. knew that his brothers were just as angry as he was when the man leaned forward to whisper something in her ear. 

Whatever he said startled Jae, the shock evident on her face when he pulled away. Then, the anger came. The look on her face was one that he had the misfortune of seeing once or twice, but this time he regretted it that there weren’t enough twigs or stones around for her to throw. 

“Let them go,” she demanded. “You have your dagger, what more do you need?” 

“May I please have permission to kill at least this one, sir?” Kumiho interrupted, her eyes already set on Jae. “She has no use for us.” 

“Is that so?” Mr. Yok questioned, his gaze moving back and forth between Jae and the rest of the pack. “Perhaps you should take care of this little, feisty cub, my little fox. Perhaps that will make these stubborn guardians talk.” 

“They won’t, though,” Jae replied before Kumiho could touch her. “And if they would answer you, they’d lie to tell you what you want to hear only so that they’ll save me from whatever atrocities this crazy chick has planned for me.” 

_What are you doing, Jae?_ D.O. asked in suspicion, since there was something in her eyes that he didn’t like. He blinked in confusion when he saw her dart her eyes his way, but as he thought about it, it didn’t seem like she was actually looking at him. She heard him, that much was certain, but she hadn’t been making eye contact with him. Was she looking at Baekhyun? Sehun, perhaps? _What’s behind us?_ What was she planning?

“How refreshing,” the black snake mused. “You told me how fascinating she was, Seunghyun, but I hadn’t quite expected _this_. What am I to do with this one?” he wondered out loud. 

“Give her to me, sir,” Kumiho urged, ready to sink her poisonous nails into Jae’s skin. 

“I can help,” Jae suddenly spoke, surprising Mr. Yok, and the pack too, for that matter. 

“Jae,” Suho hissed at her, and she looked at their direction again, but she wasn’t actually looking at them. D.O. wished that he could turn his neck to see what she kept glancing at, but the vines were still too tight. What was obvious though, was that she was planning something. 

“I know what you need to create a Tree of Life- or Death, whichever suits your sick preference,” she elaborated, not afraid to show her disdain towards him. 

Mr. Yok blasted out a throaty laugh. “She’s funny! Neither of you mentioned that,” he said to his lackeys. “And tell me, my dear, how is it that someone like you knows what to do when even the twelve guardians of Exo planet have not a single clue?” 

Jae shrugged as coolly as she could, but she was nervous. “Guess I’m the only one who’s smart in this room then.” 

She was bluffing. And lying terribly, enough to make D.O. wince. _Why does she keep looking this way?_ he pondered.

“She’s lying, sir!” Kumiho argued fiercely, but Jae wouldn’t allow herself to be dismissed so easily. 

“I can show you how. But you have to let them go first,” she negotiated, though Mr. Yok only laughed harder at her demands and who could blame him? Surely even Jae had to be aware of how she was at a disadvantage. 

“Do you take me for a fool?” the man replied with a vicious voice. 

“Fine then,” she conceded. “Then show me the dagger. I can’t show you unless I see the dagger.” 

“You will tell me what I need to know right here, right now. That’s it,” Mr. Yok clarified as Jae swallowed hard. Again her eyes flashed over them and it was then that D.O. realized that she was actually looking at the massive hole in the wall that lead towards the fake forest. Why would she do that? Was she trying to signal the rest of them to escape through there? _Or did she see something there?_

“I can’t explain it without the dagger,” she persisted. 

“Don’t believe her, sir, she’s trying to trick you!” Kumiho intervened. 

“Not everyone is as sly as a fox,” Jae shot back, causing the woman to stalk towards Jae as she roughly grabbed the girl’s hair and pulled her head back so she could look down on her. 

“Go on then. Say something else, I dare you,” Kumiho whispered, her hands caressing Jae’s skin. 

“Play nice, Kumiho, let the girl go,” Mr. Yok suddenly ordered, which obviously startled the woman. 

“But, sir-,” 

“You disobey me?” 

Kumiho breathed in defeat and roughly let go of Jae. Mr. Yok then stepped towards her again until they were standing in front of each other. 

“Show me,” he said. Jae glanced at him and waited a moment, her eyes darting again to the hole in the wall. 

“The dagger,” she replied. “Or we can do this all day,” she added for good measure.

After a moment’s pondering, Mr. Yok finally moved, alarming Kumiho greatly. “Very well,” he conceded, “but you don’t touch it.”

“Naturally,” said Jae as he reached to his inner pocket for the dagger. She turned her head again this time, but now she was actually looking at them. 

_Trust me. Get ready._

D.O. loathed those sentences. Why would she, for the love of all that is good and holy in this world, say those two sentences? This smelled of trouble. 

His heart thumped loudly in his chest when Mr. Yok revealed the dagger towards her, though he didn’t allow her to touch it. He seemed truly desperate enough to not see through the fact that this was a set up. _Or is he doing this on purpose as well?_

“Show me,” he demanded, voice void of earlier pleasantries. What would Jae do? Biting his lip, D.O. watched her move towards the black snake, though she obviously kept her distance. Seeing her nervous made him nervous as well. _What are you up to?_

“Well, y-you see,” she cleared her throat, seemingly recovering, pointing at the dagger. “Even though it’s technically recharged with energy, there’s still one thing missing,” she tried to explain, making stuff up. “Here, you see this?” she pointed at the hilt as it meant something, which D.O. highly doubted to begin with. 

“Well, the main problem with this is quite simple, the issue with this is mostly the fact that... _You_ are the one who owns the dagger,” she suddenly finished her sentence, looking straight up at him, her hand around the blade, face unflinching. “Let’s remedy that,” she said, grabbing the dagger from a raging black snake as she made a run for it towards the hole in the wall. 

“Guys, if you were waiting for a cue this is it!” she squealed as she ran past them, shrieking upon seeing over a dozen vines shooting towards her, attempting to catch her. 

“Get her! Do not let her escape! I want that dagger!” Mr. Yok exclaimed in outrage as Kumiho was the first to respond, running after Jae. Meanwhile, the pack resorted to trying their best to escape Mr. Tabi’s vines, but finding it difficult to do so.

“Jae-noona, watch out!” Tao screamed and in the chaos, D.O. managed to loosen the vines slightly so it was possible for him to turn around. Jae was pinned against the wall by a furious Miss Kumiho who was bearing her teeth at her. 

“I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time, darling,” she mused holding Jae down. “This is the end for you, you insolent mongrel,” she whispered into her ear. 

“Get rid of her, Kumiho!” the black snake yelled impatiently. 

“I’d be honored, sir,” the woman replied. 

D.O.’s entire body was trembling as he desperately tried to make his escape. 

“Jae! NO!” he yelled, his brothers echoing him. 

“End of the line, darling,” Kumiho spoke as she lifted her arm to strike Jae with her venom. Jae crushed her eyes shut when Kumiho brought her hand down, but what happened next- even D.O. wasn’t sure. 

Out from the hole in the wall, from the fake forest on the other side, emerged a roar he had never heard in his entire life. So mighty and frightening it nearly shocked him into a heart attack. 

A white wolf leapt from the wall, so big in its stature it resembled a bear and pushed Kumiho forcefully down before heading to his next target; Mr. Tabi. 

The startled teacher responded by slithering more of his vines towards the white beast, but with one simple snap of the jaw and the vines were cut. _All_ of them were. 

D.O. never felt more relief at feeling his own arms and legs again as he made the earth tremble to make Mr. Yok lose his balance. The white wolf growled as it started its attack, but for some reason, Jae nodded in response. 

“Kai!” she called out in the chaos as the white wolf was facing Mr. Tabi and Mr. Kang now. “We have to get out of here!”

“No! Kumiho, stop them!” Mr. Yok yelled as shadows emerged and grew, coming to life as they rushed towards the pack. Kumiho pushed herself off the ground, still in a daze. She heard her master’s command and quickly tried to get to her feet, but was stopped, the moment the white wolf turned around to roar at her. The woman was so shocked she froze in place. 

D.O. would be lying if he said that the beast didn’t frighten him at all. Without thinking, he gathered a pair of lost sneakers from the floor and joined his brothers and Jae as they fled from shadows and angry black snakes. Kai’s smoke surrounded them, but his eyes were still fixed on the white beast and how startled Mr. Yok looked when he saw it. 

D.O. was probably mistaken when he thought he heard the black snake call the white wolf ‘brother’ before the black smoke engulfed them completely. 


	100. ~ No Time To Breathe ~

***

_There was only one creature I recall that had the blatant audacity to defy me. A scrawny, little peasant girl who threw away my Yeouiju, setting me back many years until I found it again._

_But she couldn’t have been you…I crushed the life out of her. Slowly, diligently, until she was no more but a sack of human skin that contained crushed bones and squished entrails._

_Yeah… I remember._ Not that I told him that, of course, but I had relived the memory in my head again the moment he spoke about what he had done to the peasant girl. To me, apparently. Perhaps he knew that, though it did appear, just for the moment, that the great black snake had no idea who I was. I wasn’t sure whether that was a good thing or not, but I guess surprising him by doing the unexpected worked well. I still wasn’t sure how all of that had worked out the way it did. 

I remember feeling strange, as if there was someone there watching us. I was feeling paranoid the moment I stepped foot in the building to begin with, but that feeling grew while I was plastered against the wall, trapped by metal pipes. There was something about the story Mr. Tabi told, about the White Imoogi they used to serve that made me feel uneasy. I heard voices in my head like I had before, a feeling of queasiness, and then- flashes of white coming from the hole in the wall. 

_What do you think you’re doing?_ asked the voice in my head. It wasn’t one of the boys. This voice was ethereal, and very familiar. 

_I’m trying to escape, do you mind?!_ I replied, seeing a pair of deep green eyes peek at me from the hole in the wall. I must be seeing things, right? I caught a cold, or my brain was scrambled by getting my head slammed against the wall just now. But, no. There it was; the ghost wolf, peering at me- _glaring_ at me. 

_How did you get here?_ I asked, _what are you doing here? I thought you said you didn’t have enough energy left…_

_I’ve been saving my remaining energy for this. I must say it’s highly disappointing to continue to see you mucking around like this. Is everything a game to you?_

I couldn’t believe that I was being told off by a wolf. _Hey, I’m trying, okay! The least you can do is actually be helpful, for once!_ I had shouted back as I finally managed to get one arm loose. 

_Everything I did thus far has been only to help you, Jae,_ the wolf spoke and I blinked a moment. I couldn’t recall the last time he called me by my name. In fact, this was probably the first time I distinctly heard a male voice coming from him, instead of the myriad of voices I was used to hearing. We both flinched when Mr. Tabi shouted at Suho. “Argh, wake up, kid!” 

_Hm. Perhaps not such a bad piece of advice,_ the wolf said in a bored tone of voice, gazing at me, appearing and reappearing from the hole in the wall so others probably won’t notice him. 

_Shut up,_ I hissed, trying to pry my hand free. _Why are you even here?_

The wolf didn’t reply at first, only watched me fumble in trying to get free. I caught sight of it as it briefly showed his head in the light and I startled. I didn’t remember the ghost wolf being so big before. My focus shifted towards Suho and Kris then, as I tried harder to get free at seeing them being strangled by the vines. It was here that the black snake told Mr. Tabi to stop. It was here that Miss Kumiho stepped forward to ask why they shouldn’t kill us now, and it was here that the ghost wolf had looked away from me for the first time, in order to look at her. 

_Why are you here?_ I asked again, trying to read the glimmer in his dark green eyes, not looking away when the wolf stared back at me. 

_You have never once asked me this. After all this time this is the first time you’ve asked me why I’m here._

_It never occurred to me to ask you before. You never really answered the questions I asked you anyway, and along the way I just presumed that you were here to help, but now, I’m not so sure…_ I shrugged. _So, why are you here?_

_I am always here to help you,_ he replied, cryptical as usual. _You have to escape. Grab the dagger and run._

_Why are you here?_ I repeated, sick and tired of having my questions unanswered. 

I heard the ghost wolf sigh ever so deeply, his eyes shining at me. _Atonement,_ was his short reply. _Now stop asking questions and do something! You have to retrieve the dagger!_

_How?! It’s in the man’s inner pocket! I’m a magical she-wolf not the invisible ninja woman!_ I protested. 

_You’ll think of something. Just get it done. I’ll help you._

_What, like you did the time we met in Exo planet after you made me faint?_ I replied sarcastically, earning a snarl. 

_Just do it!_

“That’s how I knew the wolf would be there, what gave me the courage I needed to do what I did,” I looked at the pack as we were hiding in a laboratory, somewhere on the third floor. Kai hadn’t been able to teleport us out of the building, as there was a some kind of barrier holding him back. The Black Imoogi was most likely responsible for that. For now we were still trapped, but at least we had more time to think about our next move. I was already glad that I had the dagger in my hand, though, at least it was something positive that came out of this gigantic mess we were in. 

The boys were silent for a moment after hearing me explain until D.O. moved forward holding up the pair of sneakers I had thrown at Mr. Yok. There was nothing for us at that moment to laugh about, but this got a hearty chuckle out of me. 

“Thank you, D.O.,” I said, slowly putting them on again. This broke the ice somewhat as the boys managed to smile and chuckle lightly as well. Before I knew it, Chen had found a lab coat and placed it over my shoulders while Sehun got me a towel. Lay, looking tired, squatted in front of me to heal me while I shook my head. 

“Yah, what’s with all this pampering? Take care of yourselves first, will you?” I protested while Lay purposely kept me in place so he could properly heal me. 

“You know we’re fine as long as you are, Jae-yah,” Lay whispered, though his voice was hoarse. I heard his bone-chilling scream the moment Mr. Yok touched him and it bothered me that Lay had been behaving apologetically towards us after it. As if it was his fault that the man had hurt him, as if he didn’t mean to burden us just because we heard him scream out of pain. 

He looked up in surprise when I ruffled his damp hair, connecting with him to heal him, too. “Are you okay?” I asked, Lay blinking blankly at me, his mouth slightly agape. 

“Of course, Jae-yah, why wouldn’t I be?” 

I chuckled and pushed his head back good-naturedly. “It’s okay if you’re not always okay, you know. Trust me, I speak out of experience,” I winked, speaking softly as the boys were busy with exploring the laboratory, looking for things that they can use. 

“Well, maybe I have a little bit of pain, here,” he confessed, pointing at his chest. I placed my hand there, familiar with the soft glow that came out of it. I felt the source of the pain and removed it as gently as Lay would otherwise. 

“Is that better?” I asked to which he smiled shyly and pointed at the side of his face which still had some angry marks. “Neck?” I asked and Lay nodded like a little boy, tilting his head slightly so I could heal him there. I hovered my hand over the wounds that were inflicted on him on that heartless Mr. Yok, seeing the skin improving, luckily. When the marks were healed, Lay suddenly leaned in towards my hand, closing his eyes as his movement made me cup his cheek. There was a smile on his lips when he opened his eyes again, soft brown orbs looking at me. 

“Thank you, Jae-yah,” he murmured and I smiled back caressing his cheek with my thumb in response. 

“Oh?!” Baekhyun suddenly exclaimed as he walked towards us. I startled and withdrew my hand while Lay stood up. “What’s this, eh?” he asked loudly, wanting an explanation. 

“Will you relax? I was healing his neck,” I said, though it was suddenly quite warm in the room. 

“You were healing Lay-hyung’s neck, noona?” asked Chanyeol, joining us. 

“Yes,” I nodded, with Lay doing the same thing, though he scratched his cheek, looking embarrassed. 

“Ah, but noona, don’t you know?” Baekhyun snaked his arm around his hyung’s shoulders, pulling him closer. “That’s not how you heal Lay-hyungie’s neck!” he sounded, tsking at me. 

“I-it’s not?” I asked, while Lay looked at his younger brother in confusion as well. Baekhyun smiled mischievously and signaled Chanyeol who stood next to Lay on the other side. 

“Nope! _This_ is how you heal Lay-hyungie’s neck!” 

Before I processed what I was looking at, Baekhyun and Chanyeol attacked Lay’s neck by blowing at it, the young man in question letting out something that resembled a squeak and high-pitched giggle, sinking down on his knees as he ducked his head into his shoulders, squirming at his brothers’ relentless attack. 

Chen’s laughter rang in the air then as he pointed at the ridiculous sight, Lay already floored as he still struggled, Baekhyun and Chanyeol randomly blowing near his neck. I couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled from my throat either, shaking my head at the boys. The mood felt elated for the moment, with everyone clapping their hands or laughing at the sight. But not everyone could appreciate the moment of relaxation. 

“Yah! Hey! That’s enough, guys, stop it, please,” Suho warned, walking towards them, had he been standing watch by the door a few seconds ago. No one listened to him, or they didn’t hear him. 

“Get his stomach, too, he can’t stand that,” Luhan encouraged, laughing at seeing his younger brother writhing with laughter on the floor. 

“Hey! No, Chanyeol, put Lay’s shirt down!” Suho warned, trying to push his way past Sehun and Chen. “Kris, you’re not helping by tickling his armpits- guys! Stop, come on!” 

I was starting to feel a little sorry for Suho since no one seemed to be paying him any attention, but as I was about to help him by telling the guys to stop, Suho himself beat me to it. 

“YAH! I SAID STOP IT!” he yelled, startling us. The ruckus in the room died down immediately, while startled faces gazed at the leader in shock. “Stop,” he repeated taking a deep breath, the agitation obvious on his face. “Honestly, we’re trapped inside of a building with people that want us dead and all of your are-,” he paused a moment, letting out a sigh of frustration. “You’re all acting like a bunch of children,” he breathed as if he hadn’t actually wanted to say it. “So just- _stop_. Nothing about the situation we’re in is funny. Stop it.” 

The brothers had the grace to look ashamed, as did I, while Baekhyun and Chanyeol got up from the floor, helping a red-faced Lay up as well. 

“We’re sorry, Suho,” Kris started, rubbing the back of his neck. “We were just fooling around, you know? Relieving tension,” he tried. 

“Yeah. I don’t mind them teasing me, Su-hyung,” Lay added for good measure, straightening up his clothes a bit. 

“That’s not the point, Lay,” Suho replied far more gentle this time. “I just don’t understand you sometimes. Which- _sucks_ ,” he said, looking like he genuinely had trouble saying something that could nearly be counted as cussing, which was strangely endearing, I suppose. _He’s such a nerd,_ I smirked. 

“I’m the leader and I don’t understand my own brothers sometimes,” he huffed. “How can all of you be so relaxed, joking around, while we’re literally being hunted down? Do any of you realize that beyond these walls there are people out there that are out for our heads? That there’s danger lurking there, not just for us, but for the people we care for, for the world we’re trying to defend? Do any of you grasp the situation we’re in?” he asked, sincerely confused as he looked at his brothers. 

“We know that, Suho,” Luhan started. 

“Do you really?” the leader interjected. “Look, I know you always tell me that I should relax and lighten up, that I’m a stiff with a stick up his butt, and you know what? That’s okay. I know it’s true. And scenes like this is the reason why I’m the way I am. I worry a lot because it doesn’t seem like any of you are. I nag because I need you to understand that what we’re about to face is no game.” 

“We know, Suho, you don’t have to worry about us, we know,” Kris tried, but Suho shook his head. 

“But you don’t. I need my brothers to understand. I need my brothers to be focused and to stand with me while facing what we have to face out there. Our memories came back for a reason, and I don’t know about you but I don’t want what happened at Exo planet to happen here as well again,” the leader explained patiently but with a certain persistence behind his words. 

“I can’t have my brothers joking around while death could await us behind those doors,” Suho was panting now, having held in his pent up feelings and emotions. “Lay nearly died moments ago. D.O. actually did! I don’t -,” he licked his lips, swallowing hard. He couldn’t even look at us. “I don’t want that to happen again. I don’t want anything bad to happen again. So, please,” he implored, “I know I’m not the best leader out there- I know I can’t protect all of you, that’s why I’m asking you to help me protect you by standing with me. Focus.” Suho said, looking at us. “Please,” he added again. 

Suho had never looked so vulnerable before, and I think he realized that as well, the way he twirled his fingers, played around with his shirt, unable to keep a steady gaze with any of us. I guess this was his way of asking us whether he could trust in us as he hoped that we trusted in him, but that silly dork of a leader should know better, right? 

“You can depend on us, Su-hyung,” Tao said, breaking the silence. “They can’t touch us,” he added with a smug grin on his face as he walked over to swing his arm over the leader’s shoulders and Suho’s smile widened at seeing his brothers comforting him and assuring him that they’d stick together. 

“Thank you,” he murmured in relief, taking another deep breath to calm down before he looked at me. “Okay. So, the white wolf,” he started, going back to business. “That was the ghost wolf?”

I nodded. “I don’t know how he got there, but yeah. That was the ghost wolf,” I confirmed. 

“You never mentioned how big he was,” Kris noted. 

“This was honestly the first time I saw him in that size. Usually he’s just the size of a common wolf,” I shrugged. “Does it really matter, though? The ghost wolf is here to help us.” 

“But where did he come from? I mean, why emerge to help us now if it could have done so sooner? Does it want anything from us?” Suho asked continuously, as if I was the one with all the answers. 

“How should I know? The wolf barely tells me anything,” I said. “He does seem genuinely concerned about us taking the dagger and saving this world.”

“Then, does it mean that he knows what we have to do to recreate the Tree, noona?” asked Sehun with hope in his voice. 

“I wish I knew, Sehunnie. I barely understand what’s going on in the first place. I mean, with Mr. Kang and Mr. Tabi-,”

“Don’t mention that man’s name,” D.O. grumbled with clenched teeth. “If that white wolf didn’t get him yet, I will.”

A chill tickled my spine at hearing the threat, but I couldn’t blame D.O. for thinking like that about the ex-biology teacher. _Talk about feeling played…_

“They said they were former guardians, that they were like us,” Luhan then said. “You think they’re telling the truth?” 

“Do you have another explanation, hyung?” asked Chanyeol. “Personally, I don’t see why they would lie about that, even though it’s so unbelievable.” 

“That means that they really did serve the White Imoogi before he left, but… _Aish_ ,” Baekhyun shook his head in frustration. “I can’t remember!” 

My heart thumped in my chest as I tried to put the puzzle pieces together. How did they all fit in with one another? How did the keys turn in their locks? What is the role everyone plays in this insane story? 

“I thought I heard the black snake call the white wolf his brother,” D.O. suddenly interjected quietly, looking at us. “Do you think that means something?” 

“What, that the ghost wolf Jae-noona has been seeing was the White Imoogi all this time?!” Chen asked in utter disbelief. “That’s impossible!” 

“And you heard what Mr.- eh, that guy-, said. The White Imoogi vanished, didn’t it? I mean, we were chosen to become guardians after them,” added Chanyeol. 

“Ugh! My head hurts,” Sehun whined. “Does it really matter who the white wolf is? We should think up a plan to just recreate another freaking Tree already. If the white wolf is somehow involved in all of this, then we’ll find that out along the way.” 

“Sehun is right. We have to think about how we’re going to get that dagger reconnected to the leylines,” said Xiumin. “I mean, it soaked up our blood, great, but apparently that’s not enough…”

“You sure the white wolf doesn’t know, noona?” Tao asked for good measure. 

“I wouldn’t count on it. The only thing he keeps nagging about is wanting me to wake up,” I shrugged whilst looking at the dagger. “Though I don’t know why that’s so important now, with everything else that’s been going on.” 

“Maybe that’s exactly why it’s important,” Luhan said thoughtfully, looking up. “We didn’t get our memories back without the dagger, but wasn’t it Jae that served as a mediator between us and it?” he asked, bright eyes glancing at me worriedly. 

_Why would I see you in my dream?_ he asked.

I blinked at him as Luhan gazed at me, but I didn’t have an answer for him. 

“Anyway,” Kai suddenly interrupted, appearing in between us, breaking our eye contact. “I think we should worry about how we’re supposed to get to that forest behind the hole in the wall,” he cleared his throat, sounding impatient as ever. “With all of those people there, I doubt we’d get an easy access.” 

We jumped simultaneously when there was a loud bang outside. I got up to my feet, looking at the closed doors. With all those shadow-things Mr. Yok had conjured, I doubted that we would be safe here for long. Suho turned to us, his finger placed against his mouth. He signaled the boys and they automatically knew what to do. I decided not to be annoyed when Lay, Luhan and Sehun stood protectively before me, the others standing in formation while Suho went to slowly check on what was making the noise outside, with Tao and Kai flanking him. 

I strained to listen myself, seeing shadows move frantically underneath the gap of the doors. I held the dagger near my chest when I heard growling. 

“Suho, be careful,” said Kris while he was slowly leading the rest of us to step back. The room was deathly still when the leader leaned his ear towards the door, jumping lightly at hearing a shriek and a splattering sound. Then, silence. 

There was a look of slight terror on his face as he strained to listen. His eyes suddenly widened and he pushed Kai and Tao back at him in the nick of time when a shadow creature was flung through the door and landed on the other side of the laboratory, smashed against a rack of equipments. The creature twitched horribly before letting out a hiss and falling still. 

Our attention was drawn by a single, ferocious growl as the big head of the white wolf appeared through the doorway. His eyes were menacing, lip twitched upward as though he was sneering down at all of us. There were streaks of black goo and red on his soft coat of fur, tainting the white purity. 

_Why are all of you still here?!_ he barked, startling the pack. 

“We can’t get out of the building,” I told it, the boys looking up as I spoke. Didn’t they hear the wolf? The ghost wolf snarled, breezing through his nostrils as he straightened itself. 

_That’s because you’re not supposed to get out of the building! What part of ‘you’re running out of time’ do you not comprehend?!_ he growled again.

“Jae, what’s going on?” asked Suho, their cautiousness level high. 

“You can’t hear him?” I asked. 

“I can,” Luhan whispered, eyes wide as the wolf turned to look at him. Luhan looked scared at first and then extremely humbled, like a wolf who recognized that he was standing before the ultimate alpha. 

_Do you have the dagger?_ The ghost wolf directed his attention towards me again. I held it up for him to see. 

_Good. Follow me. The Black Snake is looking for you as well, we don’t have much time- I don’t have much time left!_ The creature left before I had a chance to ask anything, and I scoffed, running after it. 

“Come on,” I told the others. 

“Jae, wait! What did it say?” Kris asked as they moved along with me. 

“He wanted us to follow him,” Luhan replied instead, letting out a startled gasp when we got out into the hallway. It was smeared with black goop and former remnants of what I presumed were those shadow-things. 

_Hurry up!_

I jumped at hearing him yell in my head and it seemed Luhan was surprised as well. The wolf waited at the end of the hallway but it was obvious that he wouldn’t wait long. 

“Quickly,” I said as we ran after it, in perfect formation of course. Suho would see to that. I kept up with the boys while trying not to look around too much, nor slip over the goop that was draped over the floors. I was afraid to ask the ghost wolf what he had done to Mr. Tabi and Mr. Kang, whether Miss Kumiho was still alive as well, or whether he had - well… The Black Imoogi was still alive. At least that much was clear. It was lucky that the white wolf found us before the snake did, though. 

“Jae,” Luhan called, speaking quietly so the wolf wouldn’t hear, but the others still could. “What did he mean when he said that he doesn’t have much time left?” 

“I don’t know,” I replied. “He’s been saying that a lot. I don’t know,” I repeated. “He needed the energy to be here, he said that he’s been saving it up just to be here, right now.” The ghost wolf was a consistent presence throughout everything that’s been happening, but I’ve only now just realized it. Now that I think about it, the day I arrived on the island of Ookami Shinro, I had seen him. I thought he was just a wild wolf, but now I know that he’s been there since the beginning. 

“Maybe he doesn’t really belong in this world. Maybe he’s not supposed to be here, and he’s here on borrowed time,” I mused, feeling a sudden ache in my chest. 

_You need to get down to the basement. Get to the forest there,_ the wolf said, stopping in another laboratory. _Tell the traveler to transport us back. It’s right underneath this room. I’ve taken care of most of the shadows there, so we should be fine._

“Luhan,” I called and he nodded, telling the others what the wolf just said while I stepped towards the animal. _I don’t understand,_ I told the wolf, still amazed by its size. _What are you doing here, really? You’ve never actively helped us like this._

There was something stoic about the wolf when he regarded me, but there was gentleness there too. _If you do not wake up before the blood of the moon is drained, then all of this has been for naught._

I rolled my eyes while Sehun grabbed my hand tightly and I carefully touched the side of the wolf’s neck. _You know, I’ve just noticed that you talk like a grandfather. You’re old, aren’t you?_ I might’ve been mistaken, but amidst Kai’s dark smoke, I thought I saw those pair of green eyes smile. 

_You lost your memories, lost your sense of being, but it pleases me you've not lost your sense of humor. Promise to hold on to that until the end._

I couldn't ask him what he meant to say in his annoyingly cryptic way, but his words made me shudder nevertheless. Unfortunately for him, by the time we were back in the chamber where I undoubtedly contracted PTSD, I had forgotten what he said. 


	101. ~ Hurt Pt. 1 ~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For all those that still follow this story, you're amazing and awesome and I thank you for giving this story a chance! We're slowly nearing the end, guys, let's go...!

***

We arrived at the same room we were before- well, sort of. The entire chamber was a mess. It looked like a war had waged here and perhaps that was the case. I cringed when a lose electric cable sparked nearby but Chen quickly took care of it. 

“There’s no one here,” Baekhyun breathed, looking around. “Did you kill all of them?” he asked, carefully stepping behind Kris and Chanyeol when the wolf glared at him. 

“He wants us to be careful,” Luhan translated. “They’re searching for us, so they could be anywhere.” 

“That’s comforting,” Chen muttered, giving a sheepish grin when the wolf looked at him, this time. 

 _You need to take the dagger into the forest,_ the wolf said. 

“But we don’t know what to do with it. The Black Snake said it himself- he needs something before binding the dagger with the energy of the earth.” I followed the wolf as he walked to the fake forest. It nearly felt as though we stepped outside. Even the ceilings looked like a starry sky, sans the red beams of the moon. 

“What if we try giving dagger-nim more of our blood? That seemed to work for it, didn’t it?” Lay then suggested reluctantly, rubbing the back of his neck. “I can heal everyone, of course.”

“I don’t think that’s enough, hyung,” Chanyeol replied. “The way the snake said it, it seems like there’s something else- but what?” 

“Maybe the answers are closer than we think,” Suho looked around and the spherical computer came to sight. “Tao, do you remember how to activate it?” 

“Yeah, I got this,” Tao ran towards the computer, pressing buttons and swiping away at the holographic controls. With a final flick of his hand the forest came to life. The dagger pulsed in my hand when a holographic tree shot up from the deep crevice in front of us. 

“What now? We dump in the dagger and hope for the best?” asked Sehun, stepping to the side when the white wolf walked towards the edge of the rift. 

We watched the creature in anticipating silence as it gazed up at the tree. I quietly walked towards him, despite Suho warning me to just stay back, and carefully stood next to him, looking at the fake tree. 

 _Does it look like the Tree of Life that you know?_ I questioned.

_Yes, and no. Mine was more majestic. This is an embarrassing replica._

_Well, in all fairness, it’s not real, of course._

_No, but it has to become real. With that,_ the wolf gestured at the dagger. 

_Then tell me how. You seem to know more than you’ve let on, why can’t you just tell me?_

The wolf gazed at me then, wanting to answer, but- 

_Yes. Go on. Tell her how to do it. She seems to be your favorite pet, indulge her._

I turned around in alarm at hearing that venomous voice, quickly checking the surroundings. “Guys, she’s here,” I told the pack, the boys immediately searching the environment for signs of Miss Kumiho. 

“We’re trapped here, move to the other chamber,” Suho commanded as we started running towards the exit. A loud cackle sounded and Kumiho appeared, blocking our path. Green clouds soared towards us but Lay put up a barrier to deflect her attack. Before any of us could retaliate, the white wolf jumped from behind us and attacked the woman with a roar. I saw a flurry of black and white in the air before they both crashed on the ground. The woman hissed when she slid over the floor, glaring at the white wolf before her. I’ve never seen rage like hers before. She wasn’t even looking at us anymore. It was like we didn’t even exist. Her focus was solely on the wolf.

“Is that how you wish to play?” she asked and I noticed how disheveled she looked. She was scary before but right now, she was downright terrifying. 

“Fine,” she purred, cracking her neck. “Let’s play.” She leapt into the air, her black fur coat fusing with her skin. Her eyes glowed a hellish green as she shed her human skin and a large, nine-tailed fox landed on the floor. 

Two enormous beasts were fighting right in front of us and neither of them held back. The white wolf was slightly faster than the fox, but her graceful tails spat out venom towards him, which he only barely evaded. 

“Jae, we have to go,” Suho pulled me with him as we tried to run to the other side of the room, avoiding getting caught up in the battle. I thought I saw something huge slither in the corridor on the other side of the door, but before we could even reach it, the white wolf was thrown overhead by the black fox, sliding over the floor in a whimper and unfortunately, blocking our path. 

“Leaving so soon?” 

When I turned around, Kumiho had changed back, spitting out blood. “I’m going to take my time with you,” she said, but her eyes weren’t fixed on any of us. She was looking at the wolf. I stood protectively before it, the pack moving as well. 

“Oh, you’re still here, are you?” she sneered. “I’m tired of looking at you! My master may wanted you alive, but you mean nothing to me!” I was pulled away by Kai when she attacked before he turned into a wolf himself to fight her. But once she changed into a fox, Kai looked so infinitely small and powerless compared to her. It didn’t take her long to overpower him, but she wasn’t given the chance to deliver a fatal strike. A deep gray wolf jumped at her from nowhere, both of them changing back as Mr. Kang held onto her. 

“Enough, Kumiho!” he panted, holding her tight as she struggled to get free. “You found them. Now, let Mr. Yok take care of the rest!” he grunted. “Please,” he added softly, though his eyes darted wildly from us to the white wolf on the floor nearby. His gaze lingered on the great beast before his eyes fell in regret. 

“There’s no use in fighting,” he started, looking at us. “Don’t make this harder than it already is.” 

“Then give up,” I yelled at him. “Surrender, and we won’t have any reason to fight anymore,” I told him, hardening my heart since I didn’t want to feel sympathetic towards Mr. Kang. Even now, while he was holding Kumiho back, he held her with gentility. 

“I’m sorry, Miss Jae, but you know as well as I do that you don’t have any ground to stand on.” I resented that he sounded so sincere. 

“ _Miss_ Jae? Why are you even speaking to this worm?!” Kumiho nearly shrieked. “She is nothing! She’s vermin that we have to exterminate, and you talk to her as though she has the worth to be treated like that?! You’re weak, Dee Kang, you always have been so weak!” 

“Yes, Kumiho, I am weak,” Mr. Kang replied calmly, his eyes shifting towards the white wolf now. The creature was breathing heavily and was obviously injured. 

“Where did that wolf come from?” he asked. 

“What’s it to you?” Kris replied, gesturing for Lay to try and help the creature. 

“Did she hurt him?” the young man continued to ask, referring to Kumiho. 

“Of course I did! It’s killing him that I want- I want him dead!” she shrieked, and I startled at seeing the woman so emotional. She knew who the ghost wolf was. She actually _knew_ him. Judging by the look on Mr. Kang’s face, I’d say that he knew him as well. I stepped forward, Luhan and Xiumin twitching to stop me. When I gestured that it would be alright, they settled with keeping an eye on me. 

“Would you take this dagger from my hands right now,” I started, voice shaky. “Or leave the dagger in my possession in order to freely be able to do whatever you want with the white wolf?” 

I was startled myself at the words that came out of my mouth, but this wasn’t the first time that curiosity had won over. Mr. Kang was obviously taken aback by the question, but Kumiho- damn, that woman was seething. 

“Screw the dagger,” she spat out. “I want his head!” 

“Wow. You need anger management, lady,” I said. Luhan pulled me back out of annoyance then, for even daring to ask something like that to her.

She cackled at this. “And you will need more than just a doctor after I’m through with you,” she threatened, eyes gleaming as she changed before my eyes. 

“Kumiho, no!” Mr. Kang was thrown roughly back against the wall where he hit his head and fell limp on the floor. I found myself facing a giant black fox, pouncing at me with every intention to rip me to shreds…Except, she didn’t. Trust me, she would if she could, but her attack was foiled by the white wolf, who must’ve gotten up when he saw what she was planning. He stood before me, where Kumiho would not be able to touch me and I jumped lightly at seeing him being flanked by the boys in their wolf forms. 

The black fox growled as she attempted to throw poisonous substances from her tails at them, but Lay’s barrier easily deflected them. When she drew near, either Chen zapped her back or Chanyeol shot out a sea of flames in warning. Snarling and baring her teeth, she hopped anxiously from side to side, trying to find a way to get to me. But each time she attempted to get close, the pack prevented her to do so, the white wolf never leaving his place in front of me. 

I think that was the moment that something inside of her broke. There actually seemed to be something human in her vicious green eyes and it surprised all of us when she changed forms again. My eyes widened at seeing her eyes glistening with unshed tears, but she was far from being sad. 

“How dare you…” she whispered, her voice cold. “How dare you stand against me like this,” she continued, the pack steadily retreating to stand by me while the white wolf advanced forward to meet her. 

“Who is she?!” she suddenly yelled, pointing at me. “Who is she to you?! You would protect her, but injure me?! Was hurting me once not enough?!” she screamed as something pitiful came over her and I looked up at Kris as he put his hand protectively on my shoulder. 

“Don’t you dare enter my head without my permission!” Kumiho continued as if it felt like we were watching a very intense drama unfolding before us. “You face me like a man, you coward! Or I’ll kill you right here and now without a trace of regret.” 

You could hear a pin drop in the silence that ensued afterwards. I think I wasn’t the only one holding my breath. All this time I assumed the white wolf was just that- a mysterious wolf that appeared and disappeared at will, but it never occurred to me to think that he might have been someone like us.

I didn’t blink when the white wolf moved. I made sure to keep my eyes open to witness how he transformed. His coat of fur was gone. His tail disappeared, his paws changed into arms and legs. The only things left that were white were his clothes and his hair. 

My jaw slacked at seeing this new person, this muscular, handsome man with the softest eyes I’d ever seen. The green color pooled away each time he blinked and amber eyes replaced them. He was calm and quiet as he stood before Kumiho who was staring at him as if she was seeing a ghost. Then, as if she had confirmed whatever she was thinking, she balled her fists tightly, her eyebrows twitching into a knot. 

“So, there you are,” her voice was devoid of any emotion, but the tension was there. I was still not over the fact that the ghost wolf had been like us all this freaking time. _Can anyone even keep up with all of this anymore?! Honestly, how is my brain still functioning?!_

“Back from the dead,” she mused, as goosebumps blanketed my skin. 

“From the dead? Y-you’re an actual ghost wolf?!” Tao was unable to express his shock, even taking shelter behind Sehun a bit as he didn’t seem to care that we were technically still facing the enemy. However, the tension between the two people was so thick and intense that neither of them paid any attention to him. 

What were we supposed to do? Just stand here and watch? With Kumiho distracted, now was the perfect time to head back to the fake forest and figure out how to work this dagger, _but… I need to know. Who is this man?_

“Look at you, you haven’t changed a bit - Yongsun.” Kumiho spoke as she appraised him with a skeptical eyebrow raise, jaw clenching. 

_Yongsun? That was his name?_

“I wish I could say the same about you, Kumiho,” the voice in which he spoke was indubitably that of the wolf and I swallowed hard, trying to follow what was going on. 

“Your beauty has turned cold, your heart has turned black. You are not the Kumiho I once knew.” 

 _GASP!_ He knows her too? What? _What?!_ I exchanged glances with Chen who stood beside me as he scratched the back of his head. 

“You choose those words to say to me after all these years?” Kumiho replied, a soft chuckle escaping her throat. “And you have the audacity to sound disappointed, yet you didn’t stop to think why I’ve changed the way you say I have,” she stated, her fingers twirling by her side, clouds of poison accumulating there. Yongsun simply looked at her, heaving a sigh as if he was burdened by guilt. 

“I never made you this way,” he started. “I never intended to make any of you this way. I never thought that you were already poisoned by darkness before I even left.” 

_Left? Wait, is he…is he who I think he is?!_

“No, of course. It’s _never_ your fault, is it? The Great Guardian of the world _never_ makes mistakes! He _never_ does anything wrong!” Kumiho’s voice trembled with hidden rage. “The only thing you’ve _never_ done, was take responsibility for your actions!” 

“Kumiho,” he started. 

“Don’t you come any closer, unless you wish to die by my hand!” she warned and he didn’t move. “You left us! You left us to defend the world you held so dearly and all this time it was because we thought that you trusted us to take care of your world, but instead, you were out looking for a replacement!” she yelled now, throwing a ball of venom his way, which dispersed when he simply lifted his hand. 

“You abandoned us!” Kumiho hissed again. “You abandoned _me!_ And for what, hm? For them?” she gestured at us. “For that little worm who thinks she’s worth something because she holds the dagger?” 

I blinked a little awkwardly when the man’s soft eyes glanced at me. My cheeks turned red, which Kumiho interpreted in all the wrong ways. 

“She’s a little young for you, don’t you think? What did you tell her, hm? What did you do to tempt her to fight for you?” she started circling him now, but Yongsun kept perfectly still, nearly stood there submissively as if he felt he earned her treating him like this. 

“Did you whisper sweet nothings and promises into her ear? Did you tell her how she captured your heart with her smile?” she mused mockingly. He turned around to face her. 

“You know very well that my heart only belongs to one person. How could I give it to anyone else when you’re the one who’ve kept it all this time?” was his casual, sincere reply that had all of us gasping at the revelation. If this was a movie, I would’ve been choking on my popcorn ages ago. But this was far more complicated than that. We kept as quiet as possible, not moving if we didn’t have to, and barely breathing out of fear that we’d interrupt something. I couldn’t help but glance at an unconscious Mr. Kang, how he said to me that everyone had their reasons for doing what they did. Was this what he meant? Was this why Kumiho was the way she was, a heartbroken woman who felt betrayed by her lover? 

“Nothing changed in that aspect, Kumiho. Nothing from my side, at least. You have more reason now, to keep my heart, since I fear that my brother seduced you to give up yours. Once I saw the light shining from your chest, I often mistook it for the sun. But that sun has set, darkness is left. I’ve been looking to see a glimmer of a star inside of you, but there’s only shadows,” he said in regret and worry, surprised as everyone else was when she unexpectedly slapped him across the face. The sound of it rang through the chamber. 

“You were once my brightest light,” he spoke softly, sadness taking over. “I’m sorry,” he murmured gently. “I’m sorry that my actions drove you to what you’ve become today. I never meant to hurt you.” 

“Never meant-,” Kumiho bit down on her bottom lip that had started trembling and for the briefest of moments she wasn’t the evil, cold-hearted woman that was out for my head. She was just a woman. Stripped away from everything else, she was just- human. I never understood her. I’m not sure whether I understand her right now, but I suppose this made a little bit more sense now- taking away the fact that apparently her former lover is her current master’s brother… _Aish, I’m gonna get a headache…_

For a moment it seemed like her gaze had softened, but one look at him and she hardened. “Never meant to hurt me? You left! I thought you dead for all these years after you blatantly replaced me with- with- Argh!” 

She let out a shriek out of frustration, starting to slam against him. Yongsun took it all with stride, never punching back, not once defending himself. She slammed him against the ground and I knew that must’ve hurt, but he still didn’t do anything. 

“Fight me!” she yelled at him. “Stand up and fight, you heartless coward! You’re not supposed to be here, how dare you meddle in business that you’ve long turned your back to?! You don’t have the right to start caring! You certainly don’t have the right to expect any forgiveness for your sins!” she shouted, taking another swing, but this one, he stopped. He grabbed her wrist and slowly got to his feet, wiping the blood from the corner of his lips, from his nose. 

“I left, but I never died, Kumiho. I left, but I never disappeared. I was always here, always watching over you,” he elaborated so gently, I couldn’t believe that he felt no anger towards her whatsoever. “This is what my brother reduced me to, all those times he tried to kill me. He took pieces of my energy away, I was weakened. What guardian can defend all that he loves with half his strength?” 

“You had us! Why weren’t we enough for you?!” Kumiho wouldn’t budge. She was hurt and I doubted whether she remembered what it was like to forgive. I can’t even begin to fathom how long she’s been holding onto her grudge. _Still…she must at least feel something, right?_

“You were. I didn’t think it fair on my part to leave you all the dirty work while I retired. You were with me since the beginning, I didn’t want to burden you,” he tried to explain. 

“And so you return out of guilt, for your own selfish reasons,” she stated coolly. 

“Yes. I was selfish,” he answered truthfully. “When I saw what you’ve become I could never begin to forgive myself, so how could I ask you for forgiveness? But I realized I was wrong. I never meant to make you feel like I threw you aside. I assumed you would understand, that you would know how I had to retreat because I was ashamed that I wasn’t stronger, ashamed that I wasn’t worth your support and love. I was wrong in thinking that everything would heal itself,” he gave a wan smile. “But you’re right, Kumiho,” he conceded. “I never took responsibility. Even now I pushed that responsibility onto someone else. Thought it was enough if I just helped in the background while letting others do the work. I see that was wrong of me now.” I didn’t know what to do when he looked at me, before focusing on a tense Kumiho. She was heaving as if she tried to keep herself under control. The hurt look in his eyes was heartbreaking when he tried to reach her while she jerked back as if he was made of fire. 

“Stay away from me,” she hissed. 

“Kumiho…” he sighed ruefully. “Have you really thrown your heart away? The woman I used to know was not made of anger and hate. Please, there’s no need for all this hatred. What rest has it given you? The Kumiho I know is still there, somewhere.” 

Kumiho scoffed, a single tear rolling silently from her eye. “Well then, I suppose we’re both disappointments.” 

 _Wow…I can’t believe this but, I think it’s really him,_ said Luhan in awe while the two people were at a stalemate. 

 _He’s the Tree,_ I stated more than asked. _Hold on, does that mean that he knew what had to be done all this time and just didn’t tell us?!_

 _I think it’s a little more complicated than that, Jae,_ D.O. replied. _Look at him. His strength is waning. I don’t think he has that much time left._

 _Then why is he here? Why would he use the last remains of his energy like this?_ Tao wondered in confusion, though I would’ve thought that at least that much was clear. 

 _Because he loves her,_ I said, understanding what he meant when he told me he was here for atonement. 

 _He loves…oh…_ was Tao’s reply and I smiled at him. 

 _I’ll explain when you’re older, Taozi,_ I couldn’t help but tease. 

“You always have a choice, Kumiho,” Yongsun then stated. “It doesn’t have to be like this. You can walk away. Dee, and Seunghyun too. Please, don’t make an entire world suffer for my mistakes.” 

“Is that the only reason that you saved up the last bit of strength you had left? To clear your own conscience?” Kumiho scoffed. “You’re pathetic. I once believed that there was no one stronger than you. But your brother showed me your true, deceitful nature. You hide behind a mask of righteousness and light, while nothing but selfishness and deceit make up your character. You should’ve stayed dead.” A green aura showed around Kumiho as the air vibrated. “I will never forgive you,” she whispered through clenched teeth. “I hate you!” she exclaimed with such calm and suppressed rage even I felt the sting of her words.

“That’s okay,” Yongsun replied, but his breath was shaky as he still persistently tried to approach her. “My love for you never waned, and it never will. Like I said, you, who claim to be without a heart, still hold mine.” 

The tender words broke something in Kumiho, and for a split second I was convinced that she may actually listen to his words. Maybe, just maybe, she may have a change of heart. Maybe she could find some peace in them? Was it absolutely psycho of me to suddenly wish for a good outcome for my enemy, of all people? 

“You can’t save the world anymore. It’s not yours to save,” Kumiho replied and my heart actually sank. Her pain ran deep and she was beyond help. I wonder if Yongsun realized this as well. 

“Then help me instead,” he still tried to convince her. “If I can’t save the world, doesn’t mean that you can’t. There is good in you, Kumiho, I know it. Your kindness is not one that dies easily.”

“Neither was my heart until you trampled on it,” she spewed. “You want me to help you? Very well. I’ll _help_ you,” she narrowed her eyes as she prepared an attack, but instead of throwing her orbs of poison towards him, she had unexpectedly turned around and directed the attack on me. Too stunned to react, I just stood there, watching her with gaping mouth. This would’ve been the umpteenth time I nearly died, hadn’t Yongsun stepped up in front of me to thwart her attack, which only infuriated her more. 

“Why do you keep protecting her?!” she shrieked. 

“Kumiho, enough,” he replied, calm as ever. “Enough. Aren’t you tired of all of this? The hatred is consuming you!”

“Stop talking! Shut up!” she yelled, attempting another strike, but he wouldn’t budge. “What is she to you?” she demanded to know and, honestly, I was starting to wonder as well. Up to this point I had been the only one who could see him. There had to be a reason for that, right? I mean, why only appear to me before, and not to any of the guys? 

“We are guardians, Kumiho. We guard the living. Have you forgotten that?”

“Is she important to you? This peasant girl?”

He didn’t answer her, which she took as a positive answer to her question. “More reason for me to dispose of her.” 

“K-Kumiho, stop it,” someone groaned in a hoarse voice. Mr. Kang tried to lift his head as he drowsily watched the scene in front of him. “This isn’t you. Spilling blood isn’t worth this,” he breathed as she grew more frustrated by the second. 

“You would betray me as well, Dee? Have you forgotten on which side you’re on? Mr. Yok will dispose of you if he hears you speaking like this.” 

“I know whose side I’m on, Kumiho. I’ve always known, that’s why I’m asking you not to do this, please. Let go of your hatred, your anger. You’re not alone,” Mr. Kang pleaded.

“So you _are_ on his side, you traitor!” she spat out, while Mr. Kang desperately tried to get up, but failed to do so. 

“I’m not on his side,” he told her. “I’m hardly on Mr. Yok’s side,” he strained himself when he looked up at her. “I’m on yours. Always have been. The only reason I’m here is because of you,” he confessed which silenced her. 

“Do you see, Kumiho?” Yongsun then spoke. “You’ve hated so much you couldn’t recognize love anymore, even when it followed you around, even when it tried to heal you.” 

Kumiho inhaled for breath, her eyes watery but her expression still fierce. “I never asked to be healed,” she breathed, her eyes slowly shifting towards me. “There’s only one way I know to stop the pain I feel,” she continued, her eyes scanning over the boys who grew nervous at seeing her calculating glances before she fixed her eyes on me again. The hurt look on her face made me nervous, but at the same time I pitied her. It was the pity she read on my face that set her off. 

“I’m sorry, Kumiho. I mean every word. Please, you have a choice,” the White Imoogi tried. 

“I know,” she whispered, gazing intently at him as she didn’t fight her tears any longer, letting them roll freely over her cheeks. “I’ve made my choice.” When she stepped forward, she changed back to a fox, leaping towards me with her jaws opened. 

“Kumiho- no!”

I didn’t know what happened. It went too fast. The one moment I’m staring into Death’s glistening rows of teeth, the next, Death was gone, and so was Kumiho. 

All I heard was the faint whimpering of a creature, and when I followed the sound, I caught sight of a black snake’s tail slowly changing into a human who had his poisonous fangs latched onto Kumiho’s neck. The woman twitched, her eyes wide with shock and confusion when Mr. Yok pulled away, wiping the blood from his chin, still holding her up. 

Blood flowed freely from her creamy neck, ugly black roots slowly traveling over her veins, leaving horrid trails on her skin. 

Where did he even come from? I never saw him enter the chamber, but there he was, looking at Kumiho as the woman was gasping for air. He brushed her hair from her face, wiped the tears from her eyes and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. 

“There, there, my little fox. Oh, don’t look at me like that,” he mused. “A snake remains a snake, after all. I am truly sorry, my little fox, that you, of all creatures, was fooled twice by two brothers. I didn’t want this. You should know that, but I couldn’t have you kill what my dear brother so desperately tried to protect. You understand,” he spoke soothingly, before turning to look at us. “Now then, how shall we proceed?” 


	102. ~ Hurt Pt. 2 ~

***

“N-no, no! Kumiho! Why- why did you do this?!” Mr. Kang’s helplessly cried out as he did all he could to crawl towards her.

“W-why, m-master? I-I…” Kumiho could hardly speak, coughing up blood as he dropped her to the floor. 

“Shh. You’ve done well, my dear, but your services are no longer required,” Mr. Yok spoke, turning towards a shocked Yongsun, whose soft amber eyes never left the sight of Kumiho. His body was trembling as tears fell from his eyes. 

“How could you?” he panted. “How could you?!” 

“Oh, hello brother,” Mr. Yok greeted casually. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it? How’ve you been? You look a bit- shabby, if you don’t mind me saying. Being here must really be draining your energy,” he laughed. 

“Believe me when I say, brother, that I’ll feel better once I dispose of you!” Yongsun charged towards the black snake without warning. I felt the earth tremble and the air vibrate as they fought, a gigantic black snake and a white wolf, engaged in a fierce battle. Yongsun had spent too much of his energy. His strength was waning. It didn’t take long for the serpent to overpower him and there was little we could do when he slammed against the white wolf, a bolt of destructive energy hitting him in full. The silence was deafening when the wolf fell on the floor amongst the rubble, transforming back to his human form as he gasped for breath. Even then, Yongsun did his best to turn to look at Kumiho, who was staring wide-eyed in fear at him. 

“Well. That was disappointing,” Mr. Yok chuckled, changing back. He casually grabbed a handkerchief from his pocket, wiping the small trickle of blood from his mouth. “Do you see now, brother, why it is never a good idea for gods to mingle with humans? Your so-called love for them destroyed you. Destroyed those you profess to care about,” he said, glancing at Kumiho. “Such a shame,” he shook his head once more but none of it was sincere. He noticed Mr. Kang attempting to get to Kumiho and he snarled. “A pity,” he breathed. “It’s difficult to find good help these days, right, brother?” he grinned, the white wolf unable to reply. 

I felt my own wolf-side take over when he glanced at me and I growled when he tutted at me. 

“Come now, my dear. I don’t wish to fight you. I believe you’ve something of mine. You hand me that dagger and I’ll let you live,” he explained in such a calm voice it disgusted me. 

“You nearly killed your own brother,” I spat out. “You betrayed the ones loyal to you. If you think I’m just going to hand you this dagger, you’re insane,” I tried to say, controlling my voice to stay calm, controlled. I wanted him to know that I wasn’t going to be intimidated by bastards like him. “The only way you’ll be getting this dagger back, is when it’s embedded into your skull!” I shouted, my exclamation causing a cacophony of growls to erupt beside me. 

The asshat laughed wholeheartedly at this. “Do you little cubs really think that you stand a chance against me? Look at them!” he bouldered, pointing at Kumiho and his brother. “Powerful adversaries, defeated in a blink of an eye- now imagine, what I can do to your puny little bodies…Do you really want me to show you?” 

“The way I see it,” Suho stepped up. “There’s thirteen of us and only one of you. We’ll take our chances.” 

I smirked at hearing the leader speak like that and damn it, if the snake wanted a fight, we’d make sure to bring it. There was a moment’s hesitation in his eyes, but he blinked it away, a smug look on his face. 

“You do realize that your bodyguard is dying on the ground right now? There is no one left to protect you,” he stated. “Once you become aware of this, I will be watching over your dying, mangled bodies and I’ll be prying the dagger from your cold, dead fingers,” he hissed, dark amber eyes glowing at me. “Just like old times, my little peasant girl.” 

“See if you can get through me first!” Kai yelled, but when he leapt forward to attack, another wolf pushed him roughly aside to charge the snake instead. Taken aback, Mr. Yok was too late to transform, falling backwards and stumbling, heavily struggling when metal pipes snaked around him, pulling him away, out of the chamber. 

Mr. Kang panted, leaning on his knees for support. “I’ll stall him,” he told us. “Do what you must with the dagger.” 

“Mr. Kang-,” 

“Go!” he interrupted me.

“Dee…” Kumiho suddenly called to him, her voice hoarse. “What…are you doing?” the words barely made it out of her mouth which was a sure indication that she was in a bad situation right now. 

“Something stupid, probably,” came his casual reply, a faint smile on his face. 

“Don’t- don’t be an idiot,” she tried scolding him, but he merely smiled.

“Oh, come now, Kumiho. You’ve said it all the time. I’m a weak, stupid, sentimental idiot with too much heart. I should live up to that name,” he grinned. He cracked his neck and stretched a bit. 

“Dee-,”

“Kindness is not weakness. You were the one that taught me that,” he said to Kumiho. “You probably don’t remember,” he smiled sadly, waiting for her response, which didn’t come. He nodded to himself, catching sight of the injured White Imoogi. They looked at each other for what seemed like ages before Mr. Kang gave the wounded man a sincere bow. 

“Dee,” he coughed. “Don’t do this, not on my account,” he pleaded. 

“With all due respect, sir, I’m not doing this for you,” he stated looking at Kumiho one more time. “Get to the forest,” he said again, turning towards us. “Figure out what you must do with that infernal thing.” 

“Wait! Let at least one of us help you- you can’t fight that thing by yourself,” D.O. told him, but the scientist chuckled. 

“Exactly. Which is why all of you must stay put so you can prepare yourselves to fight him better than I can. You’ll manage,” he stated. “Good luck.” He ran off then, transforming into a wolf to head for battle. I thought he would turn around one more time to look at Kumiho, but he didn’t. 

“We should do as he says,” Suho started, his eyes darting uneasily from Kumiho to the White Imoogi. 

“Shouldn’t we help them first?” I asked. 

“ _Them_? Noona, don’t be stupid. Why help her?” Kai hissed angrily and this got me peeved. 

“Stop that immediately, Kim Jongin! Even _you_ can’t be that heartless,” I scolded. “Lay, is there anything we can do?” I then asked, turning towards the healer. Lay looked frustrated as I saw him analyzing their status, biting his lip and puffing up his cheeks in thought. 

“I’m afraid their wounds are too severe, Jae-yah,” he said reluctantly. 

“Oh stop pretending like you give a damn,” Kumiho suddenly croaked, swallowing hard. “If the tables were turned I would have gladly stood over you to watch you die,” she hissed. 

“Kumiho…” Yongsun called out, to which Kris told a bunch of them to help the man. It was obvious he wanted to be close to her. I walked towards Kumiho myself, still keeping my distance, purely to not piss her off any further. 

“But the tables aren’t turned,” I responded with a soft voice. “And I’m not you,” I paused and took off my vest, propping it carefully under her head before she realized what I was doing. “You’re dying,” I stated, mostly to hear it myself to register it, but I guess, somewhere, I had hoped that maybe she’d come to realize this too. That she didn’t have much time left. I doubted she wanted to spend it yelling and cursing at someone…right? I made some room when Kris, D.O., Xiumin and Lay gently set Yongsun beside her and I startled at how bad he looked. His skin had paled, the white of his hair seemed more ashen now than pure. My heart was wrung at seeing him like this, but I didn’t know, for the life of me, why I’d feel _this_ sad over the fact that this strange man was- well…the situation seemed a bit too familiar, somehow. It really hit home. 

It was painful to see him glance at Kumiho, who purposely turned away and closed her eyes, refusing to look at him.

“What should we do?” I asked quietly, feeling bad having to interrupt their final moments.

“You know what to do,” he answered gently, swallowing hard and fighting to breathe. “All of you know. You fought this battle once before, but this time I know you’ll succeed.” 

“Pah,” Kumiho suddenly noted. “They won’t win,” she said. “They’re too weak. There’s nothing they can do to stop him.” 

“Maybe not. But at least we would’ve tried,” Sehun replied meekly, while he watched in sad confusion at the two people. There wasn’t a bite in his voice at all, and I think that surprised Kumiho as well. 

“Why?” she asked, tears spilling from the corner of her eyes. “Why are you like this? Why won’t you give up? Why won’t you give in to the anger and hate I know you feel inside? Isn’t that easier? Or are all of you foolish daydreamers like this one,” she gestured at Yongsun, her lip trembling when she finally looked at him. “This idiot who wasn’t even supposed to be here,” she muttered looking only at him. “You don’t belong here anymore. Why are you even here? Look at you! You shouldn’t-,” she inhaled for breath, the ice in her eyes finally breaking at seeing him smile gently at her. “You shouldn’t go through this pain…” 

I blinked at hearing the tenderness in her voice and I looked away to give them some privacy when Yongsun reached out to her. I bit my own lip hard to prevent from sobbing, leaning into D.O. when he placed his arm around my shoulder, Xiumin on the other side, stroking my back. 

_She really loved him._ It was hard to believe, but it didn’t make it less true. Cold-hearted, cruel Miss Kumiho, once had the ability to truly love another…

“I’m sorry,” Yongsun whispered to her. “I’m sorry.” 

“Is there something we can do for you?” Suho asked then, fidgeting with his fingers. 

“Why are you still here?” Kumiho asked and it really amazed me to hear the bored, annoyed tone in her voice. She glared hard at us and honestly, I couldn’t help myself at seeing that sour face of hers. 

“I’m waiting till I can get my vest back,” I blurted out, startled at hearing the sharpness in my voice. 

“Jae-noona!” Tao reprimanded in a whisper and I pursed my lips shut, feeling embarrassed. I was about to apologize when I heard her actually chuckling. It was brief, but it definitely came from her. 

“Hmph. You’re a brat, but at least you’re honest,” she commented, face contorted in pain as I saw the black veins travel further over her skin. “I should’ve killed you when I had the chance,” she grunted out of pain and I frowned.

“I don’t know if I appreciate candor the way you do,” I remarked dryly and she scoffed. 

“Not you,” she hissed, pausing. “Well, you too,” she corrected after a moment’s reconsideration. “But it’s him I’m talking about,” she turned her head to look at Yongsun, who looked worse each time he breathed. It nearly seemed as if he was slowly evaporating. “His time is up. His energy is spent, and for what? You didn’t save the world.” 

“Any attempt to save the greater good is a worthy attempt,” the man spoke hoarsely, smiling weakly at her. 

“And not wasted,” Luhan added. “Tell us how to help. Tell us what to do,” he asked.

“Save the world,” the White Imoogi answered matter-of-factly. 

“How about a smaller favor, you know, one with a higher chance of succeeding?” Baekhyun asked, yelping in pain when Chen and Chanyeol pinched and hit him. 

Yongsun, however, managed to laugh weakly before gasping for breath again. “You were chosen very well, I see. A good sense of humor,” he looked at me now. “Remember what I told you? Can you keep that good humor till the end as well, Jae?” 

“I don’t know,” I replied honestly. _I still don’t know how to wake up,_ I added privately. _What do I do when you’ve gone?_

_I believe in you, Jae. This world is in good hands. I wish there was more I could’ve done for you._

_You’ve done more than enough. I’m sorry that I complained so much all this time, I-,_

_Don’t apologize. You’re right. I’m an old fart who likes to play cryptic games a little too well,_ he added with a soft smile. _But once you’ve woken up, you will know why I couldn’t give you the answers._

I frowned a little at this, but he directed himself to the others. “Dee has given you an advantage. Please, don’t let his help go to waste. This is as far as I can help you. The rest is up to you,” he cleared his throat. “Take the dagger into the forest and close off the hole in the wall to buy yourselves more time. My brother is gathering his strength and he will come after you with all he’s got,” he explained. “You are guardians. Safeguard your home.” 

“They’ll lose,” Kumiho murmured, looking weak. The black veins were starting to travel up to her face as well now. One hand was already blackened. “Why are you telling them to postpone their deaths? That’s cruel, even for you.”

“Because I know that they can win,” he answered. 

“He’s too strong. He’ll kill all of them before they even get the chance to realize that they’re not breathing anymore.” 

“You’re charming till the last breath, aren’t you, lady?” Kris then commented, receiving a reprimanding tsk from Suho. 

“But, the door won’t close. Look at this place, the entire panel is destroyed,” said Chen as he pointed at the smashed computers around the room. 

“You can shut the gap in the wall from the inside with the computer there. It should buy you a little more time before you die,” Kumiho instructed flatly. “His shadows are everywhere, he has Seunghyun on his side. Once you’ve closed that gap and you’re inside, you better deliver, or you’ll be sitting ducks,” she groaned as the black venom traveled further up and she gasped for air. “Now, get out of my face. You’re not the last things I want to see before I close my eyes,” she added, letting out a gasp of pain. 

She didn’t have to say so twice. The maknaes ran towards the door, but not before they acknowledged the White Imoogi and went ahead. 

“We would’ve been dead without you,” Suho muttered to Yongsun. “I’m sorry we lacked the strength to protect your world before,” he bowed. 

“It was not your fault, Suho,” he said. “You are an excellent leader. When Exo was lost, it was not my world anymore, but I should’ve done everything I could to have protected it. That would’ve at least been fair to the one you answered to.” 

“You mean, _our_ Tree of Life?” Luhan inquired. “The one who perished when Exo planet died?” 

Yongsun nodded, pointing at the dagger in my trembling hands. As he did so, the object suddenly felt heavier. “The one who left its heart,” he whispered. 

“Suho! Hyung! Yah, noona, hurry, Tao figured out how to close the door!” Sehun suddenly yelled from the opening in the wall, gesturing us to hurry. 

“Go, don’t waste any more time,” the White Imoogi urged. The boys bowed deeply before him, some even tentatively nodding at Kumiho. 

“Hey, you, skinny healer,” she suddenly called out towards Lay. He turned around, looking at her in confusion. “I didn’t meant for you to get shot,” she mumbled softly. “Be selfless but guard yourself, you idiot. And put a defensive wall in front of the door of the gap as well. At least try and make it difficult for the snake to kill you, at least,” she looked just about as disinterested as she sounded, but her words were sincere. 

Lay’s expression softened and he smiled warmly at her before bowing deeply. It earned him a scoff, which he didn’t mind. The rest ran off while I lingered just a little  bit longer. 

“There’s so much I want to say to you,” I told the man as he shook his head. 

“No need. I know,” he confirmed. “Be brave, Jae. Believe in yourself. Don’t let the snake poison you with fear and doubt. You are stronger than he is.” 

I wasn’t sure whether that was true, but I nodded either way, firmly holding the dagger. 

“We’ll see if there’s one last thing we can do to help you. We’ll try to create a barrier, to buy you more time, but no guarantees,” he said and I swallowed, looking at Kumiho. 

“I don’t know-,” 

“I will shoot a poison dagger right through your heart, right here, right now, if you so much as utter a ‘thank you’,” she threatened snappily and that sobered me up. 

“Actually, I was just gonna say that you can keep my vest,” I retorted, returning the smirk she sent me. I nodded and ran.

“Hey!” Kumiho suddenly called. “If Dee survived,” she paused, “Tell him that I do remember,” she swallowed. 

“And if he didn’t?” I asked carefully, my throat clenched. 

She smirked. “Then I’ll just tell him myself.” 

I turned around then and ran where Chanyeol and Baekhyun were still waiting for me. I turned around one more time to look at Kumiho and Yongsun, the white wolf, unable to take my eyes off them, even when the metal door started to lower. They were looking at each other now and he slowly reached for her hand while smiling. 

“What are you looking at?” she asked, no malice in her voice. 

“I’m looking at you, I’m watching a beautiful sunrise,” he smiled tenderly. 

My lips tugged up into a smile at seeing their last moment together before the door blocked my vision. My heart warmed at seeing their interaction and I held the dagger to my chest. I felt hopeful now. Perhaps we could win this. We have to try. 

***

As the land became more enshrouded by the darkness, and crimson light of the moon, the people of the sleepy town of Hanwol each had their own way of dealing with the coldness of the dark. 

A lonely mother gazed out the window, worrying why her son hadn’t come home yet, arguing with herself that she should’ve urged him to bring an extra jacket for the cold. 

A brother, calling his parents while staying in their grand mansion, wondering how he was going to explain to them that he had no idea where his younger brother had gone to. 

A younger sister trying to call her brother, but not being able to get through. She would scold him about leaving his stray Rottweiler unleashed and running around the house, though she reluctantly admitted that she found the dog’s presence comforting, in the absence of her big brother. 

Three pairs of parents had gathered at the local restaurant, but none of them were able to eat a thing. They found it peculiar that their three sons told them that one would be staying with the other for the night, but had been lying all this time. The restaurant owner suggested to call the police, but his wife was adamant that the boys must be playing a prank somehow.

A businessman looked at an old picture of himself and his only son, touching the glass of the picture frame as he stared at his little soccer player. He was scolding him internally already, but did so out of concern. It wasn’t like his son to disappear like this. Perhaps he had to stop being so hard on him. He would worry that he was the reason why his son was always reluctant to come home. 

A grandmother and her daughter were bickering with their respective husbands, urging them to call everyone they knew to find their beloved (grand)son. Both women were ready to storm the police station if that was what it took to find him. They feared that a gentle soul like his would wander scared and lost in the wolf-infested forests.

Another set of parents, with their daughters and son stayed at one house, trying not to worry about their sons whereabouts. One mother exclaimed loudly that her son would never miss out on dinner when chicken was served, while the other mother announced that her son would never be late for made appointments. Both women tried to keep each other strong, but their tears were threatening to fall. 

One father refused to wait in the house. He urged his wife to wait by the phone, just in case his son would appear there, while he searched the town. He arrived at his son’s best friend’s house, where he found out that their son was missing as well. He’d end up having to comfort the parents that their son would be alright since he was sure his son was with him. He had taught him well. His son knew how to fight.

And finally, speeding through the abandoned forest roads with his wife yelling bloody murder at him for his reckless driving, was a father who sought more than just his daughter. She had given him answers he didn’t think he was looking for and he hoped that his suspicions were wrong. 

“Ryo! Slow down, you’re going to kill us!”

“I told you that you should’ve stayed at home, Yoona. You should’ve waited for us there, you didn’t have to come along.”

“She’s my daughter too, Ryo- that’s a tree not a road!” she shrieked. “Why are you being like this? Explain to me, Ryo,” she pleaded, but her husband was focused on the road, while still putting the pieces of the puzzle together. He saw the notes his daughter made in his mind, saw the dagger flash by, saw the drawing of a tree she made. _Tree of Life. Yggdrasil. Energy._

_Gift from heaven._

“What?” Ryo asked, looking at his wife. 

“I said, I’d rather find our daughter _alive_ , thank you very much!” Yoona retorted, holding on for dear life. 

“No, before that. You said something about a gift?” he asked. 

“I didn’t say anything about a gift,” Yoona said, watching him intently. “Maybe you should pull over a moment, sweetheart, you’re sweating and erratic. You shouldn’t be driving.” 

“I’m fine,” Ryo shook his head. “The sooner we get to E.T. Corp the better.”

“You think Jae is at E.T. Corp?” 

Ryo caught sight of the full, red moon and swallowed. “I’m afraid so.” He made sure not to tell his wife about the shadows he thought were following them, dancing in his rearview mirror. 

Yoona, in turn, would not tell her husband that she kept seeing images of a butterfly in her mind. 


	103. ~ Demise ~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ye be warned.....

***

A bright blue butterfly flitted around without a care in the world. It caught my attention when it landed on my shoulder, so delicate and small. I flicked the hologram away, dusting off my shoulder in the process, even though the light didn’t leave a mark behind.

The fake forest had come to live due to Tao tinkering behind the spherical computer. I saw a manner of woodland critters dash through the cover of the fake trees, and my paranoid mind sometimes thought it saw horrid shadow creatures as well. 

I took a deep breath before joining the pack, staring at the massive holographic tree that came out of the depths of the abyss below. The dagger felt cool and heavy in my hands while I wondered how we were going to turn this tiny thing into something that massive. 

“Alright, guys. The White Imoogi said it, we don’t have much time left, so, let’s try to figure this out, okay?” Suho ran his hand through his hair, a look of determination on his face. 

“Do you think there was more that we could’ve done for him and Miss Kumiho?” Tao then wondered, his eyes directed towards the metal door that now had us sealed in. 

“The best thing we could do for them now is to make sure that the black snake doesn’t win, Taozi,” Luhan ruffled his kid brother’s hair in an attempt to comfort him. 

“Right, and how are we going to do that again? Last time I checked, we still didn’t know how to work that dagger,” mentioned Sehun worriedly, rubbing his arm from time to time while still glancing towards the only entrance and exit of this chamber. 

“No worries, Sehunnie, we’ll figure it out in time,” Lay assured the maknae, patting him on the back. 

“So, the leylines are way down there, huh?” Chen pondered, carefully peeking over the edge of the cliff. “I can’t even see anything…”

“Hm, maybe I can fix that,” Baekhyun brought his hands together as a delicate orb of light floated from his hands and drifted into the crevice. We stared at it as it descended further, but it was troubling, to say the least, when the orb showed nothing else other than more darkness. 

“What? How is that even possible?!” Baekhyun pouted, shaking his head. “That thing goes way deeper than I thought.”

“Alright. Stay here, I’ll go check it out,” Kris suddenly said, stretching himself. 

“What?” I exclaimed. “Are you crazy? How are you planning to do that?” 

Kris smirked that smug grin of his that made me want to smack him. “Come on, Jae, you still forget that I’m the best flier around?” 

“Hyung, you’re going to fly _into_ that thing?” Chanyeol asked, bewildered. 

“Kris, no. That’s a ridiculous idea!” Suho disapproved. 

“Well, it’s the only idea we have at the moment. Maybe there are more answers down there,” he shrugged, preparing himself to fly. 

“Right, and how were you going to see those answers once you’re down there, again, hyung?” Kai prompted dryly. 

“It’s pitch black down there, Kris-hyung, you won’t be able to see a thing,” D.O. deadpanned. 

“Oh! Oh!” Chanyeol suddenly reacted, looking oddly excited. “I can go with him! Look, fire!” his hand was immediately engulfed in wild flames which seemed to harbor the same kind of enthusiastic spirit of its handler. “I’ll light the way!” 

“You’re most likely to light the both of you on fire,” Xiumin remarked dryly. “Take Baekhyun with you instead.” 

There was something very endearing about how Chanyeol’s excitement doused the same time his fire went out. There was still a smile on his face, but he looked like a child who had been told that the thing he so looked forward to had been canceled. He nodded understandingly, but there was an obvious air disappointment lingering about him. 

“A-ah. Of course, I understand,” he added and even Xiumin looked like he regretted suggesting Kris to take Baekhyun with him. 

“It’s just more practical, Chanyeollie, I am the Guardian of Light, after all,” Baekhyun just couldn’t help boasting to tease his little brother further. 

“No, I get it. You should go and fly with dragon-hyung…” he muttered with a sad smile on his face. _Dragon-hyung? Oh, right, of course…_ Chanyeol was the flightless phoenix and Kris was the fireless dragon. Chanyeol always wanted to learn how to fly… _the poor thing_. 

Kris exchanged a look with Baekhyun for a moment and the two came to an understanding. Kris sighed deeply, as though he was annoyed. “Alright then,” he cleared his throat. “Get over here, we haven’t got all day,” he gestured towards Chanyeol, who’s enthusiasm came soaring back. 

“Really? You mean it?” he asked like an over-excited schoolboy. 

“Yeah, go ahead- but don’t blame me when you burn the whole place down,” Baekhyun warned in jest as Chanyeol’s grin widened and he high-fived the duizhang. 

“You hold on tight, got me? Don’t set us on fire,” Kris warned for good measure while Chanyeol nodded to every word he said. 

“No problem, hyung, I got you!” he swore. “Wah, it’s been so long since we’ve flown together,” he added. 

“Hey, don’t forget that this isn’t for fun. We’re pressed for time. If you can’t find anything you head straight back up,” Suho instructed sternly. “And be careful, the both of you!” 

Kris glanced at Chanyeol and the both of them simultaneously turned towards Suho. “Yes, mom,” they said in unison before hovering over the ground steadily and slowly entered the crevice. 

“I mean it!” Suho called after them as we watched tensely at seeing them make the descend to wherever the crevice led to. “Head straight up when you see something or when there’s nothing to be seen!” 

“Yeah, yeah, relax. Go figure out what else we can do if this doesn’t pan out,” Kris grunted, guiding Chanyeol along with him while the latter did his best to keep his flames balanced and bright. 

“See you in a few!” Chanyeol greeted, even waving at us like the happy little puppy he was. 

“Should we worry for them?” I asked, realizing how obvious that sounded.

“Absolutely, but they’ll be fine for now,” Chen assured me. 

Suho nodded in agreement and then looked at me. “What we should focus on right now, is that dagger in your hands, Jae,” he pointed out while we walked back towards the computer. “I thought I saw something the other time we were here. Uh, Tao, could you-?” he gestured at the computer, asking Tao to work it. Tao nodded and pulled up a schematic of the hologram projection of the entire forest inside the chamber. 

“This shows a demonstration of how the Tree is supposed to work,” Tao clarified, enhancing the footage like a pro. He could easily work at Stark Industries if this was the Marvel Universe. Tao worked the computer like a pro, as if he wasn’t used to doing anything else. 

“Exactly,” Suho nodded, watching the projection. “Look, this black line is obvious the crevice, but here- the image shows that all that needs to be done to make the Tree grow is to drop the dagger into the abyss where it should connect to leylines. The dagger has to be some kind of seed. Like a Tree needs water to grow, I think the dagger could possibly need leylines to grow. The leylines in the crevice act like a river, I think. It feeds the dagger so that it can grow.” 

“That sounds so simple,” I commented with a sigh, since I knew that this was anything but. 

“It’s been bothering me for some time now. It should be this simple, but it’s far from it,” Suho sighed. “Why would the black snake be continuously looking for something that’s missing, if he had all of this already at his disposal?” 

“You’re saying that we’ll definitely fail if we just throw in the dagger,” D.O. stated rather than asked. 

Sehun hummed. “But doesn’t that mean that the black snake will fail as well? It’ll be just as useless to him as it would to us.” I don’t believe I’ve ever seen the maknae so lost in thought before. His eyebrows were knitted together as he pondered and I could nearly hear the sound of his brain racking all the way from here. 

“Then what are we standing around for? Let’s call back Kris-hyung and Chanyeol, throw the dagger into the crevice, and we’re done!” Chen commented as though that would solve all the problems. “We won’t be able to make a Tree, but neither will the snake. That counts for something, doesn’t it?”

“Sure. Except for the fact that the whole world will probably explode taking everyone on it with it, since we need a new Tree to balance everything out, remember?” Kai replied, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“Kai’s right. Without a Tree, our home will be destroyed all over again. As for the black snake, he wants a Tree so that he has a world to rule over. If this one dies, so will his one chance to gain the power he’s been craving for centuries. He won’t give that up,” Xiumin noted, looking to be the only one in the pack that kept his cool. 

I looked up at Luhan when he suddenly stood beside me, gently taking the dagger from my hands to inspect it. He paid close attention to the heart-shaped seed on top of the hilt. 

“The one who left its heart,” he murmured quietly to himself. “I don’t think this is just a mere seed,” he stated. 

“Well, duh, it’s attached to a magical dagger, Lu-ge,” said Tao, earning a derisive clack of the tongue from Luhan. 

“What I mean to say is that the White Imoogi pointed this out to us for a reason. Our memories are vague when we think about _our_ Tree of Life, right?” he started, biting his lip. “Yongsun was the Tree of Life before the one that we served. Kumiho, Mr. Tabi and Mr. Kang, they were all his guardians…” 

“What are you trying to say, Lu?” Xiumin asked plainly, though the pensive look on his face indicated that he was trying his best to keep up with his friend’s thought processes. 

“I don’t know,” he sighed in reply. “There has to be a reason why our Tree wanted us to protect this dagger…” 

“Maybe that’s why the seed is shaped like a heart,” I prompted without thinking, as usual. “I mean, what if it really is a heart?” The boys grew quiet then, as a sense of revelation was ebbing towards all of us, until- 

“Ew. Noona, that’s nasty,” Tao made a face. “Why would the Tree put an actual heart on top of a dagger?”

“Maybe it was the only way for it to protect itself from the Black Imoogi?” I tried to reason, sighing deeply. “I don’t know…I ‘m making this up as we go along!” I argued out of frustration. 

“Well, if it _is_ a heart, it would make sense that it needs blood to pump, right?” Chen frowned, whilst making a face. 

“But where would it pump to? Into the leylines?” Baekhyun wondered, though he kept his distance from the dagger in Luhan’s hand. 

“So we _do_ need to give dagger-nim more of our blood?” Lay asked, doing his best to keep up, but he had been shifting his gaze towards the crevice where Kris and Chanyeol had disappeared in as well. I wondered how deep the ravine ran. Otherwise, they should’ve been back by now. 

“Hm, maybe if-,” 

Sehun was interrupted by a loud banging sound coming from outside the chamber, followed by something that resembled an explosion and voices raising and yelling incoherently. 

“Crap, they’re here already?” Baekhyun cussed, watching Kai move boldly forward of the group, his eyes fixed on the metal door that was still shut - _for now_. 

“We need more time,” I mumbled, grabbing the dagger from Luhan’s hands. I flinched when something banged against the door, the distinct clanking of metal beating in time with my heart. Lay waved his hand, showing the shimmer of his forcefield in front of the door- an extra measure to stall whomever was waiting for us on the other side. 

“Chen, tell Kris and Chanyeol to get back here,” Suho instructed, while he pulled me back.  

“Jae, you communicated with the white wolf the most. Think back. Is there anything else he told you? Anything that could help us do this right?” he pleaded, holding me by my shoulders and keeping me focused, despite the fact that the loud banging on the door behind him. 

“I don’t know,” I breathed, feeling the panic settle in. Once the Black Imoogi stepped through that door, crashed through Lay’s barrier- we’re done. He’ll kill us all and he’d have all the time in the world to figure out what to do- _no. That’s not true._

“Ah!” I ran my hand over my face, thinking hard. “There was something…Maybe it’s not important, but-,” I sighed, relying on my memory to help me. I looked up when Kai growled and changed into a wolf. Tao, D.O., and Xiumin followed his example. Chen was still standing at the edge of the ravine, shouting for Kris and Chanyeol to hurry back up. 

“Before we got back here, the white wolf did say something,” I started. “I brushed it off because I thought he was just being dramatic and overly cryptic like he usually is-,” I gasped when the metal door was successfully slashed, the iron bending slowly like a can of tuna being rolled open. A violet eye peeked through, along with slithering vines, making its way through the door. 

“Knock, knock, guess who’s here?” Mr. Tabi’s voice was clear from the other side of the door and in retaliation, D.O. bombarded him through the gap with a mudslide while Xiumin froze his slithering vines in place. 

“Jae, focus,” Suho then told me, making eye contact. 

“I’m scared, Suho,” I confided in him and his expression softened. “My chest feels tight and I feel like I can’t breathe. Something bad is going to happen, I can feel it.” 

“Shh, shh, hey, look at me,” Suho soothed, trying to calm me down. His hand was warm and soft against my cheek, reassuring and safe. “It’ll be okay. Nothing is going to harm you, we won’t let it.” 

“That’s not what I’m worried about,” I told him, blinking my eyes at the realization. “I’m worried about you. All of you…” 

“Why? We’re the guardians here, remember? There’s no need for you to worry about us,” he said and I knew that he made sense. I mean, compared to them, I was the one they should worry about, but still- I couldn’t shake this sudden anxiety I was feeling. I looked at the pulsating dagger in my hand. Was it transferring its emotion to me? 

“You’re right,” I said, shaking my head to clear my mind. “You’re right,” I repeated, taking deep breaths and focusing. “When the wolf took us to the other chamber, I asked him why he was here. He said something about a blood moon?” I jumped again at hearing the loud bang of metal but I concentrated. I could see the white wolf in my mind, the way his eyes shone with gentleness at me. Then, his voice sounded in my head, like an old, familiar melody that reminded me of the warm sun and of a place I could call home. 

“If you do not wake up before the blood of the moon is drained, then all of this has been for naught.” I repeated his words out loud staring at Suho. He stared blankly back. 

“Wha-? Is that Shakespeare?” 

I frowned at him before smacking his arm. “No! That’s what Yongsun told me before we got here. He wanted me to wake up before the blood of the moon is drained. Maybe he knew there was a deadline. If we don’t win then neither will he, and if none of us wins then our home will be-,” 

“Gone,” he finished and swallowed, looking around. “There’s no windows here,” he stated. “We don’t know how much time we’ve left… Kai!” he yelled the black wolf glaring angrily at the leader for bringing him out of his battle-mode. 

“Can you check how the moon looks like outside? It’s important!” Suho asked, rolling his eyes when Kai growled. “I know you can’t teleport outside, but you can look out, can’t you? Hurry!” Kai agreed with a snarl, disappearing in a blink of an eye. Another blink later he returned in human form. "It's still red outside, but the moon seems a bit brighter," he said. 

Suho hummed at this before he nodded a 'thank you' and then turned towards Chen, who was still anxiously gesturing at Kris and Chanyeol. 

“What’s taking them so long?” Suho demanded to know. 

“They’re coming, hyung. Kris-hyung flew in deep and Chanyeol- well, he’s not exactly light as a feather,” Chen answered, zapping a sudden bolt of lightning towards the fortified door when he saw that a shadow creature had tried to squeeze itself through. 

“Jongdae, was that you? I knew you were cheating when you brought in that so-called self-made tesla coil experiment to school one day. You’ve gotten stronger since then,” Mr. Tabi commented. 

“Stop playing with your pupils, Seunghyun! Get me their heads!” an evil voice hissed from behind him. “Have Dee get rid of this blasted enchantment so I can get through! It won’t take long until my brother’s spell wears out!” 

_Dee? Mr. Kang is still alive and fighting for him again?! No way…_

“What did you do to Mr. Kang?!” I shouted, seeing a glimpse of a crazed Mr. Tabi grinning at me. 

“The question, my dear butterfly, is what did _you_ do to Dee? Convincing him to betray the master, turning against me…The master did what had to be done to save my best friend,” his look had turned dark now as he made more of his vines push and beat against the door, widening the gap. “There was no other choice but to inject his heart with a little bit of darkness…” 

“You mean poison!” I shouted, unable to fathom how the former biology teacher could laugh at this. Then again, I still can’t believe that he was so loyal to the black snake to begin with.

“I mean whatever is necessary to remind him where his allegiance lies!” he shouted. 

“I’ve had enough of this,” D.O. called out, pushing a wall of mud and earth against the gap so Mr. Tabi’s face disappeared. 

“Whoa! You think this will keep us out? Kyungsoo, this must be you,” he mused laughing mockingly. “If you think that a bit of dirt will stop us, you have another thing coming!” His vines suddenly shot through D.O.’s wall but Xiumin was there to freeze them all effectively while Tao shattered them using amazing Kung Fu moves. 

“Oh, come on now, boys. Is this really how we have to deal with this situation?” Mr. Tabi suddenly cooed as if he was trying to make amends. “You’re sitting ducks inside there. No escape. You can’t keep guarding this door forever,” his deep voice, which I once thought was soothing and smooth, gave me chills. 

“You’ve two options,” he continued. “One, we’ll continue this useless fighting and end up dead while Mr. Yok takes what is rightfully his,  or two; You hand us the dagger like obedient little cubs and we’ll consider sparing your lives. Mr. Yok has even agreed to be merciful towards you once he’s the ruler of the world, as long as you surrender yourself wholly to him.” 

The pack exchanged glances with one another, but it was obvious that the boys were insulted by the demeaning suggestions made by our former teacher. 

“We’ll go with option three,” it was D.O. that shouted at him. “Live or die, we won’t let you win!” 

I didn’t like that it fell silent after D.O. made his statement and I was distracted when I saw Chanyeol’s head finally peeking out of the crevice. He climbed out of it and rolled away, still lying on his back while he looked at Suho. 

“There’s nothing down there, hyung. It’s completely black,” he breathed as he scrambled towards Kris who was slowly ascending as well. 

“Not completely,” Kris grunted, heaving himself over the edge, making me wonder why he wasn’t just flying, until I noticed the sweat beads on his forehead and the way his chest heaved when he was breathing. He was exhausted. The ravine must run deeper than we thought. 

Kris looked around, eyebrows lifting at seeing the newly fortified door and turned towards us. “We miss something?” 

“Mr. Tabi is at the door,” Luhan answered. “I don’t think we’ve much time left. We have to act now or we’re screwed.” 

“What did you say you saw down there?” Suho asked, after telling the pack to keep an eye out for any movements coming from the door. 

Kris looked at Chanyeol and rubbed the back of his neck. “We went in deep and far-,” 

“It was awesome, Kris-hyung flew so fast!” Chanyeol interrupted in his excitement. He shut his mouth when his two elder brothers arched an eyebrow at him. “Sorry.” 

“Anyway, I thought we were going to end up in China until Chanyeol noticed something glimmering below us. I thought it was water, but upon closer inspection…” he trailed off, nose scrunching up in mild disgust. 

“Upon closer inspection? What did you see, hyung?” Sehun pressed curiously. 

Kris swallowed and exchanged glances with Chanyeol before answering. “Blood,” was the curt reply. 

“Blood?!” I repeated in astonishment. That was definitely _not_ what we learned we could find underneath the earth in geography class. 

“I can’t be sure, but it looked like it. Maybe that’s the energy of the leylines manifesting itself, or something,” he shrugged, trying to find a reasonable explanation for what he saw. 

“Yeah, or it’s really blood. A huge river of it flowing right beneath us as we speak,” Chanyeol added.

“Are you sure you didn’t mistake it for magma, or something?” Chen prompted, in disbelief that his brothers saw blood deep within this ravine. 

“Come on, Chen, we know what magma looks like and this was definitely not magma,” Chanyeol insisted. 

“But it can’t possibly be blood either, can it?!” Tao yelled from near the door, having heard the entire conversation while keeping guard with Kai, D.O., and Xiumin. 

“The four of you get back here, don’t stand so close to that door!” Suho warned, urging them to step back, which they fortunately did. I still didn’t like how quiet it was on the other side though. They were planning something. I could feel it. 

“Well, it wasn’t red lemonade either, Taozi,” Kris sighed. 

“It would make sense though,” Lay started carefully. “You all saw how dagger-nim responded when it touched our blood.” 

“Yeah, but whatever is flowing beneath us isn’t our blood,” Baekhyun reminded his hyung, lost in thought like the rest of them. 

“Maybe it’s the blood of the world?” Chen then proffered.

“Or the blood of the moon,” I murmured, looking at Suho. “Maybe the red beams outside affected something. Did the blood or whatever, look strange to you? I mean, did it appear inconsistent somehow?” 

“It did seem like some parts were shimmering as if they were glitching, noona,” Chanyeol mumbled, squeezing his bottom lip with his thumb and finger. 

“Maybe that’s it,” I breathed. “The blood, this dagger being alive, the heart attached to it… What if the one thing that it’s missing is an actual physical body? I mean, the blood in the ravine must be the Tree’s blood, its veins. The earth, Mother Nature, must be its body! Everything about this world is alive, as the Tree of Life is, isn’t it? Maybe we have to find a way to connect the heart with the body!” I nearly yelped out of joy at this wondrous eureka moment, while I gave the boys some time to process it as well. 

“Wow, pretty, strong,  _and_ intelligent- where have you been all my life?” Luhan managed to tease, stepping back when I grinned and punched him against the arm. 

“It makes sense, right?” I asked for good measure, the boys agreeing. 

“It does, except for two little things,” Suho warned cautiously. “First of all, how do we connect the heart with the body? Throwing the dagger inside won’t work- you’d drown the heart in the blood. Second, the white wolf may have mentioned something about the blood of the moon, but he also said that you were supposed to wake up. How does that tie in together?” 

I felt my own heart sink into my shoes. “Alright, that’s a good point,” I pursed my lips together, thinking hard. “What if he meant that I have to wake up because I know how but I’ve forgotten, like everything else of my old life? What if I do know the answer but I just can’t seem to get to it?” 

“That’s a lot of ‘what-ifs’, noona,” Kai mentioned. “We can’t rely on ‘what-ifs’. We need to know for sure and make the right decision and stick by it. We don’t have room for error.” 

“Well, I’m open to any other suggestions,” I then shot back, feeling a little annoyed. I know that they wanted certainty, I was aware at what was at stake here too. But so far this seemed like the only explanation I could think of and my feeling says I’m on the right track. Maybe if I keep this up, I might be able to wake up just in time. _No pressure, of course_ … 

“Jae might be right,” Luhan then spoke, breaking the silence. “We should give it a try. It’s worth the shot.” 

“But how? What are we supposed to do?” Suho voiced out loud, worry gracing his gentle face. 

“Live or die, you said,” a deep voice suddenly said, echoing throughout the fake forest. My eyes widened in fear when I saw that the gap in the metal door had been quietly opened, and my heart stopped when I saw Mr. Tabi appearing from the shadows, tailed by a legion of shadow creatures, a dazed, brainwashed Mr. Kang beside him. Too late did we realize that we were slowly surrounded by shadows. 

“Very well. I’ll choose option two,” Mr. Tabi cracked his knuckles, violet eyes shining horridly. “Die.” Out of nowhere, thorny vines shot out like spears towards an unsuspecting Chanyeol, who was closest at reach. Eyes wide, Chanyeol fell over, landing on the floor, a confused and shocked look on his face. Breathing heavily, he looked up towards Kris, who had pushed him aside for safety. 

Everything seemed to stop at that moment. Everything stilled. Kris was still standing, breathing shallow, unmoving. I was only aware of the sharp gasp that escaped my mouth when my eyes wandered to the vines sticking into his chest, his abdomen, protruding his back where drops of blood dripped down onto the floor. 

“H-hyung?” Chanyeol murmured in shock, calling out to his brother. Kris blinked slowly, tears falling from his face, though he smiled softly when he looked at Chanyeol. 

“I lost you once,” he breathed heavily. “I wasn’t going to let that happen again,” he stated. 

“Hyung,” Chanyeol’s voice cracked, unable to say anything else. “Hyung!”

“Kris,” Suho called out. 

“Kris,” I whispered, feeling breathless. He turned to smile at me before he fell, the light leaving his eyes. “No,” I shook my head, every fibre in my body trembling. “No!” I yelled near hysteria, his name on everyone’s lips. 

“Kris-hyung! Kris-hyung, no!” Chanyeol crawled towards him while we still stood by in shock. Lay was moving from the corner of my eyes. 

“Kris-ge!” he yelled, rushing towards him. 

Mr. Tabi watched him, standing motionless. “Get the healer,” he instructed, Mr. Kang suddenly moving. Through my tears and shock I somehow still managed to keep myself together and shouted at Lay to warn him. Mr. Kang moved towards him like a vicious animal, sharp metal objects slithering along. They changed shape into tiny metal orbs, until I realized that they were bullets. 

Luhan having heard what Mr. Tabi said as well, moved towards his younger brother in an attempt to shield him. “Lay, watch out!” he called out, the healer stopping in his tracks, turning around. Mr. Kang shot the rain of bullets towards him, Luhan stepping forward and stopping them with his powers. He pushed against the bullets while Mr. Kang did the same. Eventually, Luhan managed to move them away, the majority of the bullets lodged into the trees. 

“Are you okay?” he asked Lay, but before his younger brother could answer, the whizzing sound of something being shot through the air caught our attention and my heart stopped when one bullet found its way through Luhan’s head. He didn’t even get the time to scream as he fell limp onto the floor.  

“Luhan!” Xiumin’s voice was the one I registered, as everything blurred around me. At some point, Mr. Tabi gave the order to the shadows to attack and everything went so fast. I was still processing what had happened to Kris and Luhan, unable to believe that this was happening. This couldn’t be happening! This _shouldn’t_ happen! This was not the way this was supposed to end! This couldn’t be real…

Tears flowed silently from my eyes as I stood paralyzed. I couldn’t do anything when I saw Lay fighting off the shadows as best as he could before he attempted to heal his brothers. I couldn’t do anything when I saw him get overwhelmed by those creatures, vicious vines holding him in place to render his escape impossible. I picked up all the screams when those same vines impaled him and the screams died down. 

Shadows moved like flashes around me, while I caught a glimpse of the pack fighting back out of fury and grief. Mr. Tabi grabbed Kai and I covered my ears at hearing his neck snap before falling to ground. And I? I did nothing. I watched as I saw my friends fall, one by one, like stars from the sky, whom never stood a chance against the darkness. 

_This isn’t happening. This isn’t real. Someone is playing a trick on us!_

I desperately looked at Luhan’s still figure on the floor, though I didn’t dare look at his face. 

_Luhan, wake up!_ I yelled at him, knowing that he has to hear me. I flinched at the heat of Chanyeol’s flames nearby, looking away when Mr. Kang had fashioned knives this time, soaring through the air like his bullets. 

I screamed when a shadow crept up on me. Its hands wringing my neck. I crushed my eyes shut when a laser of light flashed against the creature’s head, searing it off. Baekhyun appeared, grabbing my arm. 

“Noona, you have to get out of here!” he warned. 

“Wha- no! No! I’m not leaving!” I shrieked, face wet with tears. Baekhyun didn’t look much different from me, he was crying too. 

“Please, you have to go while you have the chance!” he pleaded. 

“Baekhyun, behind you!” I screamed, a small horde of shadows approaching us. They were an arm’s length away when they were mercilessly zapped by lightning, a wounded Chen looking at us with a small smirk before sinking to his knees. 

“Chen!” Baekhyun cried out. “Noona, get out of here!” He urged strictly. “Tao!” he then called out, seeing him fight with all his might against the shadow creatures while evading Mr. Tabi’s vines. 

“Tao! You and Sehun take Jae-noona to safety- now!” he instructed, but Tao broke out in tears at the mention of Sehun’s name. 

“Se-Sehun’s-,” he choked on a sob and I shook my head, feeling like I was losing my mind. Baekhyun’s grip tightened around my arm as if he needed the support. He was fighting the tears, fighting the sorrow. 

“Tao, take Jae-noona, now!” he pushed me towards his younger brother, voice cracking as he continued the fight. 

“N-noona, come-come with me,” Tao trembled as he took my hand, and running away from the pack while they needed us most was beyond heartbreaking. 

“There’s nowhere to go, Taozi,” I muttered, a sob escaping my lips. _This isn’t happening. This isn’t real._ “There’s nowhere to run. We have to do something-,” I started, my voice breaking as we stopped at hearing the pack yell and scream. “We can’t leave them! I’m going back!” I pushed myself away from Tao and ran back, hearing him call out my name and running after me. I stopped abruptly when I saw D.O. lying on the floor, gasping for breath. There was fear in his eyes when he looked up at me and I sank down to my knees to hold his hand. 

“D.O.!”

“What are you still doing here, you i-idiot?” he grunted. “Get out of here,” he urged, but I couldn’t move. 

“Let me try and heal you-,” 

“Go away!” D.O. yelled angrily, pushing me away. “Please,” he added in a whisper. “It’s too late. I can’t- don’t make me watch you die as well…” 

“You’re not dying!” I yelled. “Don’t you dare!”

“Jae-,” he breathed. There was something he wanted to say to me. I could tell by the way he looked at me. “Jae-,” he reached to my face and I bent down so he could me. “Tao,” he suddenly spoke. “Get to him. Go!” 

I turned to see him catching up to me, and I was about to reply when I let out another scream of utmost pain. Mr. Kang stood at a distance, but his aim was unfortunately true. I looked to my side, where a tiny, metal tomahawk was embedded there. 

“No!” D.O. exclaimed, letting out a growl as he used his last bit of strength to send an earthly tidal wave towards Mr. Kang, but instead of shooting him up towards the sky, the earth beneath his feet crumbled and he fell into a hole. 

“Noona!” Tao called out, so fixated on me that he didn’t see Mr. Tabi about to attack him with one of his thorny vines. 

“Tao, watch out! Behind you!” I shrieked with all my might. Thankfully, his reflexes were fast and he managed to evade the attack, but in the process, Mr. Tabi managed to impale Tao’s calf and he fell, a few feet away from me. 

Everything slowed down. We were surrounded by flame and smoke, by shadows and fear, and pain. My friends lay strewn over the floor and those few who were still fighting, were injured, close to death. The air left my lungs at catching sight of Xiumin getting the side of his head slammed against a rock and falling down, never getting up. Chanyeol was still fighting, several knives sticking out his back, though he burned whatever came close to him. 

This wasn’t suppose to happen. This couldn’t be it. I saw my friends dying and I did nothing to prevent it. I failed. I failed. _I failed._

“N-noona,” Tao whispered, trying to crawl towards me. I looked at my hand that was still holding onto D.O., but his hand felt limp in mine, his chest wasn’t heaving… I closed my eyes a moment and gently pulled away, attempting to meet Tao in the middle. 

“Noona,” Tao called out again, his bottom lip quivering. 

“Shh, it's okay,” I lied, knowing that neither of us believed those words. “We’ll- we’ll get out this,” I tried to soothe. 

“Everyone is-,” Tao gasped for breath, crying softly. “I want this to stop,” he confessed. “Please, I can’t take this pain.” I knew that he wasn’t talking about the wound on his calf. I felt the exact excruciating pain he was feeling. “Can we make it stop?” he asked, sounding so much like a little boy that my broken heart broke all over again. 

“I wish we could, Taozi,” I whispered, cupping his cheek and leaning my forehead against his. “I wish we could.” 

“I’m so sorry, Jae-noona,” he whispered back to me and I shook my head, caressing him gently, hoping that it would bring some comfort to him. 

“I’m the one who’s sorry, Taozi,” I told him, kissing his hair. We looked at each other as our hands intertwined. 

Then, we closed our eyes, and everything went quiet. 


	104. ~ Metal ~

***

You’d think that hearing silence after so much chaos was relaxing and soothing. Peaceful, perhaps? _Wrong_. 

Hearing silence after a battle was deafening, uncomfortable. Empty. Maybe this was what death was like. I mean, how often had I dodged the proverbial bullet? This was bound to happen to me- but not to _them._ Not them. They didn’t deserve any of this crap.

I slowly opened my eyes, expecting- _what?_ What was I expecting to find anyway? A light at the end of a dark tunnel? A pair of angels waiting for me to take me to heaven? Maybe even a demon ready to drag me into hell? Was I expecting to see Yongsun perhaps, telling me that I shouldn’t feel bad for failing, that I at least tried to save the world? 

I guess I was expecting a lot of things, but not _this._

“Okay, this is different,” I murmured seeing that the battle that was raging seconds ago was frozen around me. Is this what happens when you die? You become locked in the very moment you passed away, waking up only to see the scene frozen before you? Seeing how you could have prevented your own death but were unable to? That seemed like a particularly cruel fate for someone who just died. _Speaking of which_ …

“Ow! What the hell?” I looked down to my side, where a small tomahawk was lodged into a few moments ago and when I touched the wound, it was still bleeding. Dead people shouldn’t feel pain, should they? As I slowly got up to my feet, I held back a gasp at seeing a shadow’s horrid face just a few inches removed from me. It was unmoving, almost like it was made out of wax. I snapped my fingers in front of it, but it didn’t react. I took the moment to gaze around the room, purposely avoiding looking at the boys, feeling so isolated in this quiet, strange place, where the terrors of battle could not come. 

“What’s going on?” I murmured, suddenly becoming aware of how empty my hands were. _The dagger! Shit! Where is that thing?!_ I scanned the area frantically, wincing and still confused as to why this wound on my side was hurting so much. 

I let out a sigh of relief at seeing the dagger a few feet away from me, but I startled all over again when I noticed how close it was lying near Mr. Tabi’s feet. He too, was frozen in place, an angry scowl on his face as he watched the destruction before him. 

After I picked up the dagger and dusted it off, I looked at the former teacher, waving my hand in front of him to see if he didn’t move either. He was responsible for all of this. He started to kill. He betrayed all of us and now even claimed our lives, and for what? 

I was angry at him. I couldn’t help it. Without really thinking it over, I raised my fist at him and punched him square in the jaw. My hand was immediately burning with pain, and even though his head turned sideways because of the impact, he still didn’t move, but I sure as hell hope that he felt that. 

“Alright. So, what’s going on here?” I then murmured to myself, focusing my leftover energy on this weird situation I was suddenly in. Why had everything stopped in place while I was still moving? All I remember was talking to Tao last and then closing my eyes. He did the same thing. 

I walked back towards him where I saw him in the same position I left him. He wasn’t moving either. Was this it then? Was I going to be stuck here forever? What kind of messed up fate is that supposed to be? I looked at Tao again, feeling the sadness coil around my chest, tightening its grip. I knelt down, gently running my fingers through his golden hair. 

“Hm…n-noona?” 

“It’s okay, Taozi, I’m here,” I replied to the soft murmur, as my brain had a three second delay to what I just heard. My eyes widened then and I retracted my hand. 

“Tao?” I called out, blinking in astonishment when I saw him move slowly, stretching like a kitten before wincing in pain at the wound in his calf. 

“Tao!” I exclaimed, not caring for a bit when I flung my arms roughly around him, enveloping him in a hug. He had to brace himself a moment before he quickly wrapped his arms around me. 

“Oh my gosh, you’re moving, and talking! I thought I was alone, I don’t understand,” I rambled, feeling relief wash over me like a nice cool shower in the heat of summer. 

“I don’t either, noona,” was his reply, sounding confused. “What happened? Where are we?” he questioned when we broke apart. He looked around the room as well, his mouth gaping slightly. 

“I don’t know,” I replied. “When I opened my eyes, the whole world seemed frozen and I thought I was alone.”

“Are we dead?” he asked, a distinct squeak in his voice. 

“I don’t know,” I repeated. “I have no idea what’s going on. I can’t be sure but maybe we aren’t dead? I mean, your calf obviously hurts, and I”m wounded as well.” 

Tao swallowed and looked at the nearby shadow creature, that stood unmoving even when he had grabbed a pebble and thrown it at its head. Seeing that it didn’t cause a reaction, he gasped loudly, stepping back and looking at his outstretched hands, a look of bewilderment on his face. 

“Taozi? What is it? Are you okay?” I asked, feeling panic overtake me. 

“Noona,” he breathed, suddenly grabbing my shoulders. “I think it’s me!” he stammered. “We’re not dead, I think I must’ve- but, I couldn’t have! I didn’t even- huh?” 

“Okay, wait, calm down,” I tried to soothe him. “Are you telling me that you stopped time?”

“Well, how else can you explain all of this? You and I are the only ones that are moving, we still feel pain so I don’t think we’re dead either…Except-,” he sighed, eyes darting around us as if he was looking for answers. “I didn’t activate my power as far as I know,” he confessed, suddenly looking at me now. 

“Well don’t look at me either! I didn’t do this,” I told him. 

“Sorry, noona, but I think you might have something to do with all of this. Look at the reach of the spell, I couldn’t have stopped time over such a large area. You must’ve helped me!” Tao grabbed my shoulders. “We both wished for all of the pain to stop, didn’t we? We wanted everything to stop, and that’s what literally happened.” 

“But, how? If you didn’t do this consciously, how did we manage?” I wondered out loud, though Tao only shrugged his shoulders. 

“I guess every wish that’s sincere enough can be granted,” he suddenly said soberly, shoulders slumping, sad eyes wandering towards Suho nearby. I couldn’t bring myself to look, but when I did, it was like I saw a life-sized photograph of him. Water floated around him like a shield, gleaming with the reflection of Chanyeol’s orange flames. His eyes were cloudy with angry tears, eyebrows knitted in fury and determination, holding back the grief. The side of his head was smeared with blood, his clothes ripped and covered in dirt, soot. What would he be thinking? Knowing- seeing his brothers die and being unable to prevent it? I knew how I felt, so for Suho that devastating feeling must be tenfold. 

“You didn’t fail, leader-nim. I hope you know that,” I whispered to his frozen figure, while Tao reached for my hand, fingers tentatively entwining themselves with mine. Sadness welled up from within my chest, spilling out in tears from my eyes. This wasn’t fair. This wasn’t right. Good was supposed to conquer evil, wasn’t it? Good should win from evil, so why did this happen?

“This is because of me, isn’t it?” I suppressed a hiccup as I sniffed, looking at Tao. “It’s because I couldn’t wake up in time.” 

“Noona,” he started, closing his mouth slowly as he didn’t know what to say. I took this as a confirmation and nodded my head. 

“It’s my fault, all of this. If I had woken up like I was supposed to then we could have prevented this,” I stated. “Even after all of this, I still don’t know how to wake up!” My voice echoed in the silence, like condemning whispers they bounced back at me. Tao was quiet as he listened to me, his fingers still entwined with mine. There was a look of pity and sadness on his face, but I couldn’t stand him looking like that. 

“Just say it,” I told him, “Tell me how this is all my fault, tell me how I could’ve prevented it but failed- tell me that I’m the one who killed our friends!”

I needed to be scolded at. I needed someone to tell me how much they despised me- but Tao, he didn’t do any of that. If I had been talking to D.O., he’d ask me if I was done with wallowing in self-pity. Luhan would tell me that I was being ridiculous and that there was no one to blame for something no one could have foreseen. Kris, he would’ve said that this wasn’t his style and get me to think how we could fix this instead. 

But Tao? What would he do? He was the martial artist. He could knock me out cold if he wanted to. I thought that was what he was about to do when he pulled me roughly towards him but ended up holding me tightly, burying his face in my neck as he started crying. 

“They’re dead, noona,” he sobbed, voice muffled. “They’re dead. What use is there to put the blame on yourself? Will it bring them back if you do so?” he asked, pulling away as he tried to fight back the tears now. “If it doesn’t; stop blaming yourself!” he said strictly, wiping his wet face angrily with his sleeve. “No more whining, noona. If it doesn’t help, then don’t do it!” 

I swallowed and cast my eyes down, feeling a little more than embarrassed of having been put in my place by someone younger than me. 

“Then, what can we do to help?” I asked eventually, clearing my throat. 

“I don’t know,” Tao sighed. “I don’t see how stopping time can help either,” he heaved a deep breath of air. “This is just postponing the inevitable, isn’t it? _Aish_ , I wish I would’ve told them when they could hear me,” he suddenly mused, limping around a bit on his wounded leg. 

“Tell them what?” I asked curiously. 

He shuffled with his feet a bit, gazing down. “That I love them,” he mumbled in between breaths. “They’re my brothers, noona. What am I supposed to do without them now?” He turned away from the battle scene, limping towards a tree trunk where he sat down with a tiresome groan. 

“This doesn’t make sense,” I grunted, following him while holding onto the wound on my side. He worriedly gazed at it, removing my hand so that he could inspect it. 

“This looks bad, noona,” he murmured worriedly, holding my wrist tightly all of a sudden, looking up at me as though he was a little boy, afraid to be left alone. 

“Don’t worry, I hardly feel a thing,” I smiled. He didn’t have to know that I was flat-out lying to him. I was in excruciating pain, but nothing compared to the pain I felt of having lost the boys. 

“How’s your leg?” I asked him and Tao only glanced at it, shrugging as though completely indifferent. 

“It’s fine. I’ve had worse,” he tried to smile, but the corners of lips barely curled upward. Seeing him like this made me feel down, of course, but what was there for me to do? How was I supposed to comfort him? The majority of his brothers died- how was I going to cheer him up? I couldn’t. There was no way. 

“How long do you think this will last?” I asked carefully instead, since being encased in time must have its effects on him. 

“I’m not sure, noona. I don’t feel tired. You?” 

“I don’t feel a thing,” I replied, scratching my head and ever so gently lowered myself so I could sit next to him. 

“It was silly, wasn’t it, to wish for all of this to stop?” Tao then started, leaning back a little. “Now the hardest part is for us to let time flow again, knowing what awaits us when we do,” he breathed, silent tears falling from his eyes as he looked straight ahead. 

“Do you think it hurts to die, noona? It seems so frightening,” he sniffed, a pinch of panic overcoming him. “But it’s fast, right? No or only a little pain?” 

“Tao,” I gazed at him, feeling nauseous, but what could I say? “I never died before, so I wouldn’t know,” I answered, half realizing that that wasn’t entirely true. I had died before, when my body was crushed by a black serpent. Death had not been particularly peaceful then. My breath was shaky and it hurt a little. I think that tomahawk got to my ribs too. The silence in our little time capsule made me feel uncomfortable all over again. I only experienced this the one time with Tao in the forest, after the boys had stupidly stalked Minho and I on our way to the movie theatre. _God,_ that seemed like a century ago. 

I didn’t want the memories to come then, but they did. They overwhelmed me, like a tsunami wave, crashing into my mind with me being unable to stop them. I remembered meeting them for the first time, how awkward and uncomfortable that had been. I still groaned out of embarrassment when I was shoved into the locker room that they were occupying and how that finally made them realize that I was a girl- not a guy, as initially thought. 

I remembered seeing their smiling faces, their soft, pleasant voices when they called out to me. The younger ones calling me noona with such cheerfulness it made my heart jump. The older ones calling me by my name as though it was a precious prayer. 

So much had happened to us, we went through so much together- all of them had grown so close to me, and I was just as attached to them. Of course we were. We were a pack. We laughed together, we cried together, we fought together, with, and against, each other. We relied on each other. We loved one another. We were- 

“One,” I whispered, taking a deep breath as I thought the air had left my lungs. 

“Noona?” Tao called out, watching me tentatively. I blinked in bewilderment, trying to recover and shake the melancholic memories from my mind and heart. That sentence. Why did that tug on my heartstrings so much? 

_We are one._

I saw their individual faces flash before me, twelve bright smiles that lit up my days. 

_We are one._

I feel what they feel, twelve different powers connecting with me. 

_We are one._

If one dies, the others would too. The only problem with that is that I couldn’t allow that to happen. I didn’t want anyone to die, but that happened. 

_We are one!_  

The dagger shone in my hand, its heart pulsating irregularly. Feeling a strange, newfound sense of exhilaration, I got up to my feet, ignoring the pain from my wound and looked around. Tao had stopped time unknowingly, but he definitely didn’t do it on his own. I was responsible too. Why? Why did we do this? 

“Noona, are you okay?” Tao asked in concern as I was racking my brain. I started pacing around like a woman who lost her marbles, muttering to myself as my brain was cracking. 

“We stopped time without meaning to,” I hummed, tapping the hilt of the blade against my chin as I brainstormed. “Tao mentioned that the most sincere of wishes could be granted. We wanted everything to stop and that’s what happened, but…”  I shook my head as Tao slowly got to his feet as well, following my every movement with his sorrowful eyes, probably wondering if I had snapped and was ripe for the asylum. 

“Stopping time, what good would that do us? Nothing, postponing our deaths, Jae, come on, you know that,” I muttered, talking to myself and from the corner of my eyes I could tell that Tao was frozen in fear over my sudden state. 

“Noona, maybe you should sit down,” he proffered tentatively, nearly letting out a shriek when I grabbed him by the arms, shaking him a little. 

“A second chance!” I exclaimed, “More time to think things through! You wanted everything to stop, I wanted more time to know what to do, and that is what we were given, Taozi,” I elaborated, but it was obvious that Tao had no idea what I was rambling on about. 

“Oh…kay…” he stammered, swallowing as he kept looking at me, keeping a close watch.

“A second chance, we are one… Could it be?” I stared at the dagger once more, watching it gleam and glisten, watching the heart pulsate, illuminating itself every other heartbeat. 

“We are one…powerbank…” I was hardly making any sense for myself, but Tao really did try his best to stay up to speed with my horrendous thinking process. But still! The only reason I was acting crazy was because I was on to something. Something huge. Something incredible. Something _impossible_. 

“We are one!” I nearly screamed, the countless whispers reverberating right back at me. Tao had taken a step back, staring at me with wide eyes. 

“Uh, okay, noona, if you say so,” he stammered, not knowing how to respond. 

“No, Taozi, I know what to do!” once I uttered those words, a flame of hope had ignited in Tao’s eyes and he approached me. 

“You do? Really?” 

“Yes- well, sort of,” I stammered this time, I winced. “We are one,” I repeated again, a lot more quiet and calm than I had been before. 

“Yes, you mentioned that several times now, what’s wrong with that sentence?” he asked. I could nearly laugh at the blank, slightly annoyed look on his face. 

“I think we were given another chance at this, Taozi. Hear me out,” I urged upon seeing his skeptic eyebrow flick towards his hairline. 

“I know what to do to prevent all of this. There might be a way for us to save them,” I explained, as he became enthusiastic. 

“You woke up, noona?” Tao asked, my own spirit reflecting in his hopeful eyes. 

“I wouldn’t say I woke up, necessarily, but I think we can save the pack,” I told him in all seriousness. “All we have to do, is turn back time,” I told him in all sincerity in the most deadpan way possible. Of course I could’ve expected that Tao would laugh over this.

“Turn back time? Did you say, ‘turn back time’? Noona, did you forget how I told you that I can’t turn back time for obvious complications?” 

“No, actually all you told me was that Suho thought you shouldn’t try to turn back time or fool around with the future because it could disrupt the natural order of the universe bla bla bla.”

“No, noona, those ‘bla bla blas’ are really important ‘bla bla blas’! I can’t turn back time, I never tried it before!” Tao responded, arguing heavily. “Not to mention that I probably don’t have that much strength to do it, and there’s a slight matter on how impossible that task is! Do you even have any idea what it means to turn back time?” 

I shrugged at his protestations, biting my lip. “We’d get a second chance?” I answered perhaps a bit too innocently, but it quieted him down. “Think about it, Tao. We could prevent- _all_ of this,” I gestured around us. “Don’t you want that?” 

“Of course I do, noona,” he clacked his tongue derisively, insulted by the question. “But turning back time? You know as well as I do that this world is all about balance. There’s a natural order that we can’t mess with, a line that we, as guardians, can’t cross-,” 

“Look around you, Zitao,” I raised my voice at him. “That line has already been crossed. You talk about balance, about the natural order of things- but what about all of this is natural to you? Where do you see a perfect balance in this scene?” My voice was shaking because the desperation was seeping through now. This was the only thing I could think of, the only solution to an impossible problem. 

“The whole world is going to crap as it is. The Black Imoogi is responsible for that. He is the one that caused the balance of the world to skew. If we turn back time, wouldn’t that mean that we’d help restore that balance?” I then tried to reason with him and seeing Tao waver was enough for me. 

“But how?” he asked me. “I don’t know how to do that. Stopping time briefly over a small area is usually harmless, but turning back time- what if it effects the entire world?” 

“Then a lot of people will experience some deja vu,” I replied, though I wasn’t confident at all. I had no clue what might happen if we do this. We weren’t in a science fiction movie, after all, we couldn’t just hop into a DeLorean and go back in time to change the future. Oddly enough, things weren’t that simple. 

“I don’t know about this, noona,” Tao said softly, looking at his own hands. “What if something goes wrong? Everyone always told me that I should never try to turn back time. I’m- I’m afraid what might happen.” 

I watched him as I saw the look of concern and self-doubt on his face, the way he looked at his own hands. I moved forward, putting the dagger in the side of my jeans and grabbed his hands with mine. 

“Then let’s find out together,” I told him with a soft smile. “We have to try, Tao. We’ve nothing to lose, right?” 

He gazed at me long and hard, reading my expression before his own face softened and he gave me a smile, entwining our fingers together as he leaned his forehead against mine. “I trust you, noona,” he whispered. 

“I believe in you, Taozi,” I replied as we both started to focus. Since I wasn’t sure how to do this, I relied on Tao to guide us. I truly did believe in him. I knew that he had the power to do this with a little help from me. I knew what to do once we got our second chance. 

_We are one_. That meant something, and I knew what. 

I steadied my breathing when Tao concentrated, his face already contorting as though he was lifting something heavy. I felt it too, a strange pressure that felt as though everything I was doing was backwards. I exhaled when I thought I inhaled, I inhaled when I thought I exhaled. 

I looked around us, but time was still frozen. Nothing had changed.

“Argh!” Tao grunted, panting heavily. “I-I can’t do this, noona. It’s impossible,” he breathed, grunting out of frustration. 

“Yes, you can, Tao. I’m here,” I focused harder this time, channeling whatever energy I had towards him. I concentrated on seeing what he was seeing, how he commanded time to heed to its lord and master. It was hard. Difficult. Too difficult. I strained myself to help him, peeking at a nearby flame when I thought I saw it move. This had to work. _We can do this!_

“Think of your brothers, Tao,” I told him to encourage him. “Think about what they mean to you. Think about all the happy moments you shared with them and hold on to the feelings that come with it. You can do this, Taozi, I know you can,” I cheered him on, feeling the strain.

Tao exclaimed loudly when I told him to think of his brothers and all of a sudden the scene around us moved. It rewound itself around us while we stood still. I kept focusing on Tao, feeling our energy intertwining, becoming stronger. He yelled in surprise when the wound on his calf had disappeared and I winced when my wound repaired itself too. 

“You did it, Taozi,” I yelled, still holding onto him. “You did it!” 

“ _We_ did this, noona,” he corrected, looking tired. I probably looked the same way. His glowing red eyes gleamed in worry when he looked at me. “Your nose! Noona, you’re bleeding! We should stop!” 

“No! Not yet! It’s okay, I don’t feel anything,” I assured him, though I felt the liquid oozing down. This was taking its toll on me as well, but it was going to be worth it. I had to believe that. We watched in awe how everything went back into place and I can only imagine that we just made the world turn back a few minutes, making it spin the other way to achieve this. Heck, it felt like we did that, pulling the entire world backwards. 

But this had to be done. I knew what to do. I wasn’t going to watch anymore. 

“Enough, noona. We can’t go back further,” Tao stated, glancing worriedly at me. 

“Just a little further,” I grunted before everything stopped again. I was dizzy and ready to collapse. Tao wasn’t looking all too hot either. 

“I can’t believe that worked,” he breathed as we slumped to the ground. I gazed at him and patted him on the shoulder. 

“I’m proud of you,” I told him, ruffling his hair. 

“You think it’s enough, noona?” he panted, holding onto his chest as he heaved desperately for air. His eyes were glued to Kris, who had just pushed Chanyeol out of harm’s way, ready to be impaled by Mr. Tabi’s vines. 

Perhaps I hadn’t thought this through properly, but we had to give it a shot. Tao wasn’t going to be able to hold this up for much longer and I certainly couldn’t waste more energy on supporting only him. I breathed, knowing that time would soon continue and I glanced at Tao. 

“Are you ready?” I asked him. He gave me a look of utter determination this time when he nodded. 

“I hope you know what you’re doing, noona,” he still murmured but he smiled at me. 

“I got this,” I promised him. 

“H-hyung?!” Chanyeol called out in shock and I reacted on instinct. I held in my breath as I saw the vines shoot towards Kris and I gasped audibly when I saw them frozen in place against his chest. _No_! Was I too late? Did we turn back time for nothing? 

I watched breathlessly as Kris stood unmoving and I couldn’t read his face. He turned slowly to meet my gaze and I saw his eyebrows twitching as though he wondered what I was doing on the floor. Of course, in his perception I had been standing just a second ago. 

“Hyung?” Chanyeol called out again when Kris still didn’t really respond. 

“What the hell?” Mr. Tabi suddenly snarled, and my eyes widened when the vines were pulled back, only to soar right back at Kris, who stood perfectly still to meet them. That’s when I heard the distinct clanking of vines hitting something hard. 

Kris mouth slacked as he looked down at his chest, watching Mr. Tabi’s vines struggle to pierce through him, but failed to do so. That was when I felt an awesome power awakening within him, a power that I knew I helped wake up. 

“What?! How is this even possible?! Why aren’t you dead?!” Mr. Tabi questioned, obviously enraged that his flimsy vines couldn’t hurt Kris. Not this time. 

I smirked. “Because there’s no tougher armor in the world than that of a dragon,” I breathed, snarling at the former teacher who glared at me as though he was surprised I even dared to open my mouth at him. 

“Noona, you did it!” Tao exclaimed happily, the rest of the pack obviously a bit confused. 

“Jae, what did you do?” Kris asked, though I could tell that he was feeling very good. I felt his power rising within me as well. 

“I remembered something,” I told him, relieved to see him alive again. “We are one. We’re stronger that way,” I explained, getting to my feet as a new fire blazed in my heart. I wiped the blood from my nose, felt my hair fall down in cyan green tresses over my shoulders and I made sure that Mr. Tabi saw the anger burning in my golden eyes. 

“Let’s show him the true powers of _true_ guardians,” I said, smirking at Kris and looking at the rest of the pack. 

“What are you idiots standing around for? Attack them!” Mr. Tabi screamed as the shadows obeyed his command. Round of two of the battle started, with only me and Tao being aware of it, of course. I split my focus to all of twelve of them and in return, I felt a surge of energy unlike I had experienced before. The connection between us enhanced their already powerful gifts and suddenly, all the shadows in the world didn’t seem impressive at all. 

Kris flew through the air like he had never done before, his skin hardening like the scales of a dragon. Nothing could pierce through it. When he elicited a growl it sounded more feral than that of a wolf. He flew overhead, getting rid of any enemy he could get his hands on, and when Mr. Tabi’s vines attempted to catch him, Kris let out a bone shattering roar as a sea of scorching flames escaped his lips. The vines turned to ash then and Kris looked at me in awe. 

_I got you, bro,_ I winked as he laughed out loud, the dragon duizhang dominating the skies, even when shadows followed him. He took care of them all. My mind, at this point was divided equally by twelve. It was difficult to explain, but I kept focus switching between their energies, between the connections. Chanyeol’s erratic flames were able to take shape of various animals now, moving under his command, even being able to fight on their own. He had cheered when he saw Kris breathe fire and of course I couldn’t pass him by. The flames danced over the tips of my fingers, shooting out and upwards, shaping themselves into wings. With a flick of my wrist the wings attached themselves to a surprised Chanyeol who yelped when they took him in the air so that the phoenix could finally fight alongside his dragon brother. 

There was no time to enjoy the little things during battle, and watching Chanyeol’s gleeful flying too long nearly cost my head. The shadow creature that snuck up on me was obliterated into tiny, cold shards and it took me a moment to recover when I saw a large tiger- made entirely out of ice, standing before me. It nudged its head softly against my equally cold skin before attacking the next victim. I startled lightly when I saw Xiumin, since his skin had turned into ice cold diamonds, nothing could harm him. 

From the molten ice appeared a puddle of water that multiplied, streaming and slithering between our feet until it washed away a group of shadows, slamming them against rocks and trees like a tsunami wave. Suho stood motionless when Mr. Tabi’s thorny vines rocketed towards him, and I gasped when they went straight through him. Literally. Suho’s body had been turned to water and drowned the vines the former teacher sent him. 

The look on Mr. Tabi’s face was priceless. Confused violet eyes beaming in concern, fully realizing that he was no match for all of us. That’s when he sent in Mr. Kang with his ever-changing metal, but before he could so much manipulate the metal to any shape and form he wanted, Luhan stepped up and he halted his movements. The metal bullets floated in the air, but it took Luhan only one hand to hold them back while he was infiltrating Mr. Kang’s mind. I saw his eyes shining and going out like a flickering lamp. I only hoped that Luhan had the strength to fix him again. I made a promise to Miss Kumiho after all. Mr. Kang has to know that she does remember, that she did think of him fondly. 

“Luhan, watch out!” I called out, seeing a shadow monster running towards him from the back, but once the creature got too close it disintegrated into dust, just like that. Despite Luhan having turned his back to it, despite the fact that he was busy with so many things at the same time. 

_Don’t worry, Jae. I know what I’m doing,_ I could literally hear the smug smirk from his voice. 

“What’s wrong?” I hear Kai’s voice. “Can’t keep up?” his voice rang through the air, followed by distinct laughter. Clouds of black smoke appear and reappear in a matter of seconds and it was hard even for me to keep track of him. Kai’s teleportation skills was bumped up a few notches, making him so fast that it seemed like he was at different places at the same time. The enemy literally couldn’t see him coming. 

My hair stood on end and I stepped to the side, just in time to see a- with-lightning-covered Chen zapping at shadows like he was at a shooting range. Thunder clapped when he jumped, disabling a handful of those monsters with crisp electricity. I felt a jolt of exhilaration run through my veins when Baekhyun crossed my peripheral. His beams of light were fashioned in different weapons, a kendo stick at first, he turned or twisted back and the light turned into a long sword. No shadow had so much of a chance against his light. I waved my hand in front of me, as though I was holding a bow. The light appeared before me, brilliant and pure. I pulled it back and released, a white light shooting out to pin a monster against a nearby. 

_Great shot, noona!_ Baekhyun complimented with a throaty laugh. 

_Yeah, amazing, noona,_ Sehun’s voice was close to my ear, and even though I could not see him, I could sense him. I sensed him in the air, felt his touch in the wind that picked up. _Watch this, noona_ , I saw him appear for a moment before he turned into the wind himself, sweeping through the forest taking enemies with him. Tao was fighting nearby, freezing the monsters in isolation and speeding up time solely for them. They aged and withered away, sucked within the tornado Sehun had created. The shadow creatures had significantly diminished and with Mr. Kang out for the count due to Luhan’s interference, Mr. Tabi was all that was left of a serious threat.

D.O. didn’t the additional strength that I could give him. That boy harbored enough anger to wipe out half of the planet if he wanted to, so the only thing I knew to offer him, was control. His attacks towards the former teacher were precise and accurate without endangering others around him. 

“You think you can stop me?” Mr. Tabi said, looking exhausted and extremely pissed off. He screamed and countless of vines shot up from the earth, slithering like snakes, carrying poison in their thorns, but they stopped without warning. They stopped before they could even get to us. Absolutely shocked, Mr. Tabi gestured with his hands, signing for his precious vines to attack us, but they didn’t. 

I recognized this mellow personality, this soothing, gentle energy that pulsed throughout my veins. Lay stepped forward, his hands pulsating with a soft glow to which the vines heeded to. “It’s over, Mr. Tabi,” he said. “They don’t listen to you anymore.” 

Mr. Tabi laughed bitterly at Lay. “Oh really? Is that so?” he mocked, gesturing again, but the vines didn’t move to his command. Lay turned his hands and the vines laid down, flowers replacing the thorns. “Please, stop this now,” he stated but the man snarled at him. 

“You think that a little healing magic can stop me, flower boy?” he mocked. “I don’t need my vines to snap your neck!” he hissed, though Lay remained unfazed. He mostly looked disappointed that the teacher he once admired showed his true colors like this. 

“Surrender, please,” he stated, holding D.O. back slightly since the latter had different plans. 

“You know maybe I _am_ going about this the wrong way. It means nothing if I threaten you, so I guess that means that I’ll just have to change my target,” Mr. Tabi growled, leaping towards me, but Lay was surprisingly fast in grabbing his wrist before he could reach me. I’ve never seen Lay angry before, but the expression he bore on his face must be close to signaling his rage. 

Mr. Tabi propped his eyebrow in question, letting out a derisive chuckle when he noticed that Lay was healing him. “This is what you can do? A meek-hearted healer like yourself can’t protect like the others can, they cannot harm. You’re useless!” he provoked, laughing louder when all of his injuries were healed and I wondered what Lay was up to, until I saw the look on his face. 

It wasn’t anger. It was cold, calm, focused determination. Even after the wounds were healed, Lay didn’t stop. The new skin of wounds grew faster, creating more scars instead of making them vanish. It wasn’t before long that Mr. Tabi noticed his hair growing, his nails and then- he screamed. His muscles grew, his bones thickened- Lay was literally healing him to death. 

“Lay, enough,” Kris warned, though it seemed like his younger brother didn’t hear. D.O. was standing closest to the healer, but he didn’t say anything. He only watched, blinking at the screaming Mr. Tabi, whose joints started cracking and snapping. 

“Lay, that’s enough,” Luhan tried. “Lay!” 

But no reaction. I felt what Lay was feeling. It wasn’t hatred, it wasn’t revenge. He was angry. Angry at the teacher for all the things they did to him, to his brothers, and to me. 

_Lay,_ I called out quietly towards him, stepping forward to touch his shoulder, ignoring Mr. Tabi. _He learned his lesson,_ I tried. _Don’t stoop to his level. You’re better than that._ I grabbed the hand that was wound around Mr. Tabi’s wrist and the grip slowly loosened. 

Lay watched me and blinked his eyes, startled by his own actions and quickly stepping away from the teacher. D.O. caught him, patting his back assuringly. Mr. Tabi was left twitching from pain on the ground, but he still hissed when I bent down near him, panting as I felt playing everyone’s battery was taking its toll on me as well. 

Still, I reached out my hand and reversed the damage. He gasped when his injuries were healed for real this time and he scurried away from me. 

“W-who are you?” he asked in a small voice. “Who are you?!” he demanded to know as the pack gathered again as one, watching him. 

“I-,”

“I’d like to know as well,” another, harsh voice cut through the air. The contour of a giant snake slowly shifted into that of a human, Mr. Yok, gleaming amber eyes regarded us evilly. I shuddered, one hand covering the dagger that was still hidden in the side of my pants. 

“Shall we find out?” his amber eyes reflected my own, a shared trait I found uneasy to have with the Black Imoogi and I swallowed as the air became thicker. The final fight had only just begun. 


	105. ~ The Star ~

***

“Oh my God…” Yoona gasped as she arrived at E.T. Corp with her husband, causing her relief of arriving in one piece to be short-lived. “What happened here?” she wondered, looking at the strange black goo scattered around the grounds. 

“I don’t know,” Ryo ran towards the entrance, entering his password to get in, but was denied access. As he struggled in hacking around the security system, his wife bent down to pick up a piece of fabric she thought she’d recognized. 

“Ryo, what color is Jae’s backpack?” she asked, studying the sturdy cloth that was smeared with the black substance. 

“I don’t know, honey,” he replied absently, typing furiously on the touchscreen near the door. He shrugged then since he could tell that his wife was a little more than distraught. “Green, I think? Maybe brown?” 

Yoona nodded a little, looking worriedly at the deep dark cloth in her hands. “Can’t you just break down the door?” she then asked, standing beside him now. 

“That’s not regular glass, baby, I need to disable the security system- for some reason the whole building is on lockdown.” 

“Why would it be on lockdown? Ryo, is our daughter inside?” Yoona tucked the cloth in her pocket watching him work the controls. They both looked up at the building when a low rumble rippled through the ground, a frightening roar filling the air. 

Yoona looked at her husband in worry, feeling slightly uncomfortable. “Is it just me, or, does this somehow seem familiar to you?” she asked him quietly as Ryo nodded. 

“Deja vu,” he shook his shoulders a bit, going back to the control panel, when Yoona had already beat him to it, punching in the sequence code he wanted to try out next. His jaw dropped when his wife managed to open the door this way. 

“How did you-?”

“Deja vu,” she repeated, an uneasy look on her face. 

Ryo nodded in understanding, grabbing his wife’s hand and pulling her with him as they entered the building. 

“Ryo, I don’t feel so good,” Yoona confessed, clutching her chest as she let her husband guide her through the dark hallways. 

“I’m worried, too, honey, that’s why we have to hurry and get to Jae.”

“No, that’s not just what I mean,” she tugged on his hand a moment and they stopped. Ryo was obviously in a hurry and Yoona realized the graveness of the situation, but she couldn’t shake the strange feelings she was having. Why did she kept seeing images of a butterfly flitting in her mind? Why did she remember hearing a voice come from it? She saw images of a far away world, drifting in and out of her head, like memories she never knew she had. 

“I’m scared, Ryo,” she whispered to him, tears springing into her eyes, though she was unsure why. “I don’t know why I feel this way, but I’m scared. I’m scared of losing Jae-, I feel so- I feel so sad,” she breathed. “Are we going to lose our daughter?” 

Ryo blinked at his wife before pulling her into a warm embrace. “Why would you say something like that?” he asked, though he quietly understood what his wife meant. He had to admit that he had been feeling out of sorts as well, as if something about the world was changing, and as a result, was changing him as well. He felt like he was waking up from a long slumber, but it didn’t feel like he was sleeping. 

He thought he was the only one that felt like they might lose Jae, even though he didn’t want to think that way at all. To hear his wife say the same things, made him worry, to say the least. 

“We’ll find her,” he told her, trying his best to reassure her. Then, he smiled and acted more determined and optimistic than he really was feeling. “Don’t worry, baby. Everything is going to be okay.” 

Ryo wished with all his heart that he would believe those words soon as well…

***

“Well then. Here we are. At the end of the world, facing one another again after so many years,” Mr. Yok’s voice reverberated, deep and strong. It commanded a certain air of authority- the kind that I knew he didn’t really have. When he smiled, I thought the earth rumbled just a little bit more, as if it was shaking out of fear of seeing a black snake smile. 

“The world was burning too that time,” he continued, disregarding the cowering Mr. Tabi, who had slowly crawled his way back to where his friend, Mr. Kang, was lying still. I felt relieved when the latter was still breathing softly. At least that told me that Luhan didn’t kill him- not that I thought he would. 

“Do you remember? You must’ve, seeing those scornful glaring from your bright eyes towards me tells me that you remember very well what I had done before,” he chuckled. “Ah, it nearly makes me feel so nostalgic. Good old times,” he grinned broadly and I could barely hide my contempt for him. We were all silent, watching him, watching his every move, paying attention to everything. He may seem harmless in his human form, but his energy said otherwise. He was powerful in his human shape and even more so when he turned into the Black Imoogi. 

“Here we are again,” he announced, arms opened wide like a welcoming gesture. “Who would’ve thought?” he mocked. “Though, I don’t see why you still persist in wanting to do this, my dear children!” he implored in feign, clasping his hands together in exaggerated fashion. “Have you forgotten what happened the last time you tried to oppose me? Should I remind you?” he asked mockingly. “BOOM!” he then exclaimed with another laugh. “Goodbye, Exo planet, goodbye, Exo-Locals, goodbye Tree of Life!” His jolly tone of voice turned darker now, more grave, more serious. 

“You were the ones responsible for the death of your precious planet, and of all the Exo-Ls that once called that forsaken spit of land their home. _You_ killed them and _you_ killed your most cherished Tree. And all because _you_ failed to stop me, failed to adhere to my wishes, my commands, my terms!” he shouted, eying all of the boys before his sight settled on me and his nostrils flared. The muscle beneath his eye twitched, his hands balled to tight fists against his sides.

“And you,” he spat out, eyes gleaming. “I don’t know who you think you are, but I remember you only as a nuisance. A very annoying thorn in my eye, my dear.” 

“Well, I do my best,” I replied, stepping back when he hissed at me. 

“You would do well not to anger me further, my love. You cost me my greatest treasure once,” he eyed the dagger now, his eyes turning hungry for it. “I will not let you foil my plans again!” 

“Yeah, and yet the way I see it, dude; I’m the one with your precious dagger, whereas you’re without one. I’m pretty sure the odds are tipped in our favor,” I knew full well that provoking this power-crazy nutjob was the last thing I should do, but there it was. There were the words that just flew out of my mouth like Superman soaring away to save Lois Lane from certain death. Maybe I was just still in my high of having connected with the boys. Their energies were still soaring through me and the amount of energy heightened, purely because we all knew that we were facing the greatest enemy. 

But, what would happen now? I mean, it wasn’t like this man was lying or trying to scare the living shit out of us- his threats were real. He had succeeded in bringing down the Tree of Life before. Heck, just moments ago he even managed to kill Miss Kumiho and even his own brother. This was not someone to mess with, but the thirteen of us stood against him anyway. We knew the consequences. 

Tao and I had managed to turn back time, and I knew that was the only time we could. Anything that happened from here on out was going to be irreversible. _Was I ready for that?_

The dagger burned in my pocket as I saw flashes of a former life cross in front of my eyes. I saw my own death all over again. But there was more. _My dream_. My parents talking to each other each other about something. 

_We’ve come here every day. I don’t think anyone is listening,_ Mom had said. 

_Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure of that,_ Dad answered and then smiled at me. Why would I remember that dream? It didn’t mean anything, did it? 

“Time is running out,” Mr. Yok breathed impatiently. “We can do this the hard way or the easy way. No matter which option you choose, I will win at the end.” 

“You know, you talk a lot,” Baekhyun interrupted him, spitting fire from his eyes. “You think we’re still afraid of you? We’re not!” he stated determinedly, a sword made out of the purest of light appearing in his hand. “And you’re not getting that dagger. We won’t let you win.” 

Mr. Yok’s nostrils flared again in annoyance, his eyes glowing with anger when he looked at Baekhyun. “You dare interrupt me?! I am the Black-,” before he could even finish his sentence, a sharp, crisp bolt of lightning shot towards him, zapping his body as he flew backwards because of the impact. 

My mouth fell open and I looked at Chen, wide-eyed. 

“Chen!” Suho hissed, looking like he was about to have a severe heart attack. 

“What?” he asked casually. “Oh, as if none of you were thinking of doing the same thing,” he shrugged. 

“That was the Black Imoogi, Chen!” Suho exclaimed again, at the verge of what appeared to be another nervous breakdown. 

“So?” Chen replied with a smirk. I thought Suho was fit to blow, raising his hand as if he was about to smack his younger brother. But then, he hit his shoulder instead, patting Chen on the back. 

“Good job,” he breathed quietly. 

“So, what’s the plan now, what do we do?” Baekhyun asked. 

“We fight him, hyung!” Kai stated immediately, looking buzzed and ready to go. He was continuously surrounded by black smoke now, his red eyes shimmering eagerly. I felt all of their energies pulsate towards me, while I pumped back some energy of my own. We kept each other strong this way, but I was feeling tired. That was probably the downside of being a powerbank- sooner or later, this battery is going to be depleted. 

“But fighting him won’t solve anything, Kai,” Sehun noted. “We still need to make that Tree!” 

Our heads snapped up when a low, chilling laughter echoed from the darkness of the forest, a daunting, black shadow growing in height, slithering towards us. 

“I’m endlessly amused by how you fools believe to stand a chance against me,” he started, looking larger than ever, more vicious than before. “Before the blood of the moon is cleansed, I shall erect a new Tree with the blood of fallen guardians, and this world shall be mine!” he hissed, eying the dagger that I still kept in my pocket. 

“You destroyed our home before,” Suho stated with a deep, booming voice. “This time, we’ll destroy _you_ ,” he announced, a wall of water of the brightest blue rising like a tidal wave, crashing against the surprised serpent. It wasn’t before long that the Black Imoogi retaliated and it knew exactly whom to target. 

I stepped back out of instinct and shot a blast of light towards the hissing creature as the boys started the attack. I was told to stay back since it wanted the dagger and I swore that I would protect it with all my might. The feeling of deja vu overtook me once more as images of a former peasant girl threw the dagger into the sky while she watched twelve stars fall. That time I died. Would this time be different? 

I felt at one with the boys, was sensitive to the energies I felt pulsating around me. I was with Kai as he attacked the Black Imoogi, appearing and disappearing in smoke, driving the creature mad. I was with Chanyeol when he flew around the snake along with Kris, both of them scorching the thick, hard skin. While fire came from above, water and ice attacked from below. Xiumin froze the earth beneath the serpent to prevent it from moving too much while hardening Suho’s water so that he could attack with crystal shards. 

Baekhyun and I were of one mind when he blasted white light near the Black Imoogi’s eyes. The lights burst like fireworks, causing Mr. Yok to screech in pain. When the light dissolved, he snapped his eyes open, those eyes that had the same color as mine when I was in wolf-mode and they shot fiery daggers at me. 

“Enough!” he shouted, spinning furiously around to keep the others at a distance when he suddenly dissolved into the shadows. A black mass shot across the room, faster than Kai, attacking whomever crossed his path. 

“Oh no, you don’t!” Chen created a large snake of lightning which followed the shadow around. He managed to draw the black snake back into a solid form, but Mr. Yok was obviously enraged and wouldn’t be taken down so easily. 

The earth rumbled when twelve guardians faced the black snake head on. The sky was trembling and falling apart at the excess of energy cramped in such a tight area. I was with the boys when they fought, granting them the extra strength they needed to battle it out with the Black Imoogi. But, I’d be lying if I didn’t say that my mind was distracted. 

Sehun was right. We still needed to create a Tree. Perhaps being connected with the boys at the same time brought consequences with them that I wasn’t ready to face yet. Like the memories. Memories, lost and found, flashing before my eyes at a moment where I needed to be focused. When I looked at the battle that was raging, the scenery switched between what I saw now, and between what I had seen, once upon a time. The forest became an abandoned, scorched field. The dark sky became red again. Twelve stars fell once more and that feeling of melancholy danced on my heart. Everything mixed and mingled in my mind, up to the point that I didn’t know what was real and what was a memory anymore. 

Suddenly I saw what Luhan had described seeing in his dream. A young woman standing at the platform, someone who looked a lot like me, telling me that the world was ending because the sky would fall. But then I’m brought back to the dream I had about my parents, and why that tugs on my heartstrings, I don’t know… 

I jolt up when I see the Black Imoogi fight back with all he’s got. There were twelve guardians, amped up on extra strength fighting against him and he still was powerful enough to take them on. Even though we were contained in the fake forest, in my eyes, I saw wide open spaces, remnants of Exo, burning and freezing at the same time, thunderstorms and powerful hurricanes sweeping through the lands. 

_We’re not going to win this_ , a sober voice said in the dark corners of my mind. _We’ll lose. Not just our lives but our home as well._

I gasped at seeing the Black Imoogi spit out black flames towards the boys. D.O. summoned a large wall of earth to protect us, while Lay pushed Luhan out of harms way in time. The forest was set on fire, the holographic animals panicking and running away- were they holograms? Or were they real? 

I’d been walking backwards during this time of confusion and when I looked behind me, I saw the edge of the ravine that lead into the leylines. The boys were fighting so hard, but the Black Imoogi was relentless. It kept looking for me, trying to get closer. 

“Give me that dagger!” he bouldered like thunder. “I will not lose it a second time!” he slammed half the boys away from him while he slithered towards me, but everything seemed to slow down around me. Like I was watching a movie that was lagging. 

My breathing slowed down significantly as well, each breath sounding heavy and labored, as I watched the scene before me. I should focus, I know that, but I kept thinking about my parents, thinking about the people I’ve met here, on this strange, unknown island. I stared at the boys, their energies so familiar to me that it nearly hurt. And then- the memories of never feeling like I belonged anywhere. They scared me, those feelings. But not as intensely as they did before. I blinked at feeling the dagger burn in my pocket and when I held it up, I was mesmerized by the green heart pulsating on top of the hilt. From behind it, I saw a black mass make its way closer towards me, the boys regrouping to protect me. The situation far too familiar for me to bear.  

I watched as Mr. Yok had his eyes set on the dagger in my hands, and it hurt me- physically - to see those eyes that looked so much like Yongsun’s- _so much like mine_. I saw my own golden eyes reflect in the shine of the blade and seeing my reflection inside of it made me stop. I was looking at myself as if I saw myself for the first time, which was ridiculous, but somehow, it made sense to me…

I gasped at feeling a warm hand on my shoulder, the gentle energy of a healer running through my body, taking away the fear and hesitation I had been feeling all this time. Lay’s mouth was forming my name, but I couldn’t hear him. 

Another blast made me cringe, but I didn’t fully register it. D.O. was calling out to me, I think, but why was his voice so faint? 

Was this the moment where all else had led up to? Was it here and now that we had to decide the outcome of saving the world or watch it be destroyed by this crazed, power maniac from another planet? This couldn’t just be it, could it? Was it here that we were going to lose? 

_Wake up, Jae. You must wake up!_

_Yongsun?_ I looked around, but saw nothing. I didn’t see the White Imoogi anywhere. All I saw was his Black counterpart, spitting out black flames and poisonous fangs. 

If he kills us, kills me all over again and obtains the dagger this time, the world will be lost. Which was really an understatement. He’d probably end up creating this world into his personal hell, his paradise, where the blood of the innocent flows like rivers over the scorched lands. Where the sky will remain endlessly black and red, where the people wither and die under his reign. Could I allow him to do that to our home? 

_Hell no. Of course not!_

I blinked and looked at the dagger a second time. _Think, Jae, come on! How do we create another Tree? Even if we do end up defeating this psycho, it won’t save the world!_ I thought a little harder, seeing the pack give their all to fight Mr. Yok. I didn’t have much time left. I felt my own energy slowly depleting… 

_It’s a heart. A beating heart,_ I rambled to myself, lost in thought. _The leylines are the blood, the veins, the arteries of the heart. Mother Earth must be its body, and if that’s the case…_

For no apparent reason, I suddenly felt a single tear roll over my cheek. I saw it glisten like a little star in the reflection of the blade. And within it, was a white wolf, pure as snow, telling me the words I’ve been hearing all this time: 

_Wake up._

I bit my lip whilst staring at the dagger, finally grabbing it tightly and slashing my hand open. 

“Jae! What the hell are you doing?!” Luhan had seen me and it alerted the others, but I ignored them for now. I watched in mild fascination at how the dagger absorbed the blood through the blade, the heart pulsating just a bit stronger. I gulped at this and Yongsun words hit me like a ton of bricks. I think I understood now. I think I know why he wanted me to wake up. And looking up at the Black Imoogi, who had been eying everything I had done, I realized that the snake knew as well. 

“Impossible!” he hissed angrily. “Impossible!” he repeated. 

And I wished for once, that he was right. I didn’t want this to be possible either, but the past moments cleared my mind. My heart thumped in my chest, a lump forming in my throat. 

“I killed you!” Mr. Yok shouted, making the earth tremble. “I broke your puny body with my own strength! I watched the light die in your eyes! You’re no more but a pathetic peasant girl!” he spat out. 

I glanced at my palm where I cut myself with the dagger, and saw that the wound was no longer there. 

I felt strangely calm when I looked at the Black Imoogi this time. I even managed to smile. 

“A peasant girl that stopped you once from gaining power,” I nodded. “A peasant girl, who’ll stop you, _again_ ,” I added to irk him as I looked at the confused boys, watching the interaction worriedly. 

“Jae?” Kris landed on the ground with a thud. Sehun, who stood closest by me, reached for my hand, but I wouldn’t let him touch me. Instead I smiled at him and caressed his cheek before stepping back, slowly, subtly. 

_Wake up_. 

I knew how to create another Tree now, and oddly, this was the clearest my mind has ever been. Everything made sense now. I understood it all. Even though the knowledge scared me, I was at peace with what I had to do, how I knew what to do to help the boys, to save our home. 

“Noona…?” Kai asked warily, watching me without batting an eye. 

“Jae, get away from the ledge, you’ll fall!” Xiumin warned, a distinct sound of distress laced in his voice. 

I looked at all of them, and even though their faces were contorted in worry and confusion, in my mind I saw them as I wanted to remember them; smiling and carefree. Happy. 

“Jae, what are you doing?” asked Suho. 

I gave him a small smile. “I remember,” I said to him. 

“Remember what, noona?” Tao asked, looking like he was about to cry out of desperation, but kept himself strong. They could feel it. I was connected to them, after all. I didn’t want them to feel that way, so I focused my energy, sending them my true feelings instead. Feelings of warmth and comfort. Feelings of gratitude. Feelings of love. This only upset them more. 

“Noona, give me the dagger!” Chen said, his voice breaking, hand reaching out towards me. 

“Do as Chen says, noona!” Baekhyun added. 

“Please!” Chanyeol cried out. 

“Don’t block me out, Jae, not now! What are you planning?!” Luhan yelled, but of course I didn’t answer him. I felt the tears sting my eyes again, but this time I wasn’t sure whether they were tears of sadness or of joy. 

“Jae-yah?” hearing Lay’s fragile voice nearly made my heart sink into my stomach, but I still didn’t quite respond. Even when I caught D.O.’s gaze, I didn’t cave in. He was silent, but watched me, eyes searching for an explanation in mine, eyebrows knitted in a frown that nearly said _“please, don’t do this”._

“It’s okay,” I whispered to them. “I remember now. I’m waking up,” I said, holding up the dagger. 

“Don’t you dare!” the Black Imoogi hissed, desperately trying to get closer. “That dagger belongs to me- you little _bitch_!” 

I glared at him this time, making sure he saw the calm anger in my eyes when I replied, “It never belonged to you,” I breathed. “And it never will.” 

I held the dagger in both hands, holding it tight against my chest while stepping back. A little butterfly flitted past me at that moment, and I took the chance to watch it for a second before it disappeared again. 

“Jae, get back here!” D.O. finally opened his mouth to speak. A pregnant silence fell when I smiled at my pack. 

“It’s okay,” I told them, turning around to look at the abyss below me. “Trust me,” I implored. 

“ _JAE!_ ” someone shrieked out of the blue, and I stepped back from the ledge a little, startled. 

“M-mom? Dad! What are you doing here?!” I called out, Lay immediately placing a protective barrier around them when Mr. Yok attempted to attack them to get to me. 

“We’re here for you, baby! Please, come back home!” Mom called out, tears spilling from her eyes. She didn’t even seem to be impressed by anything else that was going on around her. She only had eyes for me. 

“Let’s talk this through, Jade, please,” Dad begged. “I know what you’re trying to do, but this is not the solution!” 

“I’m sorry,” I told them. “You’ll understand one day,” I tried to tell them, but I felt myself tearing up as well. The boys concentrated on stalling Mr. Yok, while at the same time they were worrying for me. They tried to make sense of my words, but I knew I couldn’t be persuaded anymore. Not even by _them_. 

“Baby, let’s sort this out together, like a family,” Mom then tried, gesturing with her hands to get me to follow them. “You and your friends, away from this madness!” 

They jumped in fright when the black snake was zapped back by Chen, but they made no attempts to move away. They stood where they were. 

“We’re your parents, Jae,” Dad suddenly said, but there was a sadness in his voice that I didn’t miss, and I knew that I heard it. His shoulders slump, adam’s apple bobbing up and down. I wasn’t the only one who remembered now. 

I smiled gently at them, tears escaping my eyes. 

“But, you’re not, are you? Not really,” I said with a brave smile that I hope would comfort them. “It’s okay,” I said again. “Thank you, for everything,” I said, the boys obviously not liking the finality of those words. 

“I love you,” I whispered to them, and Mom heard the words. She clung to Dad and I didn’t want to see them like that. 

“Protect them,” I asked the pack, and I looked up at Luhan when he forcefully grabbed my wrist. 

“What are you doing, Jae? What are you planning?” 

Without a word, I leaned forward, stood on my toes and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. This surprised him enough to loosen his grip. 

“Take Lili to the dance,” I whispered to him, Luhan blinking at me. 

I stepped away from him, looking at each of them individually before nodding and focused my attention on the Black Imoogi. 

“There is no place for your kind of darkness in this world,” I told him. “But since you love it so much- I hope you’ll drown in it!” I connected with the Black Imoogi, in order to command the darkest shadows known to man to gather around him, and I made sure that he watched what happened next. 

He reached helplessly towards the dagger in my hand, trying to slither towards me to grasp it. But the shadows held him back, scratching against his scales, which peeled off at the touch.

“It’s mine!” he grunted, yelping in pain. “I killed you once, I’ll kill you again!” he threatened in vain. 

I smiled at this. “No. You won’t,” was my reply, which silenced him. He watched in terror as I stepped back, knowing exactly what to do. 

I looked at friendly faces, at the boys, hoping they could feel my sincere apologies, my true feelings towards them. I closed my eyes, a smile on my lips as happy memories, old and new, filled my mind. 

They shouted for me. They tried to reach towards me. They ceased their attack on the Black Imoogi, moving forward to stop me. These twelve, gifted boys, who had done everything in their power- since the very beginning - to try to protect me from harm, were forced to watch how they failed to protect me from myself. 

I didn’t want to leave them. Of course I didn’t. I never intended for my parents to get so involved, but there they were- clinging onto each other as they could do nothing against the actions of their stubborn daughter- well, their _only_ daughter.

However, despite all of this, I couldn’t help but feel so elated. Like all of this was bound to happen. All this time, Yongsun must’ve known, but opted not to tell me - which was for the best. 

I swallowed, taking a deep breath and only feeling peace. 

With a smile, I plunged the dagger into my chest and fell into the darkness like I was going home. 

 


	106. ~ Into Your World ~

***

_If there was one word that could sum up my life, it would be ‘confusing’. Maybe mediocre. Average, perhaps. Maybe all of the above…Or maybe, as I’ve recently found out, none of the above. I had never found life to be all that grand, I was still waiting around to be absolutely wowed into a stupor- I guess that changed as well._

_Call me boring, if you want. Unexceptional, even… At this point, I wasn’t even sure whether I was still allowed to call myself by my name. Jae-In Miyano, was my name, the daughter to a beautiful, wonderful, hobbit-sized Korean mother and an amazing Hawaiian-Japanese father. - At least, I thought that’s where I was from…_

My eyes were wet when I opened them, expecting to see darkness. Imagine my surprise when instead, I found myself lying in the middle of a very familiar meadow. The grass was soft beneath me, its color a luscious green. A gentle breeze swept through the land, playing with my hair that still hadn’t changed back to its natural brown color. The sun was setting in the clear horizon, or maybe it was rising? I wasn’t sure. The sky was ablaze with beautiful colors of yellow and orange, pink streaks changing into purple, farther away from the sun. The sky above me was still wavering in twilight, tiny stars still sparkling, a faint imprint of the moon lingering in the last bits of darkness. 

I knew this place, but how did I get here? 

Looking around, I slowly got up, the grass tickling my bare feet. It was so quiet here, so peaceful, but kind of abandoned. Was I alone here? When I took a step forward I cringed, the beating of my heart loud and powerful, as if it had been healed, reborn. 

I looked down at my chest, expecting to see some kind of wound there, but there was nothing there, save for a faint light pulsating in time of my heartbeat. Did this mean that it worked? The world around me looked so tranquil and green it must mean that it worked, right? 

I couldn’t really be happy about this though, since I wasn’t even sure what had happened, nor did I know where I was. 

_Jae!_

I turned around at the whisper, expecting to see someone standing behind me, but there was no one there. “Kris?” I called out, but seeing nothing. 

_Noona!_

“Sehun? I’m here!” I called out loudly, searching for any sign of them. I ran across the field, expecting to see them, though I don’t know why I would think that. It was pretty clear what I had done. I sighed softly, fully aware of the fact that the dagger had disappeared. 

_Where am I?_ The meadow I was in was beautiful, don’t get me wrong, but I didn’t like how lonely I felt here. Someone must be around, right? They couldn’t have just disappeared! I started to run, hoping to find someone. I figured I’d just run towards the sun, but no matter how fast I went, it didn’t seem like I was really going anywhere. 

_Jade…_

“Dad!” I called out turning around, startled, but elated at seeing my parents in the distance. They walked towards me, clinging to each other. I jumped up and down and waved at them. “Mom! Dad! I’m here! See? Everything is okay! Are we on the island? Is everyone alright? Where’s everyone else? Are the boys with you?” I shouted excitedly, but they didn’t seem to hear me. “HEY!” I shouted louder, but no reaction. 

A rock settled in the pit of my stomach as I watched them walk closer towards me, but not acknowledging me at all. Now that I saw them better, I noticed that they were wearing strange clothes, clothes that didn’t quite belong in this world- provided that this was the earth I thought it was…

Mom and Dad looked younger here, speaking to each other quietly but enthusiastically. And then, I remembered. 

I woke up. The dagger I had plunged into my heart unlocked my memories and they were floating in, one after the other. I was looking at a memory right now, and the tears were already in my eyes. 

“I think Jade is a lovely name!” Dad told Mom who had a pensive look in her eyes. 

“What if we are granted a son? Jade sounds more feminine in my opinion,” she argued, rubbing her flat stomach. 

“Of course not! We could call him Jay!” he replied cheerfully, running towards me a bit, and I waved, but I knew that he couldn’t see me. He carefully reached out towards me, his hand resting in the middle of thin air, but I could feel his touch. His warm, gentle touch. 

_I remember_. I hadn’t been around long. I’ve learned about the good and the evil in the world I was put in charge of, and I was still trying my best to learn more and do well, just like Yongsun told me to do. I was young, but I did my tasks well, or as well as I could. There was a couple, I recalled, that always paid me a visit at the end of the day. They came from a village very far away from me, but that never stopped them to come over. They came every day and I always looked forward to see them. 

It was odd seeing this memory now, knowing who I really was back in Exo planet, and who I had become on earth…

“Hello,” Dad said to me without actually looking at me. “We’re back, and we’ve brought some water and tiny gifts. We know you like flowers- honey?” he called Mom over, who placed a beautiful basket of flowers near my feet. I felt tears welling in my eyes and smiled at them, seeing how they looked at me with so much hope, so much cheer. I touched Dad’s hand and his eyes widened. 

“Oh, the Great One is awake,” he whispered to Mom. “I told you that there’s always someone listening,” he winked. 

“I know you must tire of seeing us every day, and I know others visit you that are more worthy of your time,” he started, Mom grasping his hand when she saw that he was becoming emotional. “But we’re resilient folk,” he chuckled. Mom rested her hand in the air as well and I placed my hand against hers too. The touch brought a smile on her face. 

“We’ve been trying for many years now, Great One,” she whispered. “But we still have yet to experience the blessing and honor of becoming parents,” she said, her voice so soft and gentle it sounded like she was praying. 

“You are the Guardian of Guardians. You provide to us protection, life, prosperity and peace. We should not ask for more,” Dad continued, his hand moving up and down in caressing movements. “But if you could, if it is in your power… We would very much like to ask that you grant us a child to call our own. Whether the child is a boy or a girl won’t matter to us. We will cherish and love it with all our hearts and raise it to become a good person. One that is worthy to live in your world. One that will do whatever is in its power to keep you safe, to cherish the gifts you’ve given to all the world,” he promised solemnly. 

“Please, Great One,” Mom added gently. “Will you grant us one child?”  

A soft sob escaped my lips as I looked at their hopeful faces, unable to truly touch them even though they were so near. I never did manage to grant their wish on Exo planet. The Black Imoogi came and destroyed the world. But I remembered this couple. I remember all the people that lived in my world. 

That night, when the Black Imoogi attacked me, attacked my world, I knew that I didn’t have much time left. The Guardians were fighting all throughout the land to ensure the safety of others, trying to defend me. I was young. I wasn’t as strong as I was now. I didn’t have another choice. 

The only way for me to stop the Black Imoogi from gaining his most desired power, was to sacrifice the world Yongsun so painstakingly created and cared for. The world that I loved as well. The Black Imoogi had thought that the chaos and destruction that rained down on Exo planet was his doing, that he was the one responsible for such havoc because he dared attack me. 

But, that wasn’t true. I had gathered all the energy the world could spent so that I had a chance to save what was left of Exo planet. Exo-L were given a second chance in a new world, one that I had thought was far away enough, safe from the Black Imoogi, the same way I did for the boys. I didn’t know where they would end up. I didn’t know if they would remember or not, but I had never taken into consideration that I would forget who I was as well. 

When I was certain that I had evacuated everyone I could, I knew that it was my turn. The Black Imoogi wanted the yeouiju that Yongsun had always possessed and had kept as a trophy, the shape of a dagger. My strength was waning that night, but I still managed to extract my heart and put it in the yeouiju for safekeeping. As long as another Tree could be made, the world would be safe. It was the first time I had turned into a human- an achievement I hadn’t had the pleasure to experience. I had wanted to surprise the boys with the transformation one day, but I never got that chance. 

Back then, I woke up to fire and destruction, to a sky that wouldn’t stop bleeding. All I knew was to send the dagger to wherever it was the guardians were going to, and that’s when I started to forget. 

The black snake had called me a peasant girl, and I believed him. A peasant girl who cried when she saw twelve stars fall. A peasant girl who wished that she had loving parents to call her own. A peasant girl who died…only to wake up in a bed one day with no recollection of her past. 

The island of Ookami Shinro was created on the day that Exo planet died. Earth never had an island like that before, hence its obscurity to the rest of the world. 

I sighed softly as the memory of my two parents standing before me faded and I was left alone again. If I could remember everything again, would it mean that the people of the island, the Exo-Ls, would they remember too, now? And what of the boys and the black snake? I had sent the shadows to go after him, but it didn’t have to mean that he was defeated. What if the boys still needed help to get rid of him?

I couldn’t just leave them all like this, could I? Tree of Life or not, I would never make the same mistake Yongsun did. I didn’t want to abandon anybody, nor did I feel like carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders by myself. I was strongest with my guardians by my side, _we_ were stronger by standing by one another. This couldn’t be the end. Just like that? No way, right?

_Jae, is this it? You’re going to leave me out in the cold like this?_

I gasped at hearing the voice as I looked around again. Was that another memory as well? “Xiumin?” I called out. “Are you here? Where are you?” I asked, my voice dying away with the wind. However, before my eyes I saw a glimpse of a younger Xiumin, speaking to a butterfly, speaking to _me_. 

The wind blew and the image was gone, but I still ran after it. “No, wait! Don’t leave me, please!” 

_I can’t read her…I can’t hear anything! Jae, where are you?!_

“Lulu,” I muttered, not startled this time when I saw a young boy having an animated conversation with the same butterfly that flitted about Xiumin a few seconds ago. He started to laugh, nodding his head excitedly before that memory faded away too. Was this a sign of some sorts? Did something try to tell me that this wasn’t over yet?

Thinking about something so upsetting, brought a new image before me. I saw the fake forest before me now, black flames engulfing most parts of the chamber. I saw the Black Imoogi writhing in agony at the attacks of the shadows I had sent him. I knew then that this truly wasn’t over yet. I had reconnected with my heart, but I wasn’t growing. The Tree wasn’t growing yet. 

I could feel the vibrations of the energy of the entire earth dancing in the air, but I wasn’t connected to them yet. Why wasn’t anything happening?

_Jae, if you think for one second that I’m flying in after you, you have another thing coming!_  

My heart clenched at hearing the boys’ voices, but I couldn’t respond. They didn’t hear me… Sure enough the image of the black snake disappeared and that of a lanky young man sitting on a bench reading a book appeared before me. He had a deep scowl on his face and kept being distracted by that butterfly that flitted around him. He whacked his hand around in hopes that the insect would fly away, but, of course I wouldn’t do that. A feeling of melancholy settled in my heart when I found out that Kris was in the habit of stating that everything was not his style from a very early age. 

_Jae, please, hold on! W-we’re coming to get you!_

Suho. I saw him standing before me in a nervous state, hands trembling, feet shuffling. “I don’t know if I can do this,” he said ever so softly. “Shouldn’t Xiumin-hyung be the leader? He _is_ the eldest, after all…?” I smile to myself upon seeing the look of confusion and surprise on his face after he hears that I chose him for a reason, and that I had faith in him. I still have faith in him. I actually believe that he might come for me. 

_Why did you injure yourself like that, Jae-yah? You have to come back so that I can heal you…_  

Lay’s hands had always been the most comforting, the most soothing. I watched a younger version of himself as he was gently carrying a butterfly around, speaking to it on occasion. I remember the conversations we had. His heart was filled with dreams and hopes of peace and harmony, his spirit full with determination and willingness to work hard to achieve his goals… _I shouldn’t have left…_

Images of past memories with each of the boys flashed before me like I was watching a real life movie. A young Baekhyun was practicing his skills, trying to catch me with his light and laughing. _You need light in the darkness, noona. Please, don’t disappear like that…_

_YAH! NOONA!_ Chen’s voice rang louder than the thunder he could produce. _Scream if you hear us! WHERE ARE YOU?!_ A young boy with the devious smile of a cat on his face appeared before me, chortling in excitement as he chased a butterfly around, zapping tiny bolts of lightning at me. “What do you mean, this isn’t helping? If you were human-sized then maybe you won’t have to be scared!” he laughed and stopped when I flitted towards him. “Ah, okay, okay! No need to shout! Maybe you’ll show us your human-form tomorrow!” he said innocently. “Say, are you a boy, or a girl?” he then asked, yelping in surprise and pain when I summoned my own lightning to buzz his butt. “Wah! Okay, a girl! Sheesh, you could’ve just said! You sound just as young as me, how was I supposed to know you’re a girl?” he whined. 

The memory faded again when another voice rang through the air around me.

_Noona! You can’t leave when I just learned how to fly! Please!_ Chanyeol had always been cheerful. Even when he learned that he could control what most considered the most dangerous power known to man, he took the news with a smile on his face. He wasn’t easily afraid of anything and learned quickly how to adapt to being a guardian, always watching that butterfly fly around him while I could hear the wish in his heart- _make me fly like a phoenix too, please._

_Jae! Say something!_ The world around me rumbled and vibrated as though the very earth I stood on had moved. A small child with chubby cheeks, wide eyes and plump lips was staring at me. He looked up with a tiny hand resting against the bark of the Tree. I could feel his gentle touch, though the expression on his face looked like he was angry. 

“I don’t know why you chose me,” he said, his voice no more but a whisper. “But I promise I’ll take good care of you, if you promise to take good care of me. Deal?” he asked in a tiny voice, finally breaking out a smile when when one of my tresses wrapped around his pinky. 

“You made an excellent choice for choosing me as your guardian!” Tao’s high-pitched voice sounded as baby D.O. made way for a tiny Tao, swinging his staff around in great confidence. “I’m not scared of anything, so I’ll be able to protect you!” 

I laughed upon seeing him jump up in fright when a frog had hopped to the scene, and he desperately tried to recover. “I-I wasn’t scared!” he yelled loudly. “I was surprised, t-that’s all!” I still covered him with my leaves when he leaned closer towards the bark.

_Noona! Don’t scare us like this! Please, say something- come back!_ When I blinked, I felt tears streaming down my face and I looked around, wondering if there was a slight chance of me getting out of here and back to my pack. _How do I go back, Tao, tell me…_

_I don’t know where to find her! I can’t see a damn thing down there! Yah, noona! Why do you always have to cause so much trouble?!_ Hearing Kai’s frantic voice nearly broke my heart all over again. 

“I’m h-here,” I said, but I knew that no one would be able to hear me. 

_Jae-noona…don’t leave us…_ Sehun’s voice was fragile, so childlike. The tears were still in my eyes when I saw Sehun in front of me, like I’ve known him. The tall, sensitive Sehun, reaching out to cup my face and lean his forehead against mine. “ _Come back_ ,” he whispered, a warm, gentle breeze enveloping around us. “ _Please, we still need you. This isn’t over yet- t-this isn’t the answer!_ ” 

This wasn’t a memory. Sehun was truly trying to speak to me. “I’m sorry,” I told him. “This was what had to happen-,” I didn’t even know how to properly explain. All I knew was that since my memories finally came back to me, I could only assume that theirs had returned as well. They must’ve remembered who I am now. But if they remembered, then that must mean that-

“Did you think I would let you escape and ruin my one chance to gain the ultimate power?!” The Black Imoogi yelled, the world around me crumbling a bit. He was still alive… The shadows weren’t enough! 

The image of him crawling out of the darkness in the fake forest appeared before me now, and I knew I was watching this through a window somehow. I was situated in the place where I had taken my own life, but I was separated from the world there. The boys tried to hold Mr. Yok back, but it wasn’t enough. Not yet. I’ve had my fill of this guy. As the Tree of Life I was more than aware of the responsibilities I had as a Guardian of the world, one of those responsibilities being that I had to maintain the natural balance. Darkness would always be needed to balance the light- but Mr. Yok went too far. No world needed _this_ much darkness. He had always tried to destroy the light, tried time and time again. But enough was enough. This had to end. 

The boys thought that I had left them. That’s why they were searching for me, that’s why they felt so distraught. That’s why they couldn’t stop the Black Imoogi by themselves. I had to show them that that wasn’t the case, but how? 

I took a deep breath and thought only of them, ignoring what the Black Imoogi was telling me. The sky had started to darken as he spoke, but it was important for me to focus. 

“I will kill all you love, like I had done before. I will murder your so-called parents first, so that you may see the anguish and suffering in their eyes before I squeeze the life out of them!” he shouted, while I tried to block out his evil voice. _Xiumin, Luhan, Kris, Suho, Lay, Baekhyun,_ I summed up in my head, seeing their faces, seeing their smiles. 

“There will be no escape this time! I will pulverize you, dispose of you as I did my foolish brother!” Mr. Yok hissed as I steadied my footing when he tried to break through to get to where I was. 

_Chen, Chanyeol, D.O., Tao, Kai, Sehun,_ I chanted inside of my head. I let all the memories, old and new, flow in my mind. All the good memories, and all of the bad, the ones I had forgotten, and the ones I had just made. I held on to those most precious to me. Those memories that were strongest. 

D.O., smiling at me for the first time. 

Suho appearing like a grandfather at my doorstep and being nervous about meeting my parents. 

Chen’s laugh through the thunderstorm we were in. 

Lay holding me in his arms that night I healed him for the first time. 

Chanyeol’s warmth offering me protection and comfort. 

Luhan’s crooked smile when he asked me permission to enter my mind. 

Xiumin asking me to speak informally with him, telling me that he’d like for us to become friends. 

Kai playing with the rottweiler at the edge of the forest. 

Tao’s excitement upon realizing that he wasn’t alone when he used his amazing power. 

Kris carrying me and flying off through the still night sky. I didn’t tell him that I was singing ‘A Whole New World’ in my head. 

Sehun sulking jealously at his hyungs, though his eyes conveyed how much he cared for them regardless. 

Baekhyun teasing me for the first time to show how comfortable he was around me.

Baekhyun Jr.- _wait._

“ _Aish, noona! Of all the memories we made together- THAT is the one that sticks?!_ ” 

I opened my eyes at hearing his voice. “Baekhyun? Where are you?” I call out, steadying myself as I feel Mr. Yok’s darkness try to seep through into my world, but I wouldn’t allow him. 

“ _We’re with you, Jae,”_ came Suho’s gentle voice. “ _But we need you to be here with us, as well._ ” 

“ _But I am with you,_ ” I tried to clarify. “ _I’m not gone._ ” 

“ _We know that, Jae,_ ” D.O. answered quietly. “ _But we still need to finish this together, as we were meant to do all those years ago,_ ” he explained. 

“ _Grow, Jae-yah. We’ll help you,_ ” said Lay soothingly. 

I nodded at this, feeling the darkness wavering when it tried to penetrate into my world. I oddly felt myself grow taller, even though I knew that I would never actually grow another inch. But the best part was that I didn’t feel abandoned and alone anymore. I didn’t feel like I didn’t belong. I was where I was supposed to be. I was home, with my pack. I felt their energies move through me, giving me strength, hope. Their hearts and feelings made The Tree of Life grow once more, as I felt the Black Imoogi diminishing in strength, though he would never admit to that. 

When I opened my eyes, I was standing in the fake forest again, hovering over the crevice. I felt my roots drill deeper into the ground and spread to all corners of the world. I felt my branches reach higher and higher into the sky as the roof of E.T. Corp crumbled away. I felt the light of the moon against me, and it brought me energy instead of sucking it away from me. The blood moon was nearly drained and then we would’ve made it. I just had to get rid of the world’s darkest evils. No big deal, right?

“No!” Mr. Yok screamed at seeing a new tree having erected from the ground. “You think you’ve won?!” he yelled. “You think this means anything?! I CAN STILL KILL YOU!” he practically shrieked, his energy increasing significantly- but the upside to that, was that the boys were amped up on power all over again. I would personally make sure of that. 

_Together on this, boys,_ I told them. 

_Yeah! We are One!_ Suho shouted in excitement. 

_Hyung- could you not?_ Kai asked in embarrassment. 

_Let’s do this- for noona,_ Sehun looked up at me with a smile. 

_For everyone,_ I nodded, watching the Black Imoogi as he grew bigger in size as well, summoning his despicable shadows, armies of them against thirteen of us. 

_I don’t suppose there’s room for two more?_ A soft, deep voice asked cautiously. 

I looked at Mr. Tabi as he supported Mr. Kang. I had half a mind to tell him to choke on it, but seeing the genuine regret in his eyes only filled my heart with warmth. 

_Jae- no! He betrayed us, he’ll do it again!_ D.O. immediately protested. 

_I can look inside of his mind and heart, D.O.,_ I told him. _Anyone who regrets the mistakes he’s made and is asking for forgiveness, may receive it._ Mr. Tabi lowered his head at this as they prepared for the final stage of the fight. The shadows attacked, but the boys were relentless. Kris and Chanyeol were given the temporary ability to transform into the two mythical creatures they pride themselves in resembling. A dragon and a phoenix, taking care of large portions of shadows as the earth shook and trembled at the amount of energy clashing against each other. 

Mr. Kang fashioned an army of metallic men himself, which Chen amplified in power and strength with his lightning. To my surprise. Mr. Tabi was working with Lay and D.O., using their combined strength to get rid of the shadows and soon, all that remained was the Black Imoogi. 

“You cannot win!” he screamed, jumping towards me as his poisonous fangs bit through the bark. I yelped at the sting of it, but Lay helped me heal. 

_If you’re talking about yourself, I’m not surprised,_ I responded which only made him angrier. 

“I should have killed you when I had the chance! All of you pathetic, disgusting animals!” he hissed evilly, shrieking terribly when Suho blasted him away from me with his water, Sehun adding insult to injury by blowing him away, spinning him in the air before dropping him hard on the ground.

He huffed in exasperation. “I should’ve killed your families, the people you professed to love! Where would you have gained your strength from then?! You would’ve wallowed in the sweet darkness like I had and the world would be mine!” he spat his acidic flames towards us while the boys, including Mr. Tabi and Mr. Kang stood defensively before me, now that the black snake was the only one left that we had to deal with. 

“But we’re not,” Suho replied in a loud voice. “Just give up already! You have no power here!”

“And you’ll never get that power as long as we are here!” Kris added, still hovering over the ground though he had turned back to his human-form. 

“And you’ll never hurt Jae-noona ever again!” Sehun yelled, a gust of wind picking up again as it blasted against the Black Imoogi. 

“We will kill you first before that ever happens,” D.O. stated calmly, which made his threat creepier 

I thought that would mean something to Mr. Yok, but instead, the crazed man started laughing. Softly at first until his laughter echoed through whatever was left of the room. I was taking up most of the space now ( _one fat-joke and I’ll twig-slap you_ ), but his creepy laugh still managed to fill the air. 

“You will kill me?” he asked, mockingly. 

“Over and over again, as long as it takes,” Luhan confirmed, oozing determination. 

The Black Imoogi recovered and stood still, looking at all of us before he blasted another laugh and became very quiet. “No, you won’t,” he suddenly stated. 

“Yes, we will, haven’t you been listening to what we’ve been saying all this time?” Chen piped up. 

“The only creature actually capable of killing an Imoogi is another Imoogi. And we both know that precious, little Jae won’t go that far. Not to mention that should you kill me, she’ll be trapped inside of that piece of wood forever.” Mr. Yok elaborated suddenly, his mouth twisted into an evil smile. “She’s probably trapped inside there already, unable to rejoin her precious pack. You see, Yongsun was right about that. Being the Tree of Life means that you live an eternal life filled with loneliness. Isolation. Living in a world inside of another world where no one can reach you…” 

I swallowed at his words, hesitating for a moment. 

“Noona isn’t alone,” Kai suddenly interjected. “She was never alone, and she is _not_ Yongsun-nim,” he stated. “Most importantly, she is _not_ you.” 

“It’s over,” Suho said, but the Black Imoogi wouldn’t accept defeat like this. Why would he? 

_Boys_ , I called out, sending out to them what I had in mind. I connected with all of them, one by one. Xiumin started the attack, freezing whatever he could, his ice biting its way through the skin of the black snake. 

“You dare attack me?! You think you can actually kill me? _Me?!_ ” 

I think I actually saw something of fear in his eyes when Luhan struck next while Xiumin still attacked. His attack was one that you could not see, but it was one that could definitely be felt. Kris and Chanyeol went together, searing hot flames engulfing the Black Imoogi, who desperately tried to claw his way away from the attacks as he realized what was happening. 

“You can’t kill me! I am the Black Imoogi! I am the ruler of darkness and shadows, the counterbalance of your filthy light! You cannot dispose of me!” he bouldered, bones twisting and cracking when Lay joined his brothers, Baekhyun following soon after. He shrieked at the laser beams and the bolts of lightning that Chen had sent towards him. 

“I will not be stopped!” Mr. Yok still persisted, though it was evident that he had nowhere to run to at this point. “T-this world shall be mine!” All D.O. had to do was stomp his feet and rubble fell on top of the black snake, a typhoon ripping through the land, bits and pieces of the Black Imoogi chipping away, disintegrating into dust due to Tao’s time manipulation. Kai’s black smoke traveled towards the black snake, teleporting pieces of the creature away from its body.

“N-no! This can’t be- this can’t-! I was so close! NO!” he screamed as a bright light emerged from the boys’ energies fusing together and I could feel the genuine fear inside of the Black Imoogi’s heart. I doubt he remembered that he had one. 

“If you kill me, you kill yourself! You will never set foot on your beloved home amongst your loved ones ever again!” he yelled as I looked at him. 

_But, who ever said anything about killing you?_ I replied as I sent out another pulse of energy towards him and he screamed when the light became so bright even I had to close my eyes. Suho send a wave of cleansing water to wash over the black snake and the world was silent. 

My world inside the tree, as a consequence, had become dark as well. 

_Why did you do that?_ A familiar, deep voice spoke, though the voice sounded broken. I turned around to see a very faint light shimmering not too far ahead of me and I followed it. I startled at seeing Mr. Yok in his human form, looking like an old man as he is slumped down on the stub of a tree, looking at something in his hands. 

_Why did you do that?_ he asked again, as I became well aware of the fact that he wore black and I white. When he turned around to look at me, I saw the face of a broken man and I stepped back. 

_Why would you take the one thing I love?_ he inquired as I caught sight of what he was holding in his hand. It was a paper heart. One that was torn at the edges and dirty, but he treated it like it was the most valuable thing in the world. 

_Because you loved it too much,_ I replied eventually, watching his reaction. The boys and I, we didn’t kill him. We simply diminished his strength by taking away his power, his sole reason for doing what he’s done. He wanted more of it. It would never have been enough, so we took it away. 

_I don’t understand,_ he mused, looking into the void as if he was stuck in a nightmare. _Why did the yeouiju respond favourably to you, but denied me? What would have happened if I were the one that plunged that dagger into my heart instead of you? Would I have achieved the power I desired?_

I gazed at Mr. Yok though I still kept my distance, even though I sensed no threat from him anymore. My eyes lingered on that small paper heart he cupped in his hands and I sighed. 

_I don’t know the answers to all of these questions,_ I replied honestly. _Perhaps the dagger would have rejected you because your intentions weren’t pure. Maybe it would have also accepted you, but I can’t imagine what kind of world that must be like._

I jumped a little, still cautious, when he turned his head towards me. 

_Are you saying that I never had a chance to become a full-fledged dragon like my brother? I could never gained the power he had gained? The power that you now possess?_

A silence fell as he waited for an answer, but I didn’t feel like I had one to give him. _I don’t know,_ was my response as I carefully sat down beside him, still keeping a close watch as he looked out into the darkness. 

_Then why am I here?_ He continued. _Why are others granted the things I so desire while I am left with nothing? What have I done to deserve a life like this?_

_I don’t know much,_ I started, seeing him stare at the filthy paper heart in his hands. _But I know that the Tree of Life is supposed to bring order in chaos, balance in nature. You, for whatever reason you have, seem to only know how to destroy that balance._

_That is only because there’s too much of your disgusting light and goodness in the world!_ He yelled, voice reverberating through the suffocating darkness. I watched him before I realized that there was nothing to be afraid of anymore, and I hardened. 

_Is that so?_ I retaliated. _You think that light would disrupt the balance of nature when it’s the one protecting it?_ The momentary silence and his look of confusion was a sign for me to continue. _You think that light tipped the scale because it is in a world of light that you live in? You’re older than me. You lived longer than I have, seen and experienced things I now can only dream of…_ I ignored the voices calling out for me for the time being. I wasn’t ready for that yet. 

_Is it not the case? You dare argue with me, I, who have spent centuries living in the dark while all else was touched by light?_ Mr. Yok spoke, the paper heart trembling in his hands. 

_You see only the light and darkness as they appear to you. But you forget about the light and darkness inside of everyone, in the lives of everyone. You didn’t stop and think to consider that did you?_ I nearly smirked when I saw him think it over. _My parents, they’re good people. Filled with light, but it didn’t mean that they didn’t know what darkness was. Despite them being good people, their one wish on Exo planet was never granted - they couldn’t have children. Mr. Tabi, whom you’ve injected with your darkness, still went back to the light because he learned, because he remembered where he went wrong. All of my guardians, good, strong, and brave souls- but don’t think for one second that darkness never touched their lives._

Mr. Yok looked at me in awe as if the words I spoke truly registered in his mind. 

_Look at your brother,_ I then said, startling lightly at seeing the tears spring into the man’s eyes. _He was the White Imoogi, the embodiment of light itself. He had to endure his own pain, his own suffering. He loved a woman he wanted to protect, causing her to hate him. They both lived centuries apart from one another while they could’ve spent all that time being together. And you-,_ he gazed at me, tears rolling silently from his face. _The embodiment of darkness, a creature feared and loathed with reason…Still manages to shed tears for his fallen brother._ The tears from his eyes rolled down into the paper heart he held in his hand and we both jolted when the heart lit up. The light was faint and small, but it was there. A tiny little beacon in all of this darkness. 

_You and I, we need each other. When one attempts to outweigh the other, the world breaks. Do you think that you can understand that?_

Mr. Yok stared at me a moment before his gaze shifted to the paper heart in his hand and he held it to his chest where it disappeared. _I can learn,_ he finally replied. _But what of you? Do you truly understand what it means to be the new Tree of Life?_

I blinked at his odd question, until I heard the faint voices of twelve boys calling out to me in the far distance. My heart tightened at hearing them and I closed my eyes. 

_Noona, we won!_

_Yah, Jae-noona, come look, the moon is bright again!_

_Jae, come out, come on! Come back…_

I turned to look at Mr. Yok as he rose to his feet and nodded at him, a lump in my throat. _I understand. I am the embodiment of light, protector of balance and the world,_ I summed up. 

_And you are balanced enough to be this world’s guardian?_

I glanced at him, our eyes meeting. _You’re asking me about the darkness in my life?_ I chuckled bitterly. _I found out where I belong, only to have all of it taken away from me. I’m home, but I am not allowed to stay with the people that make it my home. My parents, my friends, my pack. I can never see them again… Is that enough darkness for you?_

Mr. Yok gave a solemn nod as he walked away, taking his darkness with him. The further he walked away from me, the brighter it became, the sun rising behind my back. 

_Then I hope you are ready,_ Mr. Yok said before he left from my sight. 

_Ready for what? To rule the world?_ I couldn’t help but sound sarcastic, expecting a sharp reply from him when he turned around. 

There was soberness in his eyes when he answered; _to say goodbye._


	107. ~ Don't Go ~

***

“JAE-NOONA!” Chen bouldered against the Tree after the final fight was over. “Yah! _JAE-NOONA_!” he screamed again, waiting for a response. 

“Yelling at her like that won’t do anything, you idiot,” D.O. said with agitation in his voice as he rubbed his ear. Chen stopped a moment to stare at his brother, blinked and then cupped his mouth with his hands. 

“NOONA!” he yelled again, ignoring D.O.’s words as the latter rolled his eyes. 

There was nothing left of E.T. Corp. The entire building had crumbled now that The Tree of Life was reborn. It towered over everything in the vicinity, like a mighty guardian overseeing the world. The pack stood amongst its great roots, that delved deep into the ground. Suho was guiding Mr. And Mrs. Miyano towards the bark of the Tree, looking at the clear sky as dawn was slowly approaching. 

Mr. Tabi was looking up in awe at the giant Tree, tears rolling down his face as he gazed up at the majesty while supporting Mr. Kang. 

There was a change in the atmosphere, a lightness about the world, almost as if it had started to heal itself, had it been heavy and dark moments ago. The silence wasn’t tense. It was pleasant, soothing, as if saying that everything was going to be alright now. 

Perhaps, to the people of Ookami Shinro, that really was the case. With the rebirth of the Tree of Life, their memories returned. The good and the bad. The former Exo-Ls were aware that they were granted a second chance, the moment they looked outside to see the Tree they had once known before. The sight both familiar and strange, but comforting. 

To the pack that had gathered near the base of the Tree, however, the Tree wasn’t bringing comfort at all. 

“I don’t get it,” Chen said, running his hands through his hair. “Why isn’t she responding? Did she fall asleep, or something?” he asked his brothers, a look of concern on his face. 

“Jae? Can you hear us?” Luhan called out, closing his eyes to see if he could reach her telepathically. He shook his head and placed his hand against the warm bark. 

“Anything, gege?” asked Tao, waiting for Luhan to answer him. 

“She’s in there somewhere,” Luhan started, “but I can’t connect to her…” 

“Did the Black Imoogi do something to her?” Sehun asked worriedly, placing his hand on the bark as well. 

“This is the sacrifice the White Imoogi has to make,” Mr. Tabi explained instead, his voice raspy as he helped Mr. Kang sit down. “It was the same with Yongsun. The White Imoogi has the responsibility to look after the world and everyone that lives in it. To do that, the White Imoogi cannot walk amongst the people it protects. It leaves the world vulnerable. When Youngsun shed his dragon wings to become a wolf that runs through the lands and walks amongst humans, he left the _yeouiju_ and the Tree vulnerable.” 

“What are you saying?” Ryo asked, looking at his former colleague. 

“I’m afraid that she- that Jae…” he trailed off, unable to finish his sentence. Upon hearing this, Yoona shook her head wildly, stumbling to get to the bark. 

“That’s not true,” she stated frantically. “No! Jae is different, she’s not like Yongsun! He walked amongst us, sure, but he wasn’t like us. He communicated to us through his guardians, Jae isn’t like that! She listens to us, she speaks to us, she- she-,” Yoona nearly choked on a sob. “She’s one of us! She is mine! She is _my_ daughter! Don’t you tell me that my daughter is not coming back to me!” she cried, putting her hands on the bark. 

“Jae, baby, time to come back home,” she said to the Tree. “You’ve done your job, now you come back home this instant!” she knocked against the wood, banging her fist against the sturdy wood until her fists started to bleed. 

Ryo grabbed his wife by the shoulders and the moment he did so, Yoona turned to bury herself in his embrace, crying softly. 

“Ryo,” she sniffed, “I want my baby back,” she said, crying into his shirt as Ryo did his best to comfort her. 

“I know, sweetheart, I know…I want her back too,” he said, cradling her as he did his best to stay strong. 

The boys were silent as they gave Jae’s parents some space. Kris swallowed as he looked around, switching his gaze from Jae’s parents to the Tree itself,  while taking into consideration what Mr. Tabi just told them. Then, he resolutely shook his head. 

“No. This doesn’t end like this,” he decided firmly walking towards the Tree. “Jae! I know you can hear me! You saved the world, it’s healing itself, you’ve done enough. Time to get back!” he shouted. “We did not go through all of that crap only  to still lose you in the last minute, you hear me?!”

“Kris…” Suho started, but he didn’t interfere. 

“Jae! Answer me, damn it! You do not get to leave us behind like this!” Kris added.

“Kris-hyung is right,” D.O. murmured. “This can’t end like this… Jae! You come back this instant! You’re not Yongsun, you don’t have to be alone in there!” 

“You said yourself that we are one, noona, but how do we do that if you’re stuck in there?” Sehun added. As the rest of his brothers joined in the shouting and banging against the bark of the Tree. 

“Boys,” Ryo started, still holding Yoona in his arms as they watched them try to get a response from Jae. “Boys, that won’t work,” Ryo tried, since watching them like this was too painful. 

“Boys, she’s not there,” Mr. Tabi then tried, not wanting to get their hopes up. 

“She _is_ there, but she doesn’t want to answer!” Luhan replied angrily. 

“Jae-yah…are you sick?” Lay wondered, leaning his ear against the bark, hoping to hear something. 

“Why aren’t you saying something?” Xiumin wondered worriedly, the pack still trying their best to get Jae’s attention. 

“Let’s do this together,” Baekhyun then suggested. “In unison. Maybe Jae is inside but she just doesn’t know how to reach us,” he tried to reason, though it didn’t sound like he believed himself. 

“Let’s try it,” said Chanyeol with a nod. The boys counted down and started yelling and knocking on the wood simultaneously, the ruckus loud enough to startle a flock of birds in the forest, causing them to fly off from the trees. 

While they were busy making a big noise, Dee Kang tried to catch his breath, resting on one of the giant roots. He didn’t have much hope that Miss Jae would return, but he could understand why the new guardians were so adamant to get her back. He ran his hand through his hair, rubbing the back of his neck when he looked up and noticed something small flitting towards him. He immediately sat up straight, trying to get the attention of the others, but being so stunned himself, he could only look at the beautiful butterfly as it landed gently on his knee. 

Dee didn’t move. He stared at the magnificent colors on the butterfly’s wings, making sure not to scare it off. 

_Hello, Mr. Kang_ , said the butterfly in an ethereal voice that nearly had him falling backwards. 

“M-Miss Jae? Is that you?” he asked quietly, looking at the group near the base of the Tree, but still too astonished to call them over. “You’re so tiny now! What happened?” he asked, obviously at a loss. Jae laughed at the question as she flitted towards him, hovering in front of his face. 

_Yongsun liked being a wolf. I chose the form of a butterfly,_ she explained. _Easier to get around undetected, easier to keep an eye on things back at the Tree._

“I see…” Dee swallowed, a tentative smile on his face. “I’m relieved to see that you are well,” he then spoke and Jae chuckled again. 

“You are well, aren’t you, Miss Jae?” he asked, just to be sure. He thought he heard some hesitation in her voice. 

_As well as can be expected,_ was her polite answer. _I can’t stay long, I’m afraid,_ she then continued and Dee nodded in understanding. 

“They wish you’d come back to them- as your human form, that is…” he still tried, the loss of Yongsun still hurting his heart. And as he thought of his former friend and guardian, he thought of Kumiho and his heart broke a little more. 

_I made a promise to her,_ Jae suddenly said, flitting gently before him as if she tried to comfort him. _To tell you that she remembered,_ Jae spoke softly as Dee gasped quietly at the news. He knew immediately what she was talking about. 

“She-she did?” he stammered feeling melancholic. 

_Yes. I believe she wasn’t entirely indifferent towards you, Mr. Kang,_ Jae said soothingly, and Dee nodded, trying to smile through his sadness as he thought of her. 

“She was the most gentlest of souls. Seunghyun would sometimes play tricks on her because she was so kindhearted and gullible she would take his tricks in stride. I commented in annoyance one day, telling her that she should show more ferocity, more strength to stand up for herself. She was too gentle. As a guardian I feared she would be too weak,” he elaborated. 

“But then she looked at me, smiling so wide I thought I missed a joke. She said that kindness was not weakness. Kindness was the strength to endure all suffering and grow stronger because of it. She said that I was a prime example for that. Otherwise, when would I ever found the strength to scold her like that when previously I never dared raise my voice at her,” he chuckled. “She thanked me then, for being concerned for her. It was the first time she kissed my cheek. I didn’t think she would remember.” 

Dee sighed deeply as he let the memories wash over him for a moment before looking at butterfly Jae. “Thank you,” he whispered. “But, don’t you think you should come back, Miss Jae? I know a lot of people who are missing you right now,” he said quietly, gesturing at the pack that was still causing an upheaval, with her parents standing by, hoping fiercely that someone would respond. 

_I think you know as well as I do that that won’t be possible, Mr. Kang… However, there’s no need to miss me. I’m right there. I’m right here. Why can’t they see that?_

“You really need to ask that?” Dee replied, a gentle smile on his face when he looked at the butterfly, letting out a soft chuckle when Jae flitted around his head a few times. 

_But I’m right here,_ she repeated, looking at them. 

“It’s not enough, Jae. They want you beside them, physically, in human-form. You know this,” Mr. Tabi joined Dee, sitting next to him. He gave Jae a bow of the head, smiling shyly. 

_And you know as well as I do that that can’t be possible. Unless we want a repeat performance of this mess… This world contains a lot more people than Exo did._

“I know,” Mr. Tabi confirmed. “Doesn’t make it less difficult, does it?” he asked and the butterfly sighed as softly as she fluttered her wings. 

_How do I say goodbye?_ Jae asked after a tense silence. 

“By not saying it,” answered Mr. Tabi. “It’ll be easier that way.” 

The butterfly pondered on those words before flying towards the unsuspecting boys.

“Noona! Jae-noona! _NOONA!_ We know you can hear us!” Baekhyun yelled, the others following his example as they knocked against the Tree. 

“Don’t make us send Kai in there to fetch you! He can teleport, remember?!” Chen added, a stunned Kai freezing for a moment before he hesitatingly nodded in assent. 

“Y-yeah, noona! You always cause such a mess,” he complained and the butterfly flitted beside them.

_You all realize that the only thing you’re doing is tickling me, right?_ Jae replied playfully. _Look at you, screaming and making a fuss. Who’s causing the mess here?_

The twelve young men turned around sharply, hoping to see Jae standing behind them, but their hopeful smiles dropped the moment they realized that it was the butterfly they knew from their childhood, instead of the Jae they recently came to know. 

_Well, contain your enthusiasm, boys,_ the butterfly remarked sarcastically before she chuckled. _It’s still me. I’m right here._

Silence fell as the boys stared at the butterfly, the soft light of dawn starting to brighten the skies. 

“Where are you?” asked Kris softly. 

_Right here, you dork,_ Jae replied, flitting around his head to state her point. 

“No, I mean where are _you_?” he tried to emphasize, swallowing heavily to keep his emotions under control. 

_I’m here,_ Jae replied, flying near them before landing on the bark. _I’m here too. Inside, watching you…in a non-stalker kind of way,_ she added, laughing again. 

“Jae, baby?” Yoona called out, holding out her hand as the butterfly flew towards her, landing on her palm. “Oh, sweetheart, what did you do?” she asked, wiping the tears from her face. 

_I’m sorry, Mom, I never meant to hurt you and Dad like this, but, I had to do this. I wish there was another way, but you don’t have to be sad. I’m still your daughter, and I haven’t left per se…_

“You’re just somewhere where we can never reach you,” Luhan stated sharply, but it was easy to tell that the boy was upset. 

_You act like I’ve died,_ Jae sighed, resting on her father’s shoulder a moment. _I’m still very much alive, I promise you._

“Prove it! Get back here in noona-form and then say that to our face!” Sehun demanded, pouting angrily at the butterfly. 

“After all we’ve been through, this is how it ends?” D.O. spoke up in disbelief. “You disappear and you expect us to just accept that?” 

_But I haven’t disappeared,_ she tried to explain. _I’m here, just- differently. Nothing’s changed, I’m where I have to be. It’ll be like the old days, how things used to be. That’s not so bad, is it? You’ve never known me in any other form than this one, besides the Tree, of course._

“Sure. But even then you always talked about how you wanted to show us your human-form. Always talked about how you wanted to walk beside us, to be here with us. Now you’re saying that you don’t want to come back?” Luhan retaliated fiercely. 

_You know that’s not what I mean,_ Jae interjected gently. _It’s not that easy, Luhan, and you know that as well. I can’t afford to make the same mistakes Yongsun made. This is good,_ she tried to soothe them. _Now, come on! You’re all acting as if you’re attending a funeral! We defeated the Black Imoogi, we saved the world- personally, I believe I kicked a lot of butt, thank you very much - that’s a lot of things to be happy about, you know. Would it hurt you to celebrate a little?_ She said cheerfully, though her wings drooped slightly at seeing the boys fall silent, shoulders slumping. Those that did nod their heads didn’t look convinced at all. 

Jae sighed deeply. _Come on, boys,_ she coaxed. _What can I do to make you happy?_

Suho looked at the butterfly, while his fingers ghosted over the tresses of the Tree that moved as though the Tree wished to embrace them. His eyes were sad and solemn when he answered; “Don’t go.” 

***

I watched the butterfly flit in the world I was part of, but was unable to touch. The world I belonged in, one that I could call my own, but one that I wasn’t allowed to participate in. I guided that butterfly towards Mr. Kang and Mr. Tabi, my sweet parents, and the boys. I watched everything from my world inside the Tree, reaching out my hand towards the scenery as if I were touching an invisible screen. A barrier between them and me. 

In this new, old world I was staying, the grass was greener, the light was brighter and everything looked more peaceful, more beautiful. And yet, when I looked at the other side of that invisible and impenetrable barrier, I realized the other side was far more beautiful still, simply because it was there that my family and friends were. 

_Don’t go._

Suho’s words felt like another dagger to my heart, but what was I to do? They were so sad. My guardians who stood by me all this time, who just saved and healed the world- and they didn’t even take the time to celebrate that fact. I needed to let them know that they don’t have to worry for me. That I am not going anywhere and that I’d be by their side, always- just not exactly in the way they were hoping for, probably…

Connecting to them always felt like going home all over again. This time, however, I wanted them to know my thoughts and feelings towards them. I wanted to comfort them, and connecting with them was the only fast way I knew how to do so. They shouldn’t be sad about this. They should rejoice and be happy. They were given another chance at life and I, as the guardian of the world, would do all I could in my power to make sure they enjoy that second chance in peace. 

However, I was not prepared to be overwhelmed by a sea of emotions and feelings coming from the guys first. Their energies were stronger than mine, not even giving me the opportunity to send them something back. 

The world around me had suddenly changed. Snow fell like crystal powder from the sky, a crisp cold wind blowing past. My world had turned into the purest of white, but I wasn’t cold at all. Before me, I saw Xiumin, smiling softly, hands in his pockets. Then, I heard the soft melody that reverberated from the boys’ hearts and Xiumin’s voice chimed. 

_The small fluttering of your wings seemed like it was telling me to follow you…_ The memory of me picking him up from his isolation entered my mind. I saw a smaller version of him following me obediently and then I felt his happiness.

_I believe that was the best decision I ever made,_ Xiumin said. 

_I was very happy that you decided to follow me, Xiumin. Thank you for trusting me,_ I replied and he smiled. _Hey, do me a favor, huh? Give that Rottweiler a good name and a good home? Maybe you could even bring her by the Tree sometime, I would like that, if it’s not too much trouble?_ Xiumin nodded gently, a soft sigh escaping his lips. 

_The sad eyes filled with tacit stories, it was the night you blew a whirlwind into my heart and I kept you,_ Sehun sounded, bringing the desert with his voice. Tornadoes and twisters of wind had formed over the vast, hot landscape, but they didn’t harm me. They were playful, like he was. He placed his hand against the bark and I reached out to him, sadly knowing that I would never be able to touch his hand again. 

_Can’t we visit to where you are, noona?_ His question was filled with so much innocence and hope it nearly broke my heart all over again knowing that this wasn’t possible. 

_And who would protect the world if all my guardians were inside with me, hm?_ I answered instead, trying to chuckle. _I haven’t left you, Sehunnie. I’ll watch over you. I promise._

_I was mesmerized by the mysterious you and stared at you and had my one soul stolen._ Luhan was reluctant to let me go. He cupped the butterfly in his hands and didn’t want to release it. It took him a moment to open his hands and he continued watching it flit around before his gaze fixed on the Tree. 

_Is it nice where you are? I can hear you, but I can’t see you._ He tried his best to smile, but his eyes were too sad to make the smile convincing. 

_It’s as good as it can be expected,_ was my politically correct answer that made him smirk. _I wish I could share it with you._

Luhan nodded shortly. _Yeah,_ he answered, _me too._

A pleasant warmth washed over me then and slowly, my environment changed into a rocky landscape filled with gushing geysers and hot springs. A great, fertile volcano stood in the far distance, proud and fierce- despite being asleep. Still, if you listened closely, you could hear the lava bubbling. 

_As if drunk, I even forgot how to breathe…_ Chanyeol who was always cheerful had a smile fading from his lips this time. It lingered on his face, but it did not shine. Still, he did his best not to falter. 

_N-noona, y-you know that time we nearly drowned? I just wanted to let you know that- uh…_ he fidgeted with his shirt a little. _I-I only did what I had to, to help you breathe again- b-but, you know my feelings for you, right?_ He stammered and I couldn’t help but laugh at this. 

_Of course, Yeollie. But, what exactly did you do that day?_ I inquired as I noticed how the tips of Chanyeol’s ears were burning at the tips. 

_A-ah, never mind… I think I’d like to keep that memory to myself,_ he decided shyly and my smile widened as he blushed. 

_Like a waltz, I sit lightly and can’t take my eyes off of you._ Kai never really did make a lot of eye contact with me. He always did his best to avert his gaze, act as disinterested, and cold, as possible. But something told me that he knew that I knew how much of a softie he really was, what a sweet and caring person he was on the inside. 

_I’m not going to say or do anything, noona,_ he started before I could open my mouth. _This whole thing is ridiculous. It’s not like you’re dying or anything, so what is there to say goodbye to?_ He protested.

I looked at him gently, and smiled. _I’ll miss you too, Jonginnie._

Kai lowered his head at this, so I wouldn’t see him cry. 

_Whether it’s for a second or till forever, I’ll decide the direction._ To see someone as bright and radiant as Baekhyun douse like a flame in the water was painful. There was not a glimmer of a smile on his usually cheerful face and it hurt to see that. Through the butterfly, I flitted against his cheeks and neck, knowing that the sensations must be tickling him. Baekhyun eventually chuckled and the smile lingered on his lips this time. He made the world around me bright. There was so much light here, so much radiance, I nearly had to squint my eyes. 

_If it gets dark in there, noona…_ he trailed off, swallowing as if he didn’t know how to finish that sentence. 

_You’re the first I’ll call,_ I answered and he nodded with that tentative smile on his face. 

_Even if we wander in unfamiliar places, even if we get lost…_ Tao had never been shy about showing his emotions. He had always been someone who wore his heart on his sleeve. Therefore, when he was looking up at the Tree with the tears already streaming down his face, I guided my tresses to soothe him. The leaves carefully wiped away the tears. Thanks to him, I stood in a world alike to that of the galaxy, where the river of time flowed gently by my feet. 

_You’ll be alright in there, right, noona?_ He inquired, sniffing as he did his best to recover. _You tell us if you aren’t and we’ll find a way to get you, okay?_

_How can I deny my best bodyguard, Taozi?_ I made the butterfly flit near his cheek, making him smile.

_I’ll follow my heart that’s more honest than anyone else’s._ Reliable, steadfast, loyal, sweet Lay was, per usual, smiling gently and calmly at me. He tried to mask his feelings of grief and confusion, but I felt them anyways. I sent pleasant energy towards him, the kind I knew a healer who knew only how to heal others, would appreciate.  

_Jae-yah…Do you think that one day, maybe, you’ll be able to come back to us?_ His question caught me off guard. 

_Lay, you know I’m already there with you,_ I said, but he shook his head, a tiny smirk on his lips. 

_No, I mean in Jae-yah-form- so I can hug you. The Tree is far too big and the butterfly too small,_ he explained. I laughed at this as I flitted to land on his nose. _Take good care of your brothers, and promise to look out for yourself a little too, okay? Don’t make me worry for you all the time!_

When he smiled, I looked at that blasted, ridiculously cute dimple, but couldn’t help but smile as well. He had turned my world into a tranquil forest on a midsummer’s day. The sun hung low, but it didn’t stop me from seeing the faint imprint of a rainbow in the sky.

_Because I can’t resist your quiet movements that strike me, and your sharp and soft gaze._ What can I say about D.O.? He turned my world into one of stone, landscapes filled with enormous mountains and caverns of which I could only imagine its contents. This suited D.O. as I had often suspected that there was always more to him than meets the eye. 

_You’re leaving me here with these idiots, really?_ He commented, though there was a playful grimace on his face. 

_You know I haven’t really left…and besides, who else but you would keep them in check now and again, huh?_ ” D.O. let out a quick blast of laughter, finger reaching for the butterfly. He blew a kiss at it when it stood on his finger, but I felt like I was the one who was blushing. 

_Guide me, take me together with you to the place where you live. We have to fly together to the most center of the world._ Kris changed my world into one as bright as the blue sky, where the sun lazily shone through puffy white, cotton clouds. 

_How about I just try to fly you out of wherever you are?,_ he suggested in a last attempt to get me to go back. 

_That wouldn’t be my style, Kris,_ I teased as he chuckled softly. 

_It’ll be weird, to not see your pretty face everyday. With you hiding inside of this thing, I’m left with nothing else to look at but those ugly dudes…_ Kris pouted, but I could tell that behind the teasing, he was upset. _You’re not Yongsun, you know,_ he tried one more time. _There’s no reason for you to be stuck inside there for all eternity._

_Don’t worry, Kris,_ I responded. _I have you guys to depend on, right? I’ll live vicariously through you,_ I chuckled. 

_Even if the world ends, I’ll follow you. Don’t go out of my sight…_ Oceans. Warm, blue oceans as far as the eye could see. The waves rushed by and I could feel my toes burying deeper into the sand. 

_Was there more that I could have done?_ asked Suho with a worried pout on his lips. _I feel like I should have done more. If I was a better a leader-_

The butterfly flew towards his mouth and landed there. _Stop doubting yourself, Suho. It is because of your leadership that we won,_ I told him. _I know you’ll take good care of these guys. You always have._

He smiled a little, tears glistening in his eyes. _And I’ll try to take good care of you, Jae,_ he promised. 

_I’ll hold you to it,_ I said gently, the tresses of the Tree caressing his face. 

_Even when the morning comes, don’t disappear…_ Chen turned my world into one where the rain fell like a soothing waterfall.  Thunder sounded like a lullaby.  

_Noona, tell me this is a joke. A prank. I’ll laugh about it, I swear, just…_ he trailed off, sighing deeply. 

_Chen,_ I mused, watching his eyes as I tried to read him. I thought he would cry, but when he lifted his head he grinned brightly at me. 

_We’ll see you soon, right, noona?_ he chuckled, the thunder inside of my world nearly mimicking his contagious laugh. 

_I’ll see you soon, Chen-Chen,_ I greeted, feeling the warmth they sent my way, the melody from their hearts becoming a beautiful harmony that brought a smile to my face, for a moment making me forget about the melancholy of the whole situation. 

_Like the you we’ve dreamed of, you are Life, a beautiful butterfly…_

I watched their faces, feeling relieved that they seemed to understand now. We were saying goodbye, without actually saying it since we’d probably see each other tomorrow again. I wasn’t really gone and they knew that. Watching the smiles on their faces, seeing my mother and father holding each other as they put their hands on the bark- I felt like I truly belonged. 

I closed my eyes and a thousands of butterflies flew from the Tree, flitting around my pack, my family as they laughed and gasped in awe at the amazing sight. 

_I’ll always be with you_ , I whispered to them as the colorful butterflies flew off towards the horizon where the sun was rising. The colors of dawn painted the sky anew. A whole new day awaited us. A whole new life would start. 

Thinking back to the amount of time I spent on Ookami Shinro with the pack, I felt like that period was far too short, but at the same time, it had felt like a blissful eternity. I may not walk amongst them again, but I knew we found a place in each other’s heart forever. That’s a pretty sweet deal too, if you ask me. After all, I was home. I found where I belonged. Sure, moments may arise where I’ll miss feeling a pair of arms wrapped around me, or soothing words being whispered into my ear…but still. Those twelve dorks were right there, should I need them and I would make sure that I would be there for them. I’d miss running in the woods with them, howling up at the moon, but I’m more than willing to give up a piece of my freedom, for the sake of those I love. 

We watched the sun rise together and I moved my roots and branches so that they could get a good view and I could keep them close to me. Would they know how much they mean to me? 

My twelve stars, whom I loved before I even knew who they were. How we started as suspicious strangers and grew to become a tightly knit pack of wolves. Sometimes, I believed we may be a bit more than just that…of course, that could just be the daydreams of a teenage girl. 

I chuckled to myself as I glanced at the new world. Inside of the Tree, the world was shining, prospering, filled with light- but shadows too. Just like it should be. Sometimes I thought I saw a sliver of black slithering through my green meadows, but the snake would tip its head and continue its journey. 

The boys did very well to pick up their lives as guardians, feeling more content to do their jobs with their families so near. I doubt the rest of the world outside of Ookami Shinro knew what had transpired on this little lost island in the middle of the sea, but that was alright. The former Exo-Ls that now inhabit the island knew and that was good enough for us. 

“Things will change now, won’t they?” Sehun wondered as he looked at his hyungs. Suho looked up at the Tree his hand softly caressing the bark. 

“Nah, don’t worry about it, Sehunnie. I think things will just be as they should be.” We shared a pleasant silence and while they looked out over the horizon, I looked at them. 

With the world at peace outside and in here, there was nothing else I could want as Guardian of the World. I walked through the peaceful meadows, serene forests and gazed up at the majestic mountains that I could all call my own. I pretended that the loneliness didn’t effect me, knowing that I’d only feel miserable if I did allow it to hurt me. 

_No. This was better, really…_  

I look up when I thought I heard a wolf howl and I turned around, thinking that night must’ve fallen on the island the boys were probably scouting the area as wolves. 

I jolted again when I heard a distinct howl coming from somewhere close by. Scanning the area nearly frantically, I froze upon seeing a small figure in the distance, standing tall at the side of the mountain. 

The white wolf howled and looked down at me. I gawked at the animal for a second before I blinked and bowed to it with a smile on my face. I continued staring at it until I heard one of the boys’ voices call out to me. I turn around for a second and by the time I looked back at the wolf, the creature was gone. 

I searched for it for a moment, until I heard the boys calling for me again. I smiled and walked towards them. 

***

_There’s a hidden island somewhere in the ocean that not a lot of people know about. They say it’s a magical land where wolves roam and trees as big as the sun guard the inhabitants that live there._

_It is an island of light and of darkness. Where young men race through the endless forests, always accompanied by a beautiful butterfly._

_The paths they leave behind are frost-bitten, tiny flames still dancing in the imprints they leave in the ground. The air crackles with electricity, while shadows and flashes of light pass by through the trees. The wind blows like the whims of a child, leafs moving and dancing only to stop, as if time did not touch them. The dirt waves like water here, but plants never looked healthier despite of this._

_Shadows of wolves run in the night, followed by shadows of men during the day._

_You could visit if you wanted, but the only way to find it, is for you to get lost first. It may not seem like much, but to me, it’s home._

_There’s a particularly sweet spot in a quiet meadow where you can look out over the entire town below, and the amazing stars above. That’s where I live. Don’t mind the twelve wolves that tend to linger there. Perhaps you might get a chance to know them as well. One might say that they’re magnificent, magical, but those are not the traits you’d love them for. They’re loving, and kindhearted. Silly and childish. But they’re also brave, and strong, loyal and honest. They’re the biggest dorks you’ll ever get to meet- but trust me when I say that they have a way to stay in your heart forever. They have a gift to make your life quite- exceptional._

_So should you find yourself lying in the grass, staring at the sky, and thinking how your life is boring and bland- perhaps you could consider to come and meet us. Those Exo boys from Exo planet, might make your life a little more exciting._

_I would know. I have the pleasure to call them my guardians, and with them, I finally found a place where I belong._


	108. ~ Cast & Final Word ~

~ Main Cast: Bio Profiles ~

**Jae-In Miyano**

Known as Jae, or Jade, to her father, she is the hero of the story. Suffering from a boring life and odd, inexplicable pangs of anxiety attacks, she finds herself in a not-so-ordinary situation of moving to the small and obscure Island of Ookami Shinro. The town of Hanwol is her new home, but she has a little difficulty adjusting to the life at the island. It doesn't help when she meets twelve handsome young men that really don't want anything to do with her. It turns out that they harbored a secret she never knew she'd share with them... Jae is a girl in her late teens, Queen of sarcasm and dry humor, rather socially awkward but has her heart in the right place (in a matter of speaking ^^;-  _Hey, what is this dagger doing here?!_ ). She's smart, has the tendency to argue with herself when faced with certain dilemmas, but is mostly a very kind and warm person once you get to know her. It is no wonder then, that she easily steals the heart of twelve certain young cubs- eh, men. (Image made by sweetiepie Kpopkdramagirl (c) thank you so much for taking the time to make this, it's beautiful <3)

** Kim Joonmyeon - "Suho" **

Leader of the pack, class president, excellent student, pride and joy of his parents and the local community and also a little bit of jerk- well, to Jae at least. Suho doesn't like Jae when she comes to town though she is unsure why. Perhaps similar personalities tend to clash? Suho is the Guardian of Water. He has the tendency to be somewhat of a goodie two-shoes, has a bit of a dorky disposition, but he's a just and fair leader. Even though he has the tendency to lose his cool in stressful situations, he always manages to take control and makes good decisions that has helped his pack stay out of trouble loads of times. He's extremely protective, which is why some of his brothers tease him by calling him "Mom". 

** Wu Yifan - "Kris" **

All hail the dorky duizhang! At first glance, Kris comes off as a tall, handsome, suave and cool dude, but once he shows his true self, he's actually rather dorky, clumsy and a tad bit naive. Often seen as the second in charge, he and Suho could not be more of polar opposites. He is calm and levelheaded, relaxed and laidback, giving him the ability to always look at the bigger picture. Kris is a sweet boy behind the cool-guy façade, he's charming and when the opportunity presents itself, he is willing to lead his brothers. He watches over them in silence, while Suho does so in the foreground. Kris is the Guardian of Flight and often compares himself to mighty dragons.

**Do Kyungsoo - "D.O."**

D.O. is a quiet, rather shy and introverted guy. He prefers not to stand out too much and doesn't really speak unless he thinks it necessary. This behavior causes many to believe that he's anti-social and awkward, but really he just doesn't really know how to connect to people all too well. Not to mention that he gets bullied for the exact same reasons which makes him want to stay away from others, except his brothers. D.O. is very smart and has incredible patience. He has a way of communicating with others that gives off a sense of familiarity. He's straightforward and doesn't really have the time to fool around, causing him to clash with his brothers now and again. He is in tune with reading the atmosphere and even though he doesn't show it, he cares deeply for the people he loves. D.O. is the Guardian of the Earth and possess amazing strength. He harbors a deep anger from which his strength comes from, but he learned how to control it years ago. He noticed how much calmer he seems to be, now that the new girl is in town...odd.

** Lu Han - "Luhan" **

Say hello to the most popular boy in Ookami Shinro - and that's saying a lot! Luhan is one of the most handsome students at Hanwol High School, earning his popularity due to his kind and easy-going personality and the fact that he's the Captain of the soccer team. Luhan is the Guardian of the Mind, being able to use his telepathic and telekinetic skills to hear the minds of others and to move objects with a mere thought of his mind. Many would take advantage of this power and Luhan may have done so once or twice- but he never crosses the line. He's loyal and honest and says what he thinks. He has the tendency to have somewhat of a temper which shows when he feels passionate about something. He doesn't consider himself a jealous person, but where Jae is concerned...he gets a little weird.

**Oh Sehun - "Sehun"**

The maknae of the group, Sehun is a little spoiled by his hyungs sometimes. Despite his rather distant and bratty behavior, he's actually rather sensitive and very childlike in heart. He trusts people easily but with a childish caution and is often used to getting what he wants. He doesn't cover the feelings he gets when he meets Jae, even feeling jealous or spiteful towards his other hyungs when they get too near to her. Nevertheless, Sehun is a soft-hearted boy who respects those older than him even though he teases his brothers mercilessly. He is the Guardian of the Wind and known to be just as fickle. He tends to be impulsive and doesn't always think when he acts- proof to show that he indeed is the youngest one. He loves bubbletea. His favorite is chocolate.  _Yehet_. 

**Zhang Yixing - "Lay"**

Known as the all-round guy, Lay enjoys some popularity himself, though not always for the reasons he wants. Often seen as blank, slow in the uptake and a day dreamer, Lay seems to be a boy with his head constantly in the clouds. However, he is more perceptive and sharp than people give him credit for. He's a boy with a gentle heart, polite and respectful, loyal and kind to a fault. He has the tendency to put the well-being of others before his own, which might not be so surprising since he's the Guardian of Healing. However, because he was told to always smile and to never show others when he's in pain - out of fear that his suffering will cause those he cares for to suffer as well - he buries his feelings of pain, grief and anger. He loves his brothers dearly and always makes sure that they're in perfect health.

**Kim Jongin - "Kai"**

Kai comes across as a rather stoic, distant and cool person. He is distrustful towards Jae and doesn't hide that fact. Many might say that there's something 'animalistic' about Kai, but the girls all love this supposed bad boy. Past this image however, is a fried chicken-loving, dorky doggy-loving boy, who tends to be rather territorial when it comes to people he cares for. Kai never really says what he thinks or feels, preferring to hide behind his bad boy façade instead. Truth is, he doesn't really know how to express himself properly, expecting that those around him will know how he feels instead. He lacks patience, wanting to always be on the move. As the Guardian of Teleportation this isn't strange at all. He likes going from one place to another in the blink of an eye and prides himself on being the fastest one amongst his brothers. Social media kind of confuses him. His favorite scent is jasmine...

**Kim Jongdae - "Chen"**

When teachers hear that contagious, loud and boisterous laughter they are holding on to their folders and rulers and pencils for dear life, because  _heyo~_  Chen-Chen is in the house! Chen is a cheerful kid that loves to tease others, which gained him the reputation of being somewhat of a Trickster. The true reason for being what others may dub as 'annoying', is because he teases those he loves. Like a thunderstorm, Chen may be rather overbearing to some people as his presence is always felt and always noticed. Mind you, he doesn't actually like to hog the spotlight, but he doesn't shy away from it should it shine on him. He has a warm personality and makes contact with others easily. He is the Guardian of Lightning and loves thunderstorms with a passion. He always goes out then to run in the rain. He has an excellent singing voice (and loud too).

**Byun Baekhyun - "Baekhyun"**

Baekhyun is the Guardian of Light and it shows in everything he does. He is loud and very present, bringing light and life to any party and enjoys standing in the spotlight. He is radiance and joy personified, traits he says are to be blamed by his gift to control the light. Baekhyun has somewhat of a big mouth and isn't very adept in reading the atmosphere which could cause some awkward moments. He is known to make jokes, both funny and lame, but most of all he tends to look at things on the positive side. He firmly believes that light conquers the darkness, always, and for his brother he's willing to shine as bright as he can. 

**Park Chanyeol - "Chanyeol"**

Known also amongst friends as the Happy Virus, Chanyeol is the happy-go-lucky kid who greets people with a bright smile on his face. Chanyeol loves music, food and his brothers. Just like most of his brothers he's easy-going and usually goes along with the flow. He doesn't like conflict much and tends to soothe others or tries to joke around to relieve tension. He is the Guardian of Fire, and while most would expect a fitting personality to go with it, Chanyeol is remarkably different. He loves his flames but worries sometimes that he lacks the proper skill to control them. Chanyeol admires Kris a lot and hopes one day to be able to fly like the phoenix he represents. 

**Kim Minseok - "Xiumin"**

There's no denying that there's something mysterious and alluring about Xiumin. Quiet, a little shy and mostly in the background, Xiumin only really choses to shine when he's playing soccer with Luhan. As the eldest of the group he silently looks out for his brothers, though he also has the tendency to act like a real big brother, teasing them when they're already down. Xiumin is a thinker, rather than a doer, observing what he sees before making a move. He's reserved, thinking that his natural "coldness" scares people away, which is why he doesn't really physically gets too close to people. Despite being the Guardian of Ice, he's probably one of the most warmest people on the island. 

**Huang Zitao - "Tao"**

Kung Fu panda, Princess Peach- there's not a soul more open and genuine than Tao. A kind-hearted boy that wears his heart on his sleeve, he is known to be gentle, sensitive, righteous and a bit whiny, almost making people believe that he is the maknae of the group. However, when things get serious and when people depend on him, he becomes Kung Fu panda Tao, badass and skilled in Wushu, he becomes focused. Tao cares deeply for his brothers and would do anything for them. As a Guardian of Time there were moments when he felt lonely, since his gift was one that one couldn't easily and carelessly mess with. He warms up easily to people, seeing the good in others regardless where they're from. 

**~ Author's Note ~**

Wow guys, I can't believe you've scrolled near the end! Well done! hihihi ^^

Surprisingly, this writer isn't really good in expressing a final note to conclude this story, so really, all I can say to you is  **thank you**. I started this story because Exo inspired me and I needed an outlet to express the inspiration they gave me to work with ^^; It was also a test for me to see if people would like the way I write and seeing all your comments and the amounts of subscribers, I guess I can tentatively say that my writing is appreciated (/)u(\\). Therefore I can only express my most sincere gratitude to all of you who decided to click on that link that led to this story, to those who read it ninja style without saying a word (but contributed to the amount of views :D), to those writing their feedback in the comments and to those who subscribed and even upvoted this story!!!  **Thank you thank you thank you THANK YOU!** It may seem silly for me to say this, but honestly, if there wasn't this big amount of support on your side for this story I was writing, I doubt I would have even made it past 5 chapters- and LOOK! 100+ chapters in the house! Lol. I honestly think that without that support and encouragement, I wouldn't even have finished this story at all. So thank you for your support, for your kind and motivating comments! I hope I'll write more stories in the future (look for more one-shot stories in the Fallen Universe @asianfanfics, user Nin-Nin!), but for now, on behalf of our dorky Exo wolves and Jae, I can say:

T H E   E N D. ♥


	109. ~ EPILOGUE ~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ....What is a story without an epilogue, right? ^^ Enjoy!

***

It didn’t take long for all of us to fall back to a pleasant routine. Soon, things nearly became as they once were in Exo planet. As a butterfly, I could spend time with the boys as much as I wanted, even visiting the school to see Minho and Lili. They visit me as often as they can as well, and I see my parents every day. I know it’s not entirely the same, but it’s something. And really, everything is great…Just great. 

I reached out my hand for the umpteenth time when I see the boys playing around in their wolf-forms. Chen was being a troll and was snapping his jaws at my butterfly form as he chased me around. 

_Stop it, you’re going to tear a wing off!_

_That’s okay, noona, we’ll have Lay-hyung patch you right up,_ he laughed. 

_Chen, that’s enough,_ Suho splashed him with water as I flitted to his shoulder for safety. 

_Splash him again for good measure,_ I giggled softly as Suho immediately did as I asked, followed by Sehun knocking him back with a gust of wind, while Baekhyun zapped a laser beam at his butt. Chen yelped and crawled over the ground with his butt. 

“ _Wae?!_ Why are you guys like this to me?!” Chen whined, though a tiny smirk appeared on his face. 

“Don’t you miss it, noona?” Tao suddenly asked as he carefully stroked my wing. “Being with us?” 

“Taozi,” Kris warned, but I flitted towards him, landing in his hands which he held out for me. 

_Why would I miss that when I’m already with you? Things have been going well, haven’t they, Taozi?_ I asked as I took in the sad smile on his face. 

“I guess…I just wish there was another way. Doesn’t it seem so useless? Jae-noona did so much for us and for the world, she sacrificed so much more than we had, and she gets nothing for it in return?” he asked, obviously agitated. “It doesn’t seem fair!”

His thumb ghosted over my wings as I fluttered them and a silence fell that brought the mood down. I knew Tao didn’t mean to do it, but every time when someone mentioned it, this would happen. I sighed softly to myself. I didn’t want to see them like this. 

_You know what I don’t think is fair?_ I started, flying up to get their attention. I chuckled at seeing their dumbfounded faces. _The fact that all of you are wasting your time here instead of scoring a date for the Homecoming Dance!_ I piped up, fluttering about. _You’re going, right?_ I asked. Truth be told, before all of this happened, the Dance was the last thing on my mind, and frankly, I didn’t care all too much about it, but now that life was going on as it should, I wanted the boys to attend. 

They shuffled awkwardly on their feet, avoiding to look at me. 

_What? Oh, come on, guys. It’ll be fun! I hear they’re going to make it bigger than planned, you know, to celebrate all the stuff that happened… They’re going to expect the Guardians to attend, you know,_ I tried to coax. 

“Are you going?” asked Luhan, watching me. 

_Of course I am!_ I confirmed, trying to bring some elation in the atmosphere. 

“Really? And what will you be wearing? Last time I checked there’s no such thing as prom dresses in butterfly size,” he retaliated and I sighed. 

_You’re kidding me right? I’ll steal the show! Here, watch this!_ I flew towards a baffled Kris as I landed at the base of his neck, in the dip between his collarbones and spread my wings. 

_See? I’ll be the best bow tie ever!_

I smiled when they laughed and that was what I wanted to see. They didn’t need to know that I wanted to wear a beautiful dress as well and to dance and have fun… But again, I shouldn’t complain about anything. Things could have been worse. I tried my best to stay cheerful for the sake of the boys and I knew they were trying the very same thing. However, being the Guardian of Guardians, it meant that I always felt what they felt and it hurt that they felt sad.

I didn’t tell anyone that I could sometimes see a white wolf running around in my world. At first I didn’t think much of it, but the more I saw the animal, the more I grew curious. There wasn’t supposed to be anyone in here with me. And the only other white wolf I knew was Yongsun, and he was- well, not here anymore. 

That’s why, when I saw the white wolf again, standing at the exact same spot on that mountain, I ran to chase it. The wolf had started to run as well, but I wouldn’t give up. I ran up the hill, following the road that led up towards the mountain. 

“Get back here!” I yelled after the creature as it deftly jumped and sprinted further away from me. I didn’t give up. I chased the white wolf until it led me inside of the mountain, where a tropical paradise awaited me. A long, thin waterfall fell into a deep blue pool at the bottom of the mountain, the rushing of the water bouncing against  the stone walls. The white wolf stood a few feet away from me, watching me with soft green eyes. 

I blinked. “Yongsun?” I questioned breathlessly. The white wolf smirked and jumped into the water below, startling me into action. I ran towards the edge, only to notice that there was no resounding splash. In fact, it seemed like the white wolf had disappeared. 

I looked around, gazing down over the edge. I thought I saw something shimmering in the water. As I squinted my eyes and bent further forward to see what it was, I lost my footing and fell in. 

I gasped and braced myself when I crashed into the water. The coldness of the pool wasn’t painful, but it startled me regardless. As I tried to swim back up to the surface, the water felt lighter, somehow…warmer, too. I felt like I was being hugged by someone who loved me dearly and it wasn’t unpleasant at all. 

_Do you know why memories are so valued by people?_

A voice around me sounded. I knew better than to think this was Yongsun speaking to me, but the voice was so familiar I felt my heart swell with warmth. 

_To remember their lives? The people they met? To know that they were here some point in time?_ I suggested, seeing the water slowly brighten, as if the sun was directly shining onto it. I floated in the pleasant warmth and light, realizing that I didn’t need to hold my breath here. This was definitely no ordinary pool of water. 

The voice chuckled at hearing my answer and I felt like I was lifted and drifted along the currents of the water. 

_They value memories because it keeps the people they lost alive as well,_ the voice corrected gently. _Tricky things, memories. They’re not always reliable, and they’re not always happy. Things may change, but memories don’t. I suppose that’s why some people find it difficult to go back to the way things were after they tasted something different. Experienced something better…_

I frowned a little as the water pushed me back up to the surface and I breathed in the fresh air. 

_This way,_ the voice said, reverberating in the gentle breeze that passed by. I got out of the water without feeling cold. My feet seemed to know where to go so I followed them, heading into a cave where colorful crystals grew between the cracks of the walls. I halted my step when I saw the crystal mirror shine before me. The mirror showed me the Tree that stood proudly in the island, followed by a butterfly. And then…I saw myself. Jae. The girl with the dark almond eyes and boring brown hair. The girl that with the right kind of clothes would look like a boy, but slap a dress on that body and poof! A girly girl. I stepped closer towards the reflection, touching the surface of the mirror. I knew it wasn’t an actual reflection, as the Jae in the mirror looked dry and primped. She wore a gown that was made of the night and decorated with stars. Her hair hung loose in beautiful waves, highlighted with a little cyan green here and there. She looked like she was fit to go to a ball. 

_Memories give us joy, happiness…but also anger and sorrow- regret._

I shut my eyes as the voice continued speaking. _Memories are also good teachers…_

My eyes fluttered open and I jumped back as my reflection made way for Yongsun, standing in the mirror with a smile on his face. 

“Yongsun? Y-you’re alive?!” I squeaked out, placing both my hands against the mirror in awe. He laughed heartily and shook his head. 

_I am only alive in the memories of others. This is your world now, Jae,_ he explained calmly. 

“I…I don’t understand,” I spoke. “I mean, I’m happy to see you, but what are you doing here?” 

_I came to check up on my pupil,_ he said. _And I realized that this teacher of yours had a few lessons to learn himself. I was hoping I could teach them to you before it was too late._

“What do you mean?” I asked, watching him closely out of fear that he may disappear on me. “Am I not doing my job well?”

_You do a wonderful job, Jae,_ he reassured with a gentle smile. _Many love you and you keep a close watch on the world. But…_

I bit my lip in worry as he paused. “But what?” I asked. 

_Don’t make the same mistakes I did._

I watched him as I tried to read the expression on his face, but found myself being confused. I thought that staying here was exactly doing what he didn’t do. 

“But-,” 

_I always wanted to walk amongst the people, but I always separated myself. I always wanted to create and protect a world I loved so very much, but I was always afraid to accept the full responsibility. I had my flaws as Guardian, you have them too, but you shouldn’t inherit the same flaws like mine. You deserve better than that._

What could I say to that? I saw him suddenly looking at my chest and I frowned at him. “Hey, memory or not, my eyes are up here, buddy,” I warned him and Yongsun laughed wholeheartedly, shaking his head. 

_I see the yeouiju is put in a safe place,_ he then remarked and I felt my heart glow. _You’ll take good care of it?_

I nodded immediately. “Of course,” I confirmed and he smiled again. 

_Then, what are you still doing here?_

Frowning, I gazed at him. “What are you talking about?” 

Yongsun looked up when the sound of wolves howling echoed in the air. He smirked at me. _I think you know…_

***

The moon shone bright over the island of Ookami Shinro. Despite of this, it had to relent to the colorful, beautiful lights that shone all around the school’s campus. Music played as the melody of laughter and cheerful chattering filled the air. All around the campus various games and stalls were situated, as well as some rides- a little courtesy from Suho’s father. Underneath a large gazebo, couples were dancing amongst beautifully colored lanterns.

Luhan’s gaze, however, was up to the stars. He enjoyed the moment of serenity, but loosened his tie somewhat when his eyes caught sight of the shadow of a large tree, further away in the distance, easily towering over the tree line of the forest. He sighed to himself, clacking his tongue as he started to search the area. 

_Where is she?_ He peered through the crowd, looking near the lights and lanterns to catch a glimpse of a butterfly, but couldn’t find any. 

“You’re looking for Jae?” Xiumin remarked more than he asked as he handed his best friend a drink. 

“She said she’d come, didn’t she?” Luhan replied, looking soberly at the festivities going on. 

“Maybe she came as Kris’ bow tie,” Xiumin tried, shrugging a little as he loosened the button of his tuxedo. 

“First of all, Kris would never have let her, and second of all, she didn’t,” Kris interjected as he joined his brothers with a sigh. “I couldn’t find her anywhere either,” he added with a huff, drinking some punch. “Maybe she’ll show up later. Shouldn’t you be looking out for your date?” he immediately teased Luhan who turned red while Xiumin chuckled. 

“She’s not my date, I just danced with her a couple of times, that’s all,” he muttered, shyly rubbing the back of his neck. 

“If Jae heard you say that she’d tear you a new one,” Suho remarked with a goofy grin on his face. “Besides, Lili is a sweet girl. I think you were actually enjoying yourself then.” 

“Shut up,” Luhan murmured as the pack came together to take a breather and get away from the adoring masses. It was admittedly nice, having people know who they are and to respect them for it, but on the other hand, the boys’ popularity only grew and grew. The girls were shier than before, but somehow also more persistent at the same time - not that any of them really minded that kind of attention. 

“Do you think we should head over to the Tree? Maybe something happened,” D.O. suggested, his eyes still scanning the area. 

“Jae-yah would’ve said something if that was the case,” Lay said. “Maybe we should wait and try and have fun, huh?” he gave his brothers a warm smile. 

“I think she didn’t show because _someone_ had to remind her how useless it was for her to be stuck flitting about like a butterfly,” Chen noted, eyes slowly focusing on Tao. “She probably feels too embarrassed to attend a dance- when she’s not even able to dance!”

“Hey! Hyung, I didn’t mean to make her feel bad! It’s just…I miss her, that’s all,” Tao immediately piped up, shoulders slumping. 

“Ah, we know that, I was just teasing you,” Chen said, patting his back. 

“We all miss her,” Sehun added, looking like he wasn’t having a good time at all. “I was supposed to take Jae-noona to the dance,” he breathed, looking up in confusion when he heard his brothers’ bewildered exclamations and mocking laughter. “What? It’s true! She was going to ask me!” he argued. 

“Oh, please, she’d ask Baekhyun first before she’d ask you,” remarked Luhan in mockery. 

“Yeah!” Baekhyun piped up, shaking his head a little bewildered. “Hey, wait minute-,” he muttered when he actually processed what Luhan was telling him. 

“Get real. Jae-noona wouldn’t have asked anyone of us. She’d probably end up with Minho-hyung or something,” Kai commented, arms crossed firmly over his chest. 

At the mere mention of the poor boy’s name, the boys started to hiss and groan out of annoyance. 

“Minho-hyung…pah!” Chanyeol spat out. “I don’t trust him,” he said resolutely. 

“Who does, honestly?!” said Baekhyun as the boys agreed and simultaneously heaved a deep sigh. 

“So… Is anyone of you having fun?” Chen then asked, looking at the pack. 

“No,” D.O. answered dryly. 

“Not really,” Sehun sighed. 

“Me neither. This just doesn’t feel the same without Jae-noona,” Chen commented as he looked at the tree. “We should leave the party and go to the Tree instead,” he then proffered, which his brothers seemed to appreciate. 

“Perfect! We can see the fireworks from there,” Chanyeol piped up with a wide grin on his face while the pack got ready to leave. 

_Oh, good, I haven’t missed the fireworks yet_ , a gentle voice then interrupted from behind them. _I was worried I’d be too late,_ the sweet voice chuckled. 

The boys stopped in their tracks at hearing that soft voice. Luhan was the first to turn around. “Finally! What took you so long? We’ve been waiting for -,” He swallowed, words falling dead upon his tongue. Having noticed their brother’s abrupt silence, the boys turned around one by one, only to become as dazzled as he was. 

Twelve faces bore similar expressions of shock and bewilderment, mouths slightly agape, eyes blinking, as if they couldn’t believe what they were seeing. 

“Sorry I’m late. It’s not very easy running on heels,” Jae said, smiling at them as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. She started to chuckle when the boys still didn’t responded. 

“So, how do I look? Is it okay? It was sort of a last minute job- but all of you actually clean up really nice. Though I think you’d all look better with some butterfly ties,” she nodded, obviously joking. Jae’s laughter waned away when Kris moved towards her, carefully reaching out to touch her cheek. When he felt the touch was real, he poked the other side. 

“J-Jae?” he asked in a whisper like a hopeful child. “Is it really you?”  

“No, it’s the Easter Bunny in disguise. I always wanted to see what it was like to wear a dress,” Jae responded sarcastically. “Yes, you dork, it’s me. Stop gawking, you’re acting like you’ve never seen my human form before!” she laughed as this snapped the boys to action. Before she realized what was going on, she was picked up from the ground and hugged from all sides. She was still chortling when Lay held her tight in a back hug, burying his face in the crook of her neck.

“Jae-yah, it’s you! I can hug you- look! I can hug you!” he stated excitedly, causing her to ruffle his hair a bit. 

“Wait, wait, wait- is this for real? Or do you have to be back inside of the Tree by midnight?” Baekhyun asked. 

“Yes, but no worries, I’ll leave a shoe behind to remember me by,” Jae stated solemnly, flicking the boy’s forehead in jest. “Of course not,” she smiled. “I’m here to stay,” she said looking at her pack. 

“Really, noona? You promise? You can’t take it back anymore!” Sehun stated in his excitement, holding her hand and shaking it while he bounced on the ball of his feet. 

“But- how?” D.O. asked, looking at her as if he was afraid she would disappear again. 

Jae placed her hand right above her chest, where a soft green glow beat in time to her heart before fading away again. “I keep the heart in a way Yongsun never had. It’s part of me and I am part of it. I guess that makes me stronger…” she trailed off and shook her head. “I didn’t want to be isolated from the people I love anymore, but truthfully, I just really miss hitting you dorks,” she stated with a playful shimmer in her eyes. 

“So! Who’s going to dance with me?” she asked, beaming. 

“I AM!” twelve voices answered in unison before they broke out in an argument. Jae rolled her eyes in amusement and grabbed the first two arms that were in reach. 

“Just come along, you dorks!” she chuckled, pulling all of them with her to the dance floor. 

“Whoa, Jae! W-wait, don’t let Minho see her, don’t let Minho see her!” Luhan exclaimed urgently to the rest of his brothers, but Jae only laughed out loud. The fireworks started to light up the sky in brilliant colors when they stood huddled on the dance floor. The people exclaimed in joy and excitement at seeing the spectacle, as the guardians cheered loudly as well. 

Jae laughed in absolute joy as she let her eyes wander to the pack that were surrounding her. She breathed in their scents, watched their happy faces and gently wrapped her hands around the nearest hands she could find. Suho and Kris looked at her simultaneously before tightening the grip on her hands while Jae squeezed. She was there. They were there. She thanked the stars above, the memories of Yongsun for guiding her. As it was raining stars above her, Jae smiled to herself. 

She was finally home. 


End file.
